Jockeys take a stand on the new whip rules
Roar Rookie Congratulations to all Australian jockeys for launching a nation-wide strike, mid-way through Thursday’s race meetings, in protest of the new whip rules.
The horse racing industry has been steeped in controversy since the introduction of the rules on 1st August by the Australian Racing Board (ARB) in response to lobbying by animal welfare groups.
The amended rules state that only padded whips may be carried in races, as these softer whips do not inflict pain on the horse. Also, the whip must not be used more than five times before the 200 metre mark, and after that point, it’s not to be used in consecutive strides. Suspensions and forfeiture of prize money are the punishment for jockeys who break the rules.
So where do these new rules leave jockeys, trainers, owners and punters? And why are the jockeys striking?
Sydney trainer and former jockey, Kevin Moses, is of the opinion that if the new padded whips don’t hurt horses, then why do we need to limit the number of times a horse can be hit with these whips?
In the heat of a race, a jockey needs to focus on his safety, any riding instructions and race strategies from the trainer, while at the same time controlling a 500kg animal. Are we asking too much of these jockeys to then expect them to count how many times they’ve hit their mount with the whip, while trying to win a race?
Punters have also raised an additional question since the introduction of the rules. Will there be a risk that some jockeys will ignore the new rules in a tight finish and therefore gain an unfair advantage?
An example of this was in the last race at Randwick on 22nd August, when the winning jockey, Daniel Ganderton was suspended for six meetings and forfeited his prize money percentage of $3700, after he was found to have breached the whip rules on two occasions over the final 200 metres of the race on his mount Deer Valley. The jockey on the runner-up, Melito, abided by the new rules and was consequently beaten by a short half-head. Following the race, Ganderton admitted that Deer Valley was unlikely to have won the race, if he’d not whipped the horse as many times as he did.
All the punters who backed Melito in that race consequently lost their money because they were beaten by a horse and jockey that broke the rules of racing to win the race. Not a great advertisement for the racing industry.
For owners and trainers, racing horses all comes down to winning races. They want to win prize money and they want the value of their horses to increase for breeding purposes, which is achieved by winning races. So if that means the jockey has to break the rules to guarantee a win during a big race, then the value of the win will compensate the punishment for breaking the rules.
During a meeting on Thursday between the Australian Jockeys Association and the ARB, the jockeys requested that the rules be changed concerning the number of times they can whip a horse over the final 200 metres of a race. However, members of the ARB decided unanimously that the rules will not be reviewed until February 2010, which was the original review date when the rules were introduced. As a result, jockeys called a nation-wide strike.
With the damage caused by Equine Influenza finally in the past, can the racing industry survive another crisis so soon? As the multi-million dollar spring carnival fast approaches, we will wait with baited breath to see what happens next.
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September 13th 2009 @ 5:59pm
Damian Winn said | September 13th 2009 @ 5:59pm | Report comment
To answer a few questions, one being why change to the padded whips if there was no problem in the first place. There wasn’t a problem in the first place, just a perception problem. Secondly this coment is to be honest uneducated, Horse control, no one in their right mind is going to use a padded crop/whip on a horse out of control, if the whip has the effect of spurring the horse on. the clever rider will use the brindle and then exit if he cannot regain control. Let me clarify for you, horses wander, sometimes good horsemanship is required to balance them up and keep them going forward. You will see a horses ears flicking back and forth as they stargaze and concentrate on something else, a flick behind the saddle as the bit is released will focus them. Horses are naturally “flight’ animals. In the wild they are prey, they are herbivores and they are designed to run as a lion is designed to kill. Horses love running and they love working for people. When you are racing a horse you are never in full control and it is not an easy job.
September 13th 2009 @ 6:34pm
sheek said | September 13th 2009 @ 6:34pm | Report comment
Leftie,
Padded whips are another means for the jockey to both control & steer the horse. But some horses need a ‘hurry up’, others don’t. The better jockeys are attuned to each horse’s individual needs.
The ridicule is expecting a jockey to count the number of times he hits in his horse in the last 200 metres, when he’s desperately trying to win – for himself, his trainer, his connections, the breeders, the punters.
Any jockey deemed not to be doing the maximum effort to help his horse win, is usually suspended &/or fined. The whole thing is ludicrous. Changing to padded whips was sufficient without the extra instruction of trying to remember how often to hit the horse in the last 200m.
And what Damian said………
September 13th 2009 @ 7:47pm
Fly on the Wall said | September 13th 2009 @ 7:47pm | Report comment
Perhaps the whole industry needs to be shut down – if a horse is unpredictable why is a human piloting it around a racetrack at 50kph?
Out of naked greed.
Here’s an alternative suggestion – line the jockeys up in a footrace and have some behind them whip the ones they don’t think are trying hard enough or running in the correct line.
Got my point?
A sad industry full of sad people – all in the name of gambling and misery.
