Whip Rule Submission
Following a recent meeting with Racing Integrity Board officials, at which the Association was requested to provide a submission on Whip Rules, the following submission has been forwarded:
“On behalf of the NZ Harness Racing Trainers & Drivers Association. we write expressing our concern over the interpretation and application of the “Whip Rules” in Harness Racing. This letter is in response to Mike Clement’s request for our input into the future application of the whip rules.
We believe that some “agreed” parameters should be set that assist both Drivers and Stipendiary Control, so that we obtain some consistency in application nationwide.
We do not believe that currently to be the case.
Universal acceptance will be much easier to achieve if all participants know exactly what is expected of them, and what the stipendiary control will be diligent on.
Firstly – it has to be accepted that currently we are allowed to carry and utilise a whip. Any talk of it being removed is premature, and quite frankly not our concern, and any political viewpoints against carrying a whip must be put aside. They are irrelevant to the current status. We ARE allowed to carry and utilise the whip, therefore that should be a starting point.
Secondly – it is accepted that when using the whip, you must have a hand on the reins. That, it is agreed, is non-negotiable and therefore if not complied with, charges will be laid.
Thirdly - it is agreed by all, that the issue with the whip is an Animal Welfare Concern.
That Animal Welfare Concern is over the unacceptable force, and continuity of use.
It is not over actually using the whip. (If it was, we would not have the use of whips.)
So the concerns for “excessive or overuse“ of the whip must be directly tied to how vigorously or forcefully the whip is used. This should be the main regulator as to whether a charge is laid. So, in other words, a participant who uses the whip forcefully should in fact be charged. Surely any animal welfare concern is totally related to whether the horse is experiencing cruelty. That is cruelty over usual “encouragement” with the whip.
Encouragement cannot be considered cruelty as we are allowed to utilise the whip.
Obviously, ultimately the Adjudicative Committee will determine this, however this should give harness drivers more consistency of application (and actually reduce the charges laid)
If agreed, we as a body can assist to try to “educate” our drivers on this new mindset, and ultimately the offending will decrease further and charges will become much rarer because more drivers will be compliant under this scenario. It is of course noted that none of our drivers go out to commit cruelty on horses. We do concede that there is a balance to be made with regards to forceful use and breaching that standard.
We would appreciate if you could advise your response to this, and advise how we are to proceed.
Pete Cook