Archive Decision

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Ashburton RC 1 September 2017 – R 8 – Chair, Mr R McKenzie

ID: JCA14070

Applicant:
Mr JM McLaughlin - Stipendiary Steward

Respondent(s):
Mr JR Lowry - Licensed Apprentice Jockey (Class B)

Other Person:
Mr AG Coles - Stipendiary Steward

Information Number:
A09512

Hearing Type:
Hearing

New Charge:
Excessive Use of Whip

Rules:
638(3)(b)(ii)

Plea:
admitted

Code:
Thoroughbred

Meet Title:
Ashburton RC - 1 September 2017

Meet Chair:
RMcKenzie

Meet Committee Member 1:
GClapp

Race Date:
2017/09/01

Race Number:
R8

Decision:

Mr Lowry having admitted the breach, the charge was found proved.

Penalty:

Mr Lowry was fined the sum of $500.

Facts:

Following the running of Race 8, Fiona Stuart Retirement Maiden, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr JM McLaughlin, against Licensed Apprentice Jockey (Class B), Mr JR Lowry, alleging that Mr Lowry, as the rider of FORGED in the race, used his whip in an excessive manner prior to the 100 metres.

Mr Lowry was present at the hearing of the information. He indicated that he understood the charge and that he admitted the breach. He waived the right to have assistance at the hearing. He also confirmed that he was aware of the Guidelines regarding acceptable use of the whip effective from 1 August 2017.

Rule 638 provides as follows:
(3) A Rider shall not:
    (b) strike a horse with a whip in a manner or to an extent which is:
        (ii) excessive

The “Guidelines With Respect to Acceptable Use of the Whip” provide as follows:
Without affecting the generality of Rule 638(3)(b) a rider may be penalised if their whip use is outside of the following guidelines:

Inside the final 600 metres of any Race, official trial or jump-out a horse may be struck with the drawn whip up to five times after which the rider must cease their use of the whip for a minimum of five strides before striking the horse again with the drawn whip, with this restriction to apply prior to the final 100 metres. The whip may then be used at the rider’s discretion until the winning post is reached. Prior to the final 600 metres of a race, official trial or jump-out the use of the drawn whip is acceptable if used in moderation and not continually.

Mr McLaughlin had Stipendiary Steward, Mr A G Coles, show video replays of the final 300 metres of the race. He pointed out FORGED, ridden by Mr Lowry, in the middle of the track, the field having spread wide entering the home straight. Mr Lowry then used his whip on a couple of occasions but put it away for five strides. From the relevant point prior to the 100 metres, Mr Coles demonstrated that Mr Lowry used his whip on a further 12-13 occasions. He did cease using the whip on one occasion but only for 3-4 strides, Mr Coles submitted.

Mr Lowry accepted what Mr Coles had said and did not wish to add anything.

Submissions for Penalty:

Mr McLaughlin informed the Committee that Mr Lowry had been fined $250 for excessive use of the whip at the meeting of Canterbury JC on 5 August last. This being a second breach in terms of the Penalty Guide, the starting point for penalty was a fine of $500. An aggravating factor was that Mr Lowry had gone on to win the race, he said.

The process for determining penalty was explained by the Committee to Mr Lowry. He declined the opportunity to make any submission regarding penalty.

Reasons for Penalty:

In determining penalty, the Committee had regard to the Penalty Guide starting point of a $500 fine for a second breach of the Rule, which this was. The breach was, perhaps, above mid-range and Mr Lowry’s mount had gone on to win the race. However, they were not aggravating factors, in the Committee’s view, justifying any uplift to that starting point

The sole mitigating factor was Mr Lowry’s frank admission of the breach. However, that factor was unexceptional and no discount was given for it.

