NZ's Whip rule about to change

[Thomass]

About time,.weirdly we simply follow Australia's lead on this because we love sheep,....

,....NZTR had a massive opportunity Post covid return to change alongside the less than fit horses that were presented,....

,.of course they didn't even consider it,....baaaaaa

Internationally were way behind the World on this,..Australasia is about to join the rest of the World,..

Racing Victoria wants to outlaw whip use on horses other than for safety purposes in a bold push for reform on racing’s most contentious welfare issue.

“RV is of the view that a new framework is required to transition the industry to an ultimate prohibition on use of the whip for purposes other than to protect the safety of horses and jockeys,” an RV spokesman said.

Recent penalty changes to whip abuses have not materially affected jockey behaviour, promping RV to seek a vote at November’s Racing Australia board meeting that “the transition commences with a significant reduction in the permitted use of the whip in a race.”

“RV will propose that, from 1 January 2021, riders are only permitted to use the whip on a maximum number of occasions throughout the entire race and never in a horse’s consecutive strides,” RV said.

“RV is proposing that the maximum number (of strikes) be between five and eight occasions per race.”

Current Australian Rules of Racing permit the use of the whip a maximum of five times in non-consecutive strides prior to the 100m mark.

But the number of strikes in the final 100m of a race is left to rider discretion, where whip use in consecutive strides is permitted with strikes of sometimes up to 12 or more.

RV chief executive Giles Thompson and leading owner Lloyd Williams are alarmed at the damage being caused in the wider community by flagrant whip breaches.

“As industry leaders, we are charged with not only managing the sport today but ensuring that it remains vibrant and successful for generations to come,” Thompson said.

“Making progress on whip reform is important if we want to retain our existing audiences and ensure that we’re an attractive option for the fans and employees of tomorrow.

“It is Racing Victoria’s view that progress on whip reform is needed now, and that the industry nationally, acting in its best long-term interests, should continue to work towards a prohibition on the use of the whip for purposes other than to protect the safety of horses and jockeys.

“It is critical that jockeys are permitted to carry a whip to ensure their safety and jockey safety is something that we will always advocate.

“We want to reduce the number of times the whip can be used in Victorian racing, and indeed nationally, from 2021.

“This would be an important step in the right direction for our industry, one that recognises the progression of community attitudes in the decade since padded whips were first introduced.

“Britain, Ireland, France, Germany and key states in the USA have either implemented or announced significant reductions in permitted whip use and have seen great competitive racing continue.

“At this time Australian racing has been left behind when it comes to reforms on whip use.

“The industry will always be best served by a national approach to whip reform and this is something that we desire, however to this point that has not been achievable.

“We believe that prompt progress on whip reform is in the best interests of Australian racing and we are encouraging the Racing Australia Board and other states to join us in making meaningful steps this year.

“In doing so, we will be consulting with our key stakeholder groups over the coming months on the implementation of specific rules that would see important whip reform achieved through a reduction in the permitted number of occasions that it can be used in a race.”

Williams has urged Australian authorities to lead the way on whip reform.

Major international jurisdictions – Ireland (eight times per race), Great Britain, US (Kentucky and California, six), Germany and France (both five) – have announced reductions in legal whip strikes.

RV believes the current national whip rules are no longer appropriate and not in the best interests of Victorian and Australian racing, both now and in the long-term.

In calling for whip reform, RV believes jockeys should be permitted to continue to carry whips at all times, but that the industry should be working towards a framework where whip use is only permitted in circumstances necessary to protect the safety of riders and horses.

RV tabled its view with RA Australia in February 2020 that changes to the national whip rules are essential for the future of Victorian and Australian racing.

RV said “if national consensus on an amendment to the Australian Rules of Racing cannot be reached, RV will explore alternative approaches to achieve meaningful progress on whip reform.”

“The use of the whip in thoroughbred racing has long been a cause for debate both within the industry and the broader community.

“RV remains of the view that padded whips do not constitute a risk to equine welfare, however it is clear that their ongoing use is becoming less compatible with community expectations each year.”

 

 

[Wandering Eyes]

OPINION

Racing Victoria - bullies or spoilt children?

Article Author

Richard Callander

4:22PM08 September 2020

 

I was shocked to learn that Racing Victoria used the media to push the view that further restrictions are needed across the country regarding the subject of whip use.

RV ARE EITHER BULLIES OR SPOILT CHILDREN - TAKE YOUR PICK

Giles Thompson and the Racing Victoria board have shown this week they are not representing the racing industry but instead pushing an agenda of outside influencers who will stop at nothing to see racing finished.

