In November last year the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced that it was setting up a Review Group to undertake a wideranging study of the use of the whip in racing and devise new rules in relation for the use of the whip. The Group consulted with trainers, owners and jockeys representatives, the British racing schools and leading animal welfare charities including World Horse Welfare. It also considered scientific re-search into the whip and the design of the whip.
In a statement the BHA said, “The report set out clear principles behind the role of the whip in the sport and the need to ensure that the Rules surrounding its use robustly safeguarded the welfare of both jockeys and horses, and protected and enhanced the reputation of Racing. The Review was clear regarding the need to achieve behavioural change amongst jockeys and others; a change in attitudes towards the whip was required.”
The BHA acknowledged that public concerns about the use of the whip were a factor in their review, although that review began before the high profile cases that drew widespread public criticism earlier this year.
“Whilst this process was commenced before the issue was brought to wider public attention, the importance of the review was highlighted by the widespread and significant public comment following a number of high-profile breaches of the Rules.” The public perception of racing is vital if the sport is to grow and prosper and the images from the Grand National and Royal Ascot were damaging to the sport’s public image.
The rules made on the recommendation of the review board were announced on 27 September and came into effect on 10 October. The new rules were much stricter than the previous ones and the penalties for breaking them were severe. Initially the report was welcomed by the Professional Jockeys Association, but within the first week of riding under the new rules disquiet among jockeys grew. Amid threats of strike action the BHA undertook a review of the new rules.
They made some minor adjustments to the rules but essentially they are much the same. The number of times that a jockey can use the whip during a race remains the same but the restriction on the final furlong or from the last obstacle was removed.
A jockey can only hit a horse seven times in total during a flat race and eight during a jumps race. The limits are currently half of what they were under the old rules. “Again, the Board emphasises that these numbers must be viewed as upper limits and not a target number for jockeys in race,” the BHA reminded jockeys.
Under the original new rules the jockey lost his riding fee and share of any prize money even if he was just one strike over the limit. Now this has been changed so that the jockey no longer loses his riding fee if he is in breach of the rules.
In relation to prize money, previously if the ban was for three days the jockey lost his prize money. This revision increased that to seven days. So a jockey who is one strike above the limit no longer forfeited his share of the winners’ purse.
However these changes were not enough to quell the and jockeys till continued to incur long bans for breaking the rules by just a single strike. So last Thursday, 10 November, the BHA announced they were making further changes to the penalties. Their research found that the overwhelming amount of bans jockeys have been picking up were for hitting the horse just once or twice more than the limit so they decided to reduce the bans for these cases.
Now if a jockey exceeds the limit by just one strike then he gets a two day ban, if its two strikes the ban is five days and for three strikes it is a seven day ban. Seven days remains the trigger for losing prize money so jockeys will not lose their winnings if they are just one or two strikes over. Second offences will still see a doubling of the ban.
The new penalties also mean that for just being one strike over the limit a jockey will still be able to ride in a Grade One race because for every other offence a jockey can commit bans less than four days have a Grade One exemption.
Despite these adjustments there remains some disquiet amongst jockeys over the limits on the use of the whip in jump racing in particular and the severity of the sanctions for breaking the rules.
In their latest statement the BHA said that it will maintain dialogue with the PJA (Professional Jockeys Association) and monitor the impact that the rules will have over the winter.
“The sport as a whole now needs to cooperate to make the new Rules work, and move forward to achieve what we all want to see – a firm but fair set of Rules that promote competitive racing, and safeguard welfare and the reputation of British Racing, “ added BHA chairman Paul Roy
“I broke the rules and I better not break them again. It’s going to be a long winter, unfortunately,” said AP McCoy after he picked up his first ban under the new rules last week. Despite the adjustments announced by the BHA, for jump racing and especially for jockeys, it is going to be a long winter of discontent.
* This article first appeared in The Nationalist on 15 November 2011
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