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: 944d1d403ea3c4cff352718ec0f4fc5b


informantnumber: A09512


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge: Excessive Use of Whip


plea: admitted


penaltyrequired: 1


decisiondate: 04/09/2017


hearing_title: Ashburton RC 1 September 2017 - R 8 - Chair, Mr R McKenzie


charge:


facts:

Following the running of Race 8, Fiona Stuart Retirement Maiden, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr JM McLaughlin, against Licensed Apprentice Jockey (Class B), Mr JR Lowry, alleging that Mr Lowry, as the rider of FORGED in the race, used his whip in an excessive manner prior to the 100 metres.

Mr Lowry was present at the hearing of the information. He indicated that he understood the charge and that he admitted the breach. He waived the right to have assistance at the hearing. He also confirmed that he was aware of the Guidelines regarding acceptable use of the whip effective from 1 August 2017.

Rule 638 provides as follows:
(3) A Rider shall not:
    (b) strike a horse with a whip in a manner or to an extent which is:
        (ii) excessive

The “Guidelines With Respect to Acceptable Use of the Whip” provide as follows:
Without affecting the generality of Rule 638(3)(b) a rider may be penalised if their whip use is outside of the following guidelines:

Inside the final 600 metres of any Race, official trial or jump-out a horse may be struck with the drawn whip up to five times after which the rider must cease their use of the whip for a minimum of five strides before striking the horse again with the drawn whip, with this restriction to apply prior to the final 100 metres. The whip may then be used at the rider’s discretion until the winning post is reached. Prior to the final 600 metres of a race, official trial or jump-out the use of the drawn whip is acceptable if used in moderation and not continually.

Mr McLaughlin had Stipendiary Steward, Mr A G Coles, show video replays of the final 300 metres of the race. He pointed out FORGED, ridden by Mr Lowry, in the middle of the track, the field having spread wide entering the home straight. Mr Lowry then used his whip on a couple of occasions but put it away for five strides. From the relevant point prior to the 100 metres, Mr Coles demonstrated that Mr Lowry used his whip on a further 12-13 occasions. He did cease using the whip on one occasion but only for 3-4 strides, Mr Coles submitted.

Mr Lowry accepted what Mr Coles had said and did not wish to add anything.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:


reasonsfordecision:


Decision:

Mr Lowry having admitted the breach, the charge was found proved.


sumissionsforpenalty:

Mr McLaughlin informed the Committee that Mr Lowry had been fined $250 for excessive use of the whip at the meeting of Canterbury JC on 5 August last. This being a second breach in terms of the Penalty Guide, the starting point for penalty was a fine of $500. An aggravating factor was that Mr Lowry had gone on to win the race, he said.

The process for determining penalty was explained by the Committee to Mr Lowry. He declined the opportunity to make any submission regarding penalty.


reasonsforpenalty:

In determining penalty, the Committee had regard to the Penalty Guide starting point of a $500 fine for a second breach of the Rule, which this was. The breach was, perhaps, above mid-range and Mr Lowry’s mount had gone on to win the race. However, they were not aggravating factors, in the Committee’s view, justifying any uplift to that starting point

The sole mitigating factor was Mr Lowry’s frank admission of the breach. However, that factor was unexceptional and no discount was given for it.


penalty:

Mr Lowry was fined the sum of $500.


hearing_type: Hearing


Rules: 638(3)(b)(ii)


Informant: Mr JM McLaughlin - Stipendiary Steward


JockeysandTrainer: Mr JR Lowry - Licensed Apprentice Jockey (Class B)


Otherperson: Mr AG Coles - Stipendiary Steward


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: 7610d97abaf08a933a2c450fca006222


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R8


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


race_otherexp:


race_chair:


race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: e7dc0d41f78380b11957da494363a649


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 01/09/2017


meet_title: Ashburton RC - 1 September 2017


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km:


meet_otherexp:


tracklocation: ashburton-rc


meet_racingtype: thoroughbred-racing


meet_chair: RMcKenzie


meet_pm1: GClapp


meet_pm2: none


name: Ashburton RC