International Rogaining Federation

Newsletter Number 46, October 1998

PO Box 3,
Central Park,
3145, Victoria.
neil.phillips@bigpond.com, 61-3-95721784 fax
President: Neil Phillips

Welcome to our new correspondents who have started to receive the IRF Newsletter. Newsletter 46 continues the practice of having a periodic overview for new members of our roles and activities.

The International Rogaining Federation was established in 1989 after meetings between Richard Matthews, David Stephens and Neil Phillips in Perth, and discussions with Rod Phillips and Warwick Marsden. The initial IRF group comprised Neil Phillips (president), Richard Matthews (vice-president), David Stephens (secretary), Bob Reddick (USA), Pat Albright (USA), Andrew Newson (Canada), Ron Andrews (Canada) and Rod Phillips (Australia). The IRF strategic plan was finalized in June 1989, and the Federation formed in Calgary on 16th June 1989.

The aims, as paraphrased from the original IRF plan, were to consolidate rogaining where it already had a presence, foster the spread of rogaining to other countries, improve the quality of all rogaines, promote regular international participation in rogaines including the World Rogaining Championships, and to establish and maintain an international rogaining code.

Highlights of the first five years included rogaines in USA and New Zealand as well as The Most Awesome Rogaine in Alberta, western Canada in 1990, and a World Rogaining Championships in Victoria.

In 1994, the IRF prepared a Strategic Plan to take it through to 2000 based upon several hundred submissions and comments from rogainers worldwide. This strategic plan has been the main guiding document for IRF activities, and copies are available from the IRF upon request. The current structure of the IRF was emplaced in 1989 at which stage it was recognized that: "As the sport and IRF grow, the nature of the group will change." The IRF was formed with an explicit guiding document (strategic plan) but no constitution. Its focus was on developing rogaining internationally, and its administration and procedures low on bureaucracy. This followed the model of the Victorian, Australian and Western Australian Rogaining Associations when they were established in 1976, 1979 and 1980, respectively. The IRF is not incorporated, and has been privately funded since inception. It has drawn no funds from government, but works co-operatively with other associations.

Membership of the IRF includes national and state rogaining association presidents or their representatives, representatives of the major rogaining areas around the world, IRF founders and those with special duties related to IRF activities including publications and major rogaines. Membership is inclusive and informal with the newsletter and email being used as media for communication between those taking on responsibility to develop an aspect of international rogaining. The offer remains open for those who wish to take an IRF role now or in future. This could include the challenge of developing rogaining in a country where it has no foothold yet. All IRF positions are honorary.

The IRF has at its disposal the collective wisdom and experience of many rogainers who:

This balance allows different facets of the sport to be represented.

Brief profile of IRF members
Nigel Aylott: current World Rogaining Champion; former president VRA; IRF mail list; Constitution sub-committee.
Gary Carroll: president Western Australian Rogaining Association.
Rod Costigan: author 'Organizers Manual'; former president VRA.
Ken Dowling: co-organizer first New Zealand classic rogaine; representative - New Zealand.
Graham Foley: author 'Cross country navigation'; former president ARA and VRA; Australian Rogaining Champion.
Murray Foubister: course setter 3rd World Rogaining Championships; co-ordinator, Sage rogaines, Kamloops; initiator North American Rogaining Championships.
Paul Frylink: president Queensland Rogaining Association; former president ACTRA.
Jim Fulton: co-ordinator 3rd World Rogaining Championships.
Michael Haynes: co-ordinator North American Rogaining Championships, Nova Scotia, 1999.
Phillip Holman: president Victorian Rogaining Association.
Iiro Kakko: current World rogaining champion; representative - Finland.
David Laurie: co-ordinator 4th World Rogaining Championships, New Zealand, 2000.
Julian Ledger: president New South Wales Rogaining Association.
Richard Matthews: founder IRF; co-ordinator 2nd World Rogaining championships; former ARA and WARA president; Australian Rogaining Champion.
Stuart Payne: contact, 4th World Rogaining championships, New Zealand, 2000.
Neil Phillips: president IRF; founder VRA, ARA, WARA and IRF; former president ARA and WARA; author 'Rogaining' and 'Cross country navigation'; Australian Rogaining Champion.
Rod Phillips: founder VRA and IRF; author 'Rogaining' and 'Cross country navigation'; Constitution sub-committee; former president ARA and VRA; Australian Rogaining Champion.
Tomas Prokes: president Ceska Asociace Rogainingu (Czech Rogaining Association); founder Czech rogaining.
Bob Reddick: organizer first rogaine in USA; representative - USA; rogaining delegate to US Orienteering Federation; delegate - North American Rogaining Championships; Constitution sub-committee.
Richard Robinson: chair ARA Rules subcommittee; former president QRA.
David Rowlands: current Australian Rogaining Champion; World Rogaining Champion.
Tim Rudman: president Rogaine Tasmania.
David Singleton: president Australian Capital Territory Rogaining Association.
Eric Smith: representative - USA.
Neil Smith: founder SARA; former president of ARA and SARA.
David Stephens: founder IRF; IRF media relations.
Peter Taylor: president Australian Rogaining Association and South Australian Rogaining Association.
Michael Wood: representative - New Zealand.
Jaroslav Vavra: founder Czech rogaining; representative - Czech Republic.

Neil Phillips

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