September 14th 2009 @ 7:42am
sheek said | September 14th 2009 @ 7:42am | Report comment
Fly on the wall,
Almost everyone directly involved in the industry, are there because they love horses. There are ‘hangers-on’ owners & punters who wouldn’t know the front from the back of a horse, but the breeders, trainers, jockeys, stablehands, vets, etc, these people love horses. In the vast majority.
Sorry mate, your bias is showing. You’re not a PETA card-holder, are you? Practical logic has been lost for blind ideology.
September 14th 2009 @ 10:38am
Fly on the Wall said | September 14th 2009 @ 10:38am | Report comment
Not a fan of PETA at all.
Just ride without a whip. Why is that so hard a concept to grasp?
If horses are prone to unpredictable behaviour while being ridden at high speed in tight bunches by humans then perhaps the whole idea of horse racing is not so logical, kind or good.
Can’t you see my point?
Why not put small monkeys on greyhounds and train them to whip the dogs as well?
I notice in Dubai they have replaced Pakistani child jockeys with monkeys. what next? Red noses and big shoes? Jumping through a hoop?
Aah … jumping … there’s another interesting topic for debate.
How about the next time a footballer breaks a leg whe put him down?
September 13th 2009 @ 10:28pm
Damian Winn said | September 13th 2009 @ 10:28pm | Report comment
Why is a human piloting it around a ractrack at 50kph? Good question. Because life is for living and horses are brilliant animals and running is what they are meant for. Why do we hold the Grand Prix? Why do we have motorcycle races? Why do stunmen exist? Why do cyclists risk there safety in the Velodrome? Why does anyone take a risk. Beacause playing it safe is boring and horses and horseracing provide me and many other people with a great thrill and personally I love horse and I love racing.
September 14th 2009 @ 3:05am
mr whip-py said | September 14th 2009 @ 3:05am | Report comment
Good on the jockeys for standing up for themselves, these rules were bought in by an ARB board that is out of touch with the interests of the participants of the racing industry. Owners, trainers, jockeys and importantly punters(the lifeblood of the industry) were all against the rule changes, but it seems it was bought in to appease a minority of animal welfare groups. They should concentrate on protecting animals that are mistreated, not thoroughbreds which as far as i can see are treated quite well. If padded whips dont hurt the horse (how did they prove that???), then why limit the number of times a jockey can use it(within reason- like it has always been). I personally dont think that the whip makes a great deal of difference to the peformance of the horse, but a punter needs the confidence that a jockey is going to do all he can to achievee victory in a race. These whip rules are clearly impeding the ability of the jockeys in races as it is weighing on their mind whether they are going to get suspended. This rule is unnecessary for the industry and should be scrapped immediately, or at the least amended so that jockeys are free to use the whip at their discretion in the final 200m. Good article, cmon ARB listen to the people who matter.
September 14th 2009 @ 10:56am
sheek said | September 14th 2009 @ 10:56am | Report comment
Fly,
This is silly. Horse racing is an extension of the days when horse travel was the commonest form of land travel. I can’t speak for what happens in other countries.
Also, this is not about any cruelty to the horses. The whips are already padded, either/both minimising or eliminating hurt or injury.
This is about a stupid, impractical, bureaucratic rule that needs to be overturned.
September 14th 2009 @ 2:31pm
Fly on the Wall said | September 14th 2009 @ 2:31pm | Report comment
I agree that expecting a jockey to count how many times in the last 100m he has whipped a horse is nonsense.
But do you get my point about why we need whips at all?
Surely if we do then horses aren’t meant to be raced. Ridden yes, perhaps – but only after they’ve been broken in, right?
None of it seems ‘natural’ to me.
September 14th 2009 @ 8:32pm
sheek said | September 14th 2009 @ 8:32pm | Report comment
Fly,
Well, a work colleague argued, perhaps a little tongue in cheek, that if he had $100 riding on a particular horse, he would expect the jockey to flog the living daylights out of his mount in a close finish!
Maybe that’s why jockeys carry whips??????????
For the punters!!!!!!!!!! And their own cut….. & the trainer’s…..
September 14th 2009 @ 4:32pm
Damian Winn said | September 14th 2009 @ 4:32pm | Report comment
Fly how many horses have you ridden? Because I see horses that love to race and they have a natural competetive streak. Natural??? What do you mean by natural? They are herd animals who love to run.
September 14th 2009 @ 9:18pm
onside said | September 14th 2009 @ 9:18pm | Report comment
Fly
I am interested in breeding. I remember a race horse called Dominator. It was by
Fetish out of Dungeon .It once won an All Age Maiden ,and really loved the whip .
September 15th 2009 @ 11:22am
denis said | September 15th 2009 @ 11:22am | Report comment
I agree somebody has to stand up for the punters WE dont have any say in the running of racing but without us there would be no racing.
Regards Denis