Central Otago TC 2 January 2014 – R 12
ID: JCA10705
Meet Title:
Central Otago TC - 2 January 2014
Meet Chair:
GHall
Meet Committee Member 1:
PKnowles
Race Date:
2014/01/02
Race Number:
R 12
Decision:
We thus find the charge proved.
Penalty:
Mr White is fined the sum of $400 and reminded of his obligations under the Rules of Harness Racing.
Facts:
Mr Allison, Stipendiary Steward, alleged that Mr White, the driver of ROCK OF TARA, which finished 1st in race 12, the SUPERLIQUOR/TRAIL JOURNEYS PACE, used his whip excessively over the final stages.
Rule 869(2)(a) provides: “No horseman shall during any race use his whip in an unnecessary, excessive or improper manner.”
Submissions for Decision:
Mr Allison demonstrated on the videos that the respondent used his whip some 22 to 23 times in the run up the straight. He said Mr White had failed to break up his use of the whip. He said the use of the whip was “pretty regular” up the straight with only one pause for a couple of paces.
Mr White said he was aware he was close to the 20 strike limit which he knew the stipendiary stewards used as a guideline as to whether the use of the whip was excessive. However, ROCK OF TARA was a lazy horse and it had “knocked off” short of the line. If he had not used the whip a couple of times before the winning post he would not have won as TAIERI WINGS had come at him right on the line. The last two strikes were thus the winning of the race. He said ROCK OF TARA had been responding to the whip the whole time and the horse had not wanted to win halfway down the straight.
Reasons for Decision:
We are satisfied that the respondent has used the whip some 23 times in the run home. This is in excess of the 20 strike guideline. Mr Allison is correct when he states the use of the whip is virtually continuous with only one very brief pause. The fact that ROCK OF TARA was responding and that the final strikes in Mr White’s view won him the race is not an excuse for a breach of the rule.
Submissions for Penalty:
Mr Allison produced the respondent’s record which evidenced two breaches of this rule since the end of September. On each occasion fines were imposed: one was $200, the other $300. Mr Allison asked for a fine of $450.
Mr White stated he preferred a fine to a suspension, as he wanted to drive in amateur races in the North Island in mid January. He said he was in a position to pay a fine.
Reasons for Penalty:
We believe the breach is mid range. The strikes are repetitive and numerous. Mr White’s record is concerning. Clearly the message that he has to drive within the rules is not getting through to him. We gave careful consideration to the imposition of a period of suspension but have decided the matter can be dealt with on this occasion by way of a fine.
JCA Decision Fields (raw)
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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: 08ae91b0eb70856f58aa977ff4da550d
informantnumber: A5949
horsename:
hearing_racingtype:
startdate: no date provided
newcharge: Excessive whip use
plea: denied
penaltyrequired: 1
decisiondate: 02/01/2014
hearing_title: Central Otago TC 2 January 2014 - R 12
charge:
facts:
Mr Allison, Stipendiary Steward, alleged that Mr White, the driver of ROCK OF TARA, which finished 1st in race 12, the SUPERLIQUOR/TRAIL JOURNEYS PACE, used his whip excessively over the final stages.
Rule 869(2)(a) provides: “No horseman shall during any race use his whip in an unnecessary, excessive or improper manner.”
appealdecision:
isappeal:
submissionsfordecision:
Mr Allison demonstrated on the videos that the respondent used his whip some 22 to 23 times in the run up the straight. He said Mr White had failed to break up his use of the whip. He said the use of the whip was “pretty regular” up the straight with only one pause for a couple of paces.
Mr White said he was aware he was close to the 20 strike limit which he knew the stipendiary stewards used as a guideline as to whether the use of the whip was excessive. However, ROCK OF TARA was a lazy horse and it had “knocked off” short of the line. If he had not used the whip a couple of times before the winning post he would not have won as TAIERI WINGS had come at him right on the line. The last two strikes were thus the winning of the race. He said ROCK OF TARA had been responding to the whip the whole time and the horse had not wanted to win halfway down the straight.
reasonsfordecision:
We are satisfied that the respondent has used the whip some 23 times in the run home. This is in excess of the 20 strike guideline. Mr Allison is correct when he states the use of the whip is virtually continuous with only one very brief pause. The fact that ROCK OF TARA was responding and that the final strikes in Mr White’s view won him the race is not an excuse for a breach of the rule.
Decision:
We thus find the charge proved.
sumissionsforpenalty:
Mr Allison produced the respondent’s record which evidenced two breaches of this rule since the end of September. On each occasion fines were imposed: one was $200, the other $300. Mr Allison asked for a fine of $450.
Mr White stated he preferred a fine to a suspension, as he wanted to drive in amateur races in the North Island in mid January. He said he was in a position to pay a fine.
reasonsforpenalty:
We believe the breach is mid range. The strikes are repetitive and numerous. Mr White’s record is concerning. Clearly the message that he has to drive within the rules is not getting through to him. We gave careful consideration to the imposition of a period of suspension but have decided the matter can be dealt with on this occasion by way of a fine.
penalty:
Mr White is fined the sum of $400 and reminded of his obligations under the Rules of Harness Racing.
hearing_type: Hearing
Rules: 869(2)(a)
Informant: Mr C A Allison - Stipendiary Steward
JockeysandTrainer:
Otherperson:
PersonPresent:
Respondent:
StipendSteward:
raceid: 8568559e536e257de49957aca801832b
race_expapproval:
racecancelled: 0
race_noreport: 0
race_emailed1: 0
race_emailed2: 0
race_title: R 12
submittochair:
race_expappcomment:
race_km:
race_otherexp:
race_chair:
race_pm1:
race_pm2:
meetid: fc541c2817a1ce1fd2d2f5c1d9b30680
meet_expapproval:
meet_noreport: 0
waitingforpublication: 0
meet_emailed1: 0
meet_emailed2: 0
meetdate: 02/01/2014
meet_title: Central Otago TC - 2 January 2014
meet_expappcomment:
meet_km:
meet_otherexp:
tracklocation: central-otago-tc
meet_racingtype: harness-racing
meet_chair: GHall
meet_pm1: PKnowles
meet_pm2: none
name: Central Otago TC