Archive Decision

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Ashburton RC – 13 March 2009 – Race 5

ID: JCA21893

Hearing Type:
Old Hearing

Rules:
530.2.b

Code:
Thoroughbred

Hearing Type (Code):
thoroughbred-racing

Meet Title:
Ashburton RC - 13 March 2009

Race Date:
2009/03/13

Race Number:
Race 5

Decision:

Rule 530 (2) (b) : Mr Johnson admitted a breach of Rule 530(2)(b) in that he struck his horse once at the 400 metres and once at the 200 metres in an improper manner.  



Rule 530 (2) (b) : Mr Johnson admitted a breach of Rule 530(2)(b) in that he struck his horse once at the 400 metres and once at the 200 metres in an improper manner.  We thus find the charge proved.

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Mr Williamson, stipendiary steward, demonstrated on the video that Mr Johnson hit his mount twice on the head in the vicinity of the mouth.  Mr Williamson has said the horse was giving Mr Johnson a difficult ride and Mr Johnson had ceased endeavouring to ride the horse out at this stage.

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Mr Johnson confirmed the horse was extremely difficult to ride and said he could not get it near to the rail at any stage of the race.  He said the horse was hanging and he was trying to get it to take the inside rein.

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We have difficulty in accepting Mr Johnson’s statement that he was unaware that he was not able to hit the horse about the head.  He accepts the incident was captured on the trackside coverage and that the image that this presents is damaging for the racing industry.  We emphasise the need for a deterrent penalty but note, in the interests of consistency, that Michael Walker was fined $750 in December last for an incident which we understand was very similar.

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Mitigating factors are Mr Johnson’s guilty plea, his remorse, and that he has no previous breaches of this Rule.  Mr Davidson acknowledged the incident was out of character and he recommended a substantial fine.

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We impose a fine of $750 and inform Mr Johnson that, in our view, any repetition is likely to involve a suspension and a lengthy one at that.  His conduct is unacceptable.

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Geoff Hall                               Chairman

--

Bevan Coombes                      Member

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: cf8e19150501a6358f7d16a2c9fa2f20


informantnumber:


horsename:


hearing_racingtype: thoroughbred-racing


startdate: 13/03/2009


newcharge:


plea:


penaltyrequired:


decisiondate: no date provided


hearing_title: Ashburton RC - 13 March 2009 - Race 5


charge:


facts:


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:


reasonsfordecision:


Decision:

Rule 530 (2) (b) : Mr Johnson admitted a breach of Rule 530(2)(b) in that he struck his horse once at the 400 metres and once at the 200 metres in an improper manner.  



Rule 530 (2) (b) : Mr Johnson admitted a breach of Rule 530(2)(b) in that he struck his horse once at the 400 metres and once at the 200 metres in an improper manner.  We thus find the charge proved.

--

 

--

Mr Williamson, stipendiary steward, demonstrated on the video that Mr Johnson hit his mount twice on the head in the vicinity of the mouth.  Mr Williamson has said the horse was giving Mr Johnson a difficult ride and Mr Johnson had ceased endeavouring to ride the horse out at this stage.

--

 

--

Mr Johnson confirmed the horse was extremely difficult to ride and said he could not get it near to the rail at any stage of the race.  He said the horse was hanging and he was trying to get it to take the inside rein.

--

 

--

We have difficulty in accepting Mr Johnson’s statement that he was unaware that he was not able to hit the horse about the head.  He accepts the incident was captured on the trackside coverage and that the image that this presents is damaging for the racing industry.  We emphasise the need for a deterrent penalty but note, in the interests of consistency, that Michael Walker was fined $750 in December last for an incident which we understand was very similar.

--

 

--

Mitigating factors are Mr Johnson’s guilty plea, his remorse, and that he has no previous breaches of this Rule.  Mr Davidson acknowledged the incident was out of character and he recommended a substantial fine.

--

 

--

We impose a fine of $750 and inform Mr Johnson that, in our view, any repetition is likely to involve a suspension and a lengthy one at that.  His conduct is unacceptable.

--

 

--

Geoff Hall                               Chairman

--

Bevan Coombes                      Member


sumissionsforpenalty:


reasonsforpenalty:


penalty:


hearing_type: Old Hearing


Rules: 530.2.b


Informant:


JockeysandTrainer:


Otherperson:


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: 578367925dae7cfd9813dcf8acc3f98d


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: Race 5


submittochair:


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meetid: 9a286e3944e5388cc30a0c6c3a39eb07


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 13/03/2009


meet_title: Ashburton RC - 13 March 2009


meet_expappcomment:


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tracklocation: ashburton-rc


meet_racingtype: thoroughbred-racing


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name: Ashburton RC