It seems if RV doesn’t get its way, it will come out and look to damage racing and paint others as the villains.

Thompson and RV have read the tea leafs and believe their push to start the process of banning the whip totally will not be given the green light at the November meeting of Racing Australia so it appears they have thrown the toys out of the cot.

RV’s approach is one the wider community frowns upon – it is called bullying.

RV isn’t going to get its way so it is attempting to bully the other states into following their stance by a call to arms through the media.

Are Thompson and RV making decisions that are in the best interests of the sport they claim to represent?

On the doorstep of the spring carnival, the day before Melbourne Cup weights are released, Thompson and his team somehow thought it best to launch an attack on the whip, stirring up frenzy from inside and outside the racing industry.

Was their decision in the best interests of racing?

I have said many times, if we continue to capitulate to the minority activist groups the industry will be unrecognisable in 10 years.

What is most laughable about the way RV has handled the situation, in their own release they state, “RV remains of the view that padded whips do not constitute a risk to equine welfare”.

So what’s next Giles if you get the whip banned?

The minority group you are looking to appease won’t stop there.

Congratulations Giles you have outdone Lock It Down Dan.

[Thomass]

Poor old Richo . . . all of the old timers have arrived on Oz twitter and gonnnne NUTS over this . . . 

Richo and his mates are living in the past . . . . . 

 . . Australasia has cocooned itself away from the rest of the Racing World for far too long . . . 

 . . .Watching Parksey and his fellow master spankers hitting a horse 17 plus times up the straight is beyond unacceptable I'm afraid . . . 

 . . . Thoroughbred Racing can't hide away on a desert island anymore from changing societal attitudes 

[Chief Stipe]

12 minutes ago, Thomass said:

Poor old Richo . . . all of the old timers have arrived on Oz twitter and gonnnne NUTS over this . . . 

Richo and his mates are living in the past . . . . . 

 . . Australasia has cocooned itself away from the rest of the Racing World for far too long . . . 

 . . .Watching Parksey and his fellow master spankers hitting a horse 17 plus times up the straight is beyond unacceptable I'm afraid . . . 

 . . . Thoroughbred Racing can't hide away on a desert island anymore from changing societal attitudes 

Well your original post is wrong.  This change is being pushed by Racing Victoria - NOT Australia.  As yet we haven't seen what the other OZ jurisdictions are pushing.

And as usual you come in with the extreme examples.

I agree with Callendar that this is the thin end of the wedge - the "societal attitudes" want racing to end full stop.  Don't give an inch I say.  As for Thomarse - he doesn't give a shyte about horse racing - that's obvious.

[Thomass]

No worries 

I think e=mc/2 comes into play 

You say I "don't give a shit about Thoroughbred Racing" .l

Returned with an equal force, clearly I do care very much about it.

Keep the fun aspect going while I'm away mofo.

[Chief Stipe]

Can you get it into your head that you are NOT funny.

But the bigger issue is your arrogance and ego make you think that this site is here for your benefit entirely.  Not only that you abuse the privilege of being free to express your loony theories at no cost.

That was typified in your last post where you call me a MOFO.  Dont you understand that that type of behaviour has had you banned from every forum you have tried to post on!

As I have said this site costs me enough in terms of money, time and grief without having to tolerate an ungrateful prick such as yourself.

[Thomass]

You called me an "arse"

Returned with equal force!

At least I didn't spell it out!

Never said I was "funny" . , . ,just needs more FUN here . , .,

You've lost your Joie de Vivre old sausage . , . ,and you'll be even more depressed when Jacinda gets back in . , . , .dont tell your mate Goldsmith that though!

Best . , . ,Au Revoir!

[Chief Stipe]

11 minutes ago, Thomass said:

You called me an "arse"

Returned with equal force!

The difference is I was telling the truth!

[Chief Stipe]

V’landys clips RV for ‘grandstanding’ on whip reforms

Article Author

Clinton Payne

2:21PM08 September 2020

 

Racing NSW boss Peter V’landys has fired a shot at his Victorian counterparts over their public push for further restrictions on jockeys using the whip.

Racing Victoria used the media on Monday to outline a desire to implement “a new framework” for a transition of “the industry to an ultimate prohibition on use of the whip”.

“RV will propose that, from 1 January 2021, riders are only permitted to use the whip on a maximum number of occasions throughout the entire race and never in a horse’s consecutive strides,” an RV statement read. “RV is proposing that the maximum number (of strikes) be between five and eight occasions per race.”

