Archive Decision

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Invercargill HRC 7 April 2013 – R 4

ID: JCA15869

Applicant:
Mr C J Allison - Stipendiary Steward

Respondent(s):
Mr M Williamson - Junior Driver of ANNABELLE LINDENNY

Other Person:
Mr N Williamson - supporting Mr M Williamson, Mr W Heads - Driver of WHITNEY

Information Number:
5913

Hearing Type:
Hearing

Rules:
869(3)(b)

Plea:
denied

Meet Title:
Invercargill HRC - 7 April 2013

Meet Chair:
NSkelt

Meet Committee Member 1:
RMcKenzie

Race Date:
2013/04/07

Race Number:
R 4

Decision:

The charge is dismissed.

Charge:

Careless driving

Facts:

At the conclusion of race 4 The Cue TV Discretionary Handicap Trot an information was lodged by Stipendiary Steward Mr C J Allison alleging that Mr M Williamson (ANNABELLE LINDENNY) shifted ground sharply onto WHITNEY (W Heads) causing WHITNEY to break.

The rule reads:

869(3)(b) No horseman in any race shall drive (b) carelessly.

Mr M Williamson did not admit the breach.

Submissions for Decision:

Stipendiary Steward Mr C J Allison showed the Committee several video clips of the alleged incident. Mr Allison stated that Mr M Williamson (ANNABELLE LINDENNY) had been racing on the back of MR MAYELY (A Beck) when travelling down the back straight for the last time, when he moved his horse off the running line, locking wheels with WHITNEY (Mr Heads) who was racing in the three wide position.

Mr Allison stated that Mr Williamson was entitled to move out, but that his movement was too sharp, causing contact with WHITNEY and causing that horse to break and lose its chance.

Mr Heads stated that he was an inexperienced driver, only having six or seven drives a season. He also stated that his horse always broke if contact was made with another horse. Mr Heads confirmed that the two horses had locked sulky wheels, and that he looked down, and shortly after WHITNEY (his horse) broke. Mr Heads agreed that Mr Williamson was entitled to move out, and that he did not have the knowledge or experience as to whether the movement was too sharp or not.

Mr N Williamson, supporting Mr M Williamson stated that he believed that the alleged incident was simply a ‘racing incident’. He believed Mr M Williamson had moved outwards as he was entitled to and that Mr Heads' inexperience has contributed towards the incident. After the horses had locked sulky wheels, Mr M Williamson had to move outwards to free himself, of WHITNEY. Mr N Williamson did not believe the movement was sharp, and that it was unavoidable given the circumstances.

Reasons for Decision:

The Committee viewed the various video clips of the incident and was satisfied that Mr M Williamson was entitled to move off the running line as he did, which was earlier confirmed by Mr Allison and Mr N Williamson.

The Committee was not satisfied that the outwards movement from ANNABELLE LINDENNY onto WHITNEY was caused by a sharp movement, but that it was more a combination of factors that contributed to the incident.

Clearly the two horses had locked sulky wheels, Mr Heads took some time to react, and Mr Williamson had to move outwards to enable the horses to become free of each other. As a result the Committee believed there was sufficient doubt surrounding the incident to dismiss the charge.

JCA Decision Fields (raw)

Dmitry: This section contains all JCA fields migrated from the raw data.

Data from these fields should be mapped appropriately to display amongst the standard fields above; please make note of any values below that are missing in the above standard fields but should be there.

hearingid: de89262b45d3687d54af2c6175959814


informantnumber: 5913


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge:


plea: denied


penaltyrequired: 0


decisiondate: 01/04/2013


hearing_title: Invercargill HRC 7 April 2013 - R 4


charge:

Careless driving


facts:

At the conclusion of race 4 The Cue TV Discretionary Handicap Trot an information was lodged by Stipendiary Steward Mr C J Allison alleging that Mr M Williamson (ANNABELLE LINDENNY) shifted ground sharply onto WHITNEY (W Heads) causing WHITNEY to break.

The rule reads:

869(3)(b) No horseman in any race shall drive (b) carelessly.

Mr M Williamson did not admit the breach.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:

Stipendiary Steward Mr C J Allison showed the Committee several video clips of the alleged incident. Mr Allison stated that Mr M Williamson (ANNABELLE LINDENNY) had been racing on the back of MR MAYELY (A Beck) when travelling down the back straight for the last time, when he moved his horse off the running line, locking wheels with WHITNEY (Mr Heads) who was racing in the three wide position.

Mr Allison stated that Mr Williamson was entitled to move out, but that his movement was too sharp, causing contact with WHITNEY and causing that horse to break and lose its chance.

Mr Heads stated that he was an inexperienced driver, only having six or seven drives a season. He also stated that his horse always broke if contact was made with another horse. Mr Heads confirmed that the two horses had locked sulky wheels, and that he looked down, and shortly after WHITNEY (his horse) broke. Mr Heads agreed that Mr Williamson was entitled to move out, and that he did not have the knowledge or experience as to whether the movement was too sharp or not.

Mr N Williamson, supporting Mr M Williamson stated that he believed that the alleged incident was simply a ‘racing incident’. He believed Mr M Williamson had moved outwards as he was entitled to and that Mr Heads' inexperience has contributed towards the incident. After the horses had locked sulky wheels, Mr M Williamson had to move outwards to free himself, of WHITNEY. Mr N Williamson did not believe the movement was sharp, and that it was unavoidable given the circumstances.


reasonsfordecision:

The Committee viewed the various video clips of the incident and was satisfied that Mr M Williamson was entitled to move off the running line as he did, which was earlier confirmed by Mr Allison and Mr N Williamson.

The Committee was not satisfied that the outwards movement from ANNABELLE LINDENNY onto WHITNEY was caused by a sharp movement, but that it was more a combination of factors that contributed to the incident.

Clearly the two horses had locked sulky wheels, Mr Heads took some time to react, and Mr Williamson had to move outwards to enable the horses to become free of each other. As a result the Committee believed there was sufficient doubt surrounding the incident to dismiss the charge.


Decision:

The charge is dismissed.


sumissionsforpenalty:


reasonsforpenalty:


penalty:


hearing_type: Hearing


Rules: 869(3)(b)


Informant: Mr C J Allison - Stipendiary Steward


JockeysandTrainer: Mr M Williamson - Junior Driver of ANNABELLE LINDENNY


Otherperson: Mr N Williamson - supporting Mr M Williamson, Mr W Heads - Driver of WHITNEY


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: 11ab086a9803675fa770ef76ccba517f


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R 4


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


race_otherexp:


race_chair:


race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: 974d64ff3b049f362bfe2b7eaed8757e


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 07/04/2013


meet_title: Invercargill HRC - 7 April 2013


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km:


meet_otherexp:


tracklocation: invercargill-hrc


meet_racingtype: harness-racing


meet_chair: NSkelt


meet_pm1: RMcKenzie


meet_pm2: none


name: Invercargill HRC