i don't disagree that the rings are a rip off i think the union's should step in and do something about it, i won't hold my breath on that one rubbers are not that cheap either, so ets save's clubs money in my opionion, so once a ring is asigned to a pigeon it should be kept on that pigeon until you finish racing it , if you race a pigeon up to 5 years it works out less than 30p a year. jmo