Archive Decision

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Manawatu HRC 22 November 2018 – R 2 – Chair, Mr N McCutcheon

ID: JCA16845

Applicant:
Mr J Muirhead - Senior Stipendiary Steward

Respondent(s):
Mr D Ferguson - Junior Horseman and Driver of GEOFFS LEGACY

Other Person:
Mr P Ferguson - Assisting Mr Ferguson

Information Number:
A10257

Hearing Type:
Hearing

New Charge:
Dropped foot from footrest

Rules:
867

Plea:
admitted

Meet Title:
Manawatu HRC - 22 November 2018

Meet Chair:
NMcCutcheon

Race Date:
2018/11/22

Race Number:
R 2

Decision:

As the charge was admitted it was deemed proved by the Committee.

Penalty:

Mr Ferguson was fined $200.

Facts:

Following the running of Race 2 (ACCOMMODATION GATEWAY MOTEL MOBILE PACE 2000M) Information No. A10257 was filed with the Judicial Committee. The Informant alleged that Mr Ferguson dropped his foot from the footrest making contact with GEOFF’S LEGACY’S right hind leg near the 1000m.

Rule 867 provides:

Every horseman shall drive throughout the race with both feet in the rests of the sulky provided for that purpose.

Mr Ferguson said that he understood the Rule, charge and confirmed that he admitted the breach.

Mr Muirhead showed the film replays and said that with 1000m to travel Mr Ferguson was activating some gear when he dropped his right foot from the footrest and made contact with his horse’s right hoof on two occasions. He said that the perception was of concern and that the Stewards did consider an improper charge but elected to settle on a minor infringement charge.

Mr Ferguson agreed with Mr Muirhead’s interpretation of the incident but said that it was not intentional and only accidental as he was leaning back activating gear when his foot dropped from the footrest.

Submissions for Penalty:

Mr Muirhead said that the incident was not intentional but in the Stewards' opinion it was careless at best. He said that Mr Ferguson had a good record and recommended that the fine be at least double that of the minor infringement penalty of $100.

Mr Ferguson reiterated that it was accidental and asked the Committee to take into account his guilty plea and that he is a junior horseman.

Mr P Ferguson said that Mr Muirhead had been fair in saying that it was accidental and had nothing to add regarding penalty.

Reasons for Penalty:

It was clear that with 1000m to travel Mr Ferguson’s right foot dropped from the footrest and made contact with his horse’s right rear hoof on two occasions. It was only after the second contact was made that Mr Ferguson was observed to put his foot back up on the footrest. Taking into consideration all of the submissions the Committee was satisfied that the penalty should be greater than the minor infringement of $100.

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: a9884a4d9dc49169708a426d2fab4a23


informantnumber: A10257


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge: Dropped foot from footrest


plea: admitted


penaltyrequired: 1


decisiondate: 27/11/2018


hearing_title: Manawatu HRC 22 November 2018 - R 2 - Chair, Mr N McCutcheon


charge:


facts:

Following the running of Race 2 (ACCOMMODATION GATEWAY MOTEL MOBILE PACE 2000M) Information No. A10257 was filed with the Judicial Committee. The Informant alleged that Mr Ferguson dropped his foot from the footrest making contact with GEOFF’S LEGACY’S right hind leg near the 1000m.

Rule 867 provides:

Every horseman shall drive throughout the race with both feet in the rests of the sulky provided for that purpose.

Mr Ferguson said that he understood the Rule, charge and confirmed that he admitted the breach.

Mr Muirhead showed the film replays and said that with 1000m to travel Mr Ferguson was activating some gear when he dropped his right foot from the footrest and made contact with his horse’s right hoof on two occasions. He said that the perception was of concern and that the Stewards did consider an improper charge but elected to settle on a minor infringement charge.

Mr Ferguson agreed with Mr Muirhead’s interpretation of the incident but said that it was not intentional and only accidental as he was leaning back activating gear when his foot dropped from the footrest.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:


reasonsfordecision:


Decision:

As the charge was admitted it was deemed proved by the Committee.


sumissionsforpenalty:

Mr Muirhead said that the incident was not intentional but in the Stewards' opinion it was careless at best. He said that Mr Ferguson had a good record and recommended that the fine be at least double that of the minor infringement penalty of $100.

Mr Ferguson reiterated that it was accidental and asked the Committee to take into account his guilty plea and that he is a junior horseman.

Mr P Ferguson said that Mr Muirhead had been fair in saying that it was accidental and had nothing to add regarding penalty.


reasonsforpenalty:

It was clear that with 1000m to travel Mr Ferguson’s right foot dropped from the footrest and made contact with his horse’s right rear hoof on two occasions. It was only after the second contact was made that Mr Ferguson was observed to put his foot back up on the footrest. Taking into consideration all of the submissions the Committee was satisfied that the penalty should be greater than the minor infringement of $100.


penalty:

Mr Ferguson was fined $200.


hearing_type: Hearing


Rules: 867


Informant: Mr J Muirhead - Senior Stipendiary Steward


JockeysandTrainer: Mr D Ferguson - Junior Horseman and Driver of GEOFFS LEGACY


Otherperson: Mr P Ferguson - Assisting Mr Ferguson


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: 42c2f1e8d458c9e64412412cb3464d5a


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R 2


submittochair:


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race_km:


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race_chair:


race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: 828a47dffc857066575c5a72cce5a57b


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 22/11/2018


meet_title: Manawatu HRC - 22 November 2018


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km:


meet_otherexp:


tracklocation: manawatu-hrc


meet_racingtype: harness-racing


meet_chair: NMcCutcheon


meet_pm1: none


meet_pm2: none


name: Manawatu HRC