Archive Decision

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Manawatu RC 17 June 2017 – R 5 – Chair, Mrs N Moffatt

ID: JCA12586

Applicant:
Mr N Goodwin - Stipendiary Steward

Respondent(s):
Mr R Hannam - Licensed Rider

Information Number:
A8771

Hearing Type:
Hearing

New Charge:
Excessive use of the whip

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

Plea:
admitted

Code:
Thoroughbred

Meet Title:
Manawatu RC - 17 June 2017

Meet Chair:
NMoffatt

Meet Committee Member 1:
PWilliams

Race Date:
2017/06/17

Race Number:
R 5

Decision:

As Mr Hannam admitted the breach the charge was found to be proved.

Penalty:

Balancing up all factors the Judicial Committee imposed a two day suspension. Mr Hannam is suspended from the close of racing today June 17th up to and including the close of racing on Saturday June 24th. Those two days being:

Friday 23rd June - Otaki
Saturday 24th June - Tauranga/Riccarton

Mr Hannam was forthright in advising the Committee that while Counties and Oamaru fell within this period of suspension he had no intention of riding at either meeting.

Facts:

Mr Goodwin lodged an information with the Judicial Committee alleging a breach of Rule 638 (3) (b) in that R Hannam (Dr Watson) used his whip excessively in the home straight.

Rule 638(3)(b)(ii) reads: "A Rider shall not:- (b) strike a horse with a whip in a manner or to an extent which is: (ii) ... excessive."

Mr Hannam acknowledged he understood the rule and confirmed his admission of the breach.

The video of the race from midway down the straight was played. Mr Goodwin said Mr Hannam was initially riding within the guidelines but did not give the required respite before hitting his mount a further 8 times in succession prior to the 200m mark.

When asked, Mr Hannam had nothing to add other than to say he would leave the calculation of the number of strikes to the Committee.

Submissions for Penalty:

Mr Goodwin said Mr Hannam had a poor record under this rule referencing that this was his fourth breach since mid-November. He most recently breached this rule on 22/4/17 where he received a two day suspension.

Mr Hannam did not wish to make any submissions on penalty but advised that if he was to face a suspension it could begin immediately as he had no definite upcoming commitments.

Reasons for Penalty:

The Penalty Guide for Judicial Committees provides a starting point for a 2nd breach of Rule 638(3) (b) (ii) (within 6 months) of a 3 – 5 riding day suspension.

The Stewards submitted that Mr Hannam was facing his fourth excessive whip charge but when considering the previous 6 month period the Committee notes that this was only his 2nd charge in that timeframe.

In assessing the severity of today’s breach we compared Mr Hannam’s whip use with that of the guidelines.

A rider is permitted to use the whip six times and then must give six strides respite. Upon entering the final straight Mr Hannam used the whip approximately five times before riding hands and heels for four strides and he then used the whip a further eight times. The manner in which Mr Hannam used the whip showed the strikes were not forceful and his error was in not allowing the six stride respite. The Committee considered the overall breach to sit in the low range and this was reflected in our penalty.

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: 3b39eefa23ca4eb745575606e353f114


informantnumber: A8771


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge: Excessive use of the whip


plea: admitted


penaltyrequired: 1


decisiondate: 18/06/2017


hearing_title: Manawatu RC 17 June 2017 - R 5 - Chair, Mrs N Moffatt


charge:


facts:

Mr Goodwin lodged an information with the Judicial Committee alleging a breach of Rule 638 (3) (b) in that R Hannam (Dr Watson) used his whip excessively in the home straight.

Rule 638(3)(b)(ii) reads: "A Rider shall not:- (b) strike a horse with a whip in a manner or to an extent which is: (ii) ... excessive."

Mr Hannam acknowledged he understood the rule and confirmed his admission of the breach.

The video of the race from midway down the straight was played. Mr Goodwin said Mr Hannam was initially riding within the guidelines but did not give the required respite before hitting his mount a further 8 times in succession prior to the 200m mark.

When asked, Mr Hannam had nothing to add other than to say he would leave the calculation of the number of strikes to the Committee.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:


reasonsfordecision:


Decision:

As Mr Hannam admitted the breach the charge was found to be proved.


sumissionsforpenalty:

Mr Goodwin said Mr Hannam had a poor record under this rule referencing that this was his fourth breach since mid-November. He most recently breached this rule on 22/4/17 where he received a two day suspension.

Mr Hannam did not wish to make any submissions on penalty but advised that if he was to face a suspension it could begin immediately as he had no definite upcoming commitments.


reasonsforpenalty:

The Penalty Guide for Judicial Committees provides a starting point for a 2nd breach of Rule 638(3) (b) (ii) (within 6 months) of a 3 – 5 riding day suspension.

The Stewards submitted that Mr Hannam was facing his fourth excessive whip charge but when considering the previous 6 month period the Committee notes that this was only his 2nd charge in that timeframe.

In assessing the severity of today’s breach we compared Mr Hannam’s whip use with that of the guidelines.

A rider is permitted to use the whip six times and then must give six strides respite. Upon entering the final straight Mr Hannam used the whip approximately five times before riding hands and heels for four strides and he then used the whip a further eight times. The manner in which Mr Hannam used the whip showed the strikes were not forceful and his error was in not allowing the six stride respite. The Committee considered the overall breach to sit in the low range and this was reflected in our penalty.


penalty:

Balancing up all factors the Judicial Committee imposed a two day suspension. Mr Hannam is suspended from the close of racing today June 17th up to and including the close of racing on Saturday June 24th. Those two days being:

Friday 23rd June - Otaki
Saturday 24th June - Tauranga/Riccarton

Mr Hannam was forthright in advising the Committee that while Counties and Oamaru fell within this period of suspension he had no intention of riding at either meeting.


hearing_type: Hearing


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


Informant: Mr N Goodwin - Stipendiary Steward


JockeysandTrainer: Mr R Hannam - Licensed Rider


Otherperson:


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: 479e4dc49cea5398eb8727096f47b276


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R 5


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


race_otherexp:


race_chair:


race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: d182f9d3dfb6f263a1b24f4bf4b1d306


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 17/06/2017


meet_title: Manawatu RC - 17 June 2017


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km:


meet_otherexp:


tracklocation: manawatu-rc


meet_racingtype: thoroughbred-racing


meet_chair: NMoffatt


meet_pm1: PWilliams


meet_pm2: none


name: Manawatu RC