Reefton TC 30 December 2011 – (request for a ruling)
ID: JCA11422
Meet Title:
Reefton TC - 30 December 2011
Meet Chair:
KHales
Meet Committee Member 1:
SChing
Race Date:
2011/12/30
Race Number:
R1
Decision:
The hearing was adjourned after all submissions had been made. All present were advised that if further concerns were raised as the day