Archive Decision

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Oamaru HRC 2 December 2017 – R 1 – Chair, Mr P Knowles

ID: JCA17813

Applicant:
Mr SP Renault - Stipendiary Steward

Respondent(s):
Mr B Williamson - Senior Horseman

Information Number:
A09871

Hearing Type:
Hearing

New Charge:
Breaking driving engagement

Rules:
507 (1)

Plea:
admitted

Meet Title:
Oamaru HRC - 2 December 2017

Meet Chair:
PKnowles

Meet Committee Member 1:
GHall

Race Date:
2017/12/02

Race Number:
R1

Decision:

Mr Williamson admitted the charge and it is found proved.

Penalty:

Mr Williamson is fined $200.

Facts:

Following the running of race 1 the Springbank Trot an information was lodged alleging that Mr Brad Williamson, Senior Horseman, broke a driving engagement to drive Muscle Pat and was replaced by Mr J Abernethy, five minutes prior to the start.

Rule 507 (1) reads:

No horseman shall break an engagement to drive a horse.

Mr Williamson attended the hearing and admitted the charge.

Mr Renault stated that he received a call from the Clerk of the Course advising him that Muscle Pat was not on the track or at the start marshalling for the race. He said a number of enquiries were made and it was established that Mr Williamson was not on the course.

He phoned Mr Williamson who stated he was about 4 minutes away from the course. Mrs Williamson (trainer- Muscle Pat) brought the horse into the birdcage. However approximately 7 minutes prior to the start Mr Williamson had still not arrived and he made the decision to engage another driver for Muscle Pat. He approached Mr J Abernethy to drive Muscle Pat and Mr Abernethy accepted the engagement.

As Muscle Pat left the birdcage Mr Williamson arrived in the birdcage. As he had already engaged another horseman and advised the TAB of the change he informed Mr Williamson of his decision.

Mr Williamson stated he was running late when he left his house about 11.30am. He was further delayed in Oamaru when he was stopped by Traffic Police. He phoned Mrs Williamson and Mr Renault that he was delayed but fully expected to be on course in time. However, due to the delay he arrived about 5 minutes prior to start time.

Mr Williamson said he probably worked at the stables longer than he should have and was running late.

Submissions for Penalty:

Mr Renault stated that Mr Williamson was a busy driver and had no previous breaches of this rule and a clean driving record. He sought a fines of $200 or a four drive suspension.

Mr Williamson accepted the submissions of the Stewards and stated he had a clean record and no previous breaches of this rule.

Reasons for Penalty:

While we sympathise with Mr Williamson due to his being delayed the aggravating factor is breaking a driving engagement prior to start time is disruptive to all the connections and the betting public. The mitigating factors are that Mr Williamson had no previous breach of this rule and has a clean driving record. In this instance a fine is appropriate.

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: f0db10ca5d1f9b70a628fe4e7c95e9d2


informantnumber: A09871


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge: Breaking driving engagement


plea: admitted


penaltyrequired: 1


decisiondate: 05/12/2017


hearing_title: Oamaru HRC 2 December 2017 - R 1 - Chair, Mr P Knowles


charge:


facts:

Following the running of race 1 the Springbank Trot an information was lodged alleging that Mr Brad Williamson, Senior Horseman, broke a driving engagement to drive Muscle Pat and was replaced by Mr J Abernethy, five minutes prior to the start.

Rule 507 (1) reads:

No horseman shall break an engagement to drive a horse.

Mr Williamson attended the hearing and admitted the charge.

Mr Renault stated that he received a call from the Clerk of the Course advising him that Muscle Pat was not on the track or at the start marshalling for the race. He said a number of enquiries were made and it was established that Mr Williamson was not on the course.

He phoned Mr Williamson who stated he was about 4 minutes away from the course. Mrs Williamson (trainer- Muscle Pat) brought the horse into the birdcage. However approximately 7 minutes prior to the start Mr Williamson had still not arrived and he made the decision to engage another driver for Muscle Pat. He approached Mr J Abernethy to drive Muscle Pat and Mr Abernethy accepted the engagement.

As Muscle Pat left the birdcage Mr Williamson arrived in the birdcage. As he had already engaged another horseman and advised the TAB of the change he informed Mr Williamson of his decision.

Mr Williamson stated he was running late when he left his house about 11.30am. He was further delayed in Oamaru when he was stopped by Traffic Police. He phoned Mrs Williamson and Mr Renault that he was delayed but fully expected to be on course in time. However, due to the delay he arrived about 5 minutes prior to start time.

Mr Williamson said he probably worked at the stables longer than he should have and was running late.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:


reasonsfordecision:


Decision:

Mr Williamson admitted the charge and it is found proved.


sumissionsforpenalty:

Mr Renault stated that Mr Williamson was a busy driver and had no previous breaches of this rule and a clean driving record. He sought a fines of $200 or a four drive suspension.

Mr Williamson accepted the submissions of the Stewards and stated he had a clean record and no previous breaches of this rule.


reasonsforpenalty:

While we sympathise with Mr Williamson due to his being delayed the aggravating factor is breaking a driving engagement prior to start time is disruptive to all the connections and the betting public. The mitigating factors are that Mr Williamson had no previous breach of this rule and has a clean driving record. In this instance a fine is appropriate.


penalty:

Mr Williamson is fined $200.


hearing_type: Hearing


Rules: 507 (1)


Informant: Mr SP Renault - Stipendiary Steward


JockeysandTrainer: Mr B Williamson - Senior Horseman


Otherperson:


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: 57d4c382cf78c65f6d8f009b86cf7315


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R1


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


race_otherexp:


race_chair:


race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: 12e478c2a125a03f75870b00b3921f1a


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 02/12/2017


meet_title: Oamaru HRC - 2 December 2017


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km:


meet_otherexp:


tracklocation: oamaru-hrc


meet_racingtype: harness-racing


meet_chair: PKnowles


meet_pm1: GHall


meet_pm2: none


name: Oamaru HRC