RV chief executive Giles Thompson added: “It is Racing Victoria’s view that progress on whip reform is needed now, and that the industry nationally, acting in its best long-term interests, should continue to work towards a prohibition on the use of the whip for purposes other than to protect the safety of horses and jockeys.

 

Easter Cup Races

 

“It is critical that jockeys are permitted to carry a whip to ensure their safety and jockey safety is something that we will always advocate. We want to reduce the number of times the whip can be used in Victorian racing, and indeed nationally, from 2021.

“This would be an important step in the right direction for our industry, one that recognises the progression of community attitudes in the decade since padded whips were first introduced.

V’landys, Thompson’s NSW counterpart, questioned why RV would announce a public stand on the issue while also calling on other jurisdictions to follow their lead when they all meet to discuss this and other issues raised at a Racing Australia board meeting in November.

“As a member of Racing Australia we will be abiding by proper corporate governance procedures and we will prosecute our case in the Racing Australia meeting,” V’landys said.

 

Photo Australia Day awards recipient Petyer V'landys, CEO of Racing NSW

 

“We’re certainly not going to prosecute it through the media or do any grandstanding.

“They can grandstand and look for cheap publicity all they like but we’ll follow proper corporate governance and express ourselves at the meeting like they should be.”

The Australian Jockeys Association chief executive Martin Talty said in a release that the decision by RV to air their intentions publicly “was bewildering”.

“Racing has enough issues of national importance needing to be addressed in a cohesive and collaborative manner without PRA’s being at odds with each other like this,” he said.

[Wandering Eyes]

Winx owner’s whip blast: ‘Just take jockeys off and put a monkey on!’

Article Author

Ben Dorries

3:08PM09 September 2020

 

Winx’s part-owner Peter Tighe is incredulous about Victoria’s push towards the prohibition of the whip, quipping that if their lobbying is successful then racing might as well replace jockeys with monkeys on horseback.

And Tighe feels there is at least some chance the mighty Winx may have been beaten during her famous streak of 33 consecutive wins under Victoria’s proposed changes in which they want to move towards outlawing whip use on horses other than for safety purposes.

Brisbane businessman Tighe, who became a household name during the glorious Winx era, shakes his head about Victoria’s move to go it alone with proposed harsher whip restrictions and in particular a move towards outlawing whips altogether.

“To me it’s like driving a manual car without gear-stick - you have got to have some control, and how do you change gears,” Tighe told Racenet.

“Why don’t they just take the jockeys off and put a monkey on?

“You can just keep changing the rules and then it will be horses just running by themselves.

“Some horses just take a bit more persuading than others and a jockey needs to have the ability to keep them focused and keep their mind on the job.

“I haven’t seen a compelling case to do away with whips.

 

Winx Trackwork

 

 

 

“The way the current rules are they are not hurting them, not inflicting any pain on them, a half tonne animal being hit by a feather duster is basically what it’s like.

“Before they make these rules, what about running a few races without whips so we can see what actually happens?”

Tighe is in the ownership of a crop of potential 2020 spring stars such as Melbourne Cup hopeful Finche and last Saturday’s Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes winner Mister Sea Wolf to name a couple.

He believes racing’s current whip rules are “working well enough’’ and “are looked after well by the stewards.”

Most racing pundits might think it may not have mattered if Hugh Bowman had been unable to use the whip on Winx or had whip use far more heavily restricted.

But Tighe says there were a couple of occasions at least - the 2017 Cox Plate when Winx was strongly challenged by Humidor and the 2017 Warwick Stakes where she missed the start a mile - when it was helpful for Bowman to have the persuader at his disposal.

 

Jockey Hugh Bowman on the mighty Winx after her final race. Picture: Wendell Teodoro AFP

 

 

 

Bowman gave Winx at least some small urgings with the persuader in the final stages of those races.

“The Cox Plate when Humidor moved up beside her, and the race where she missed the start by six lengths - I’m sure it was handy for Hugh to have the whip if he wanted to use it on those occasions,” Tighe said.

“Things like that happen and it’s all good and well to try and bring these rules in - but what if you have got a $1.18 favourite carrying $1 million of people’s money and it misses the start and the jockey says he could have won if he had a whip to get the horse revved up?

“It‘s all right if you haven’t invested any money in horses, if you haven’t had a bet on them and you are not training them to be saying that you shouldn’t be hitting them.

“But what about the people who are investing huge sums of money in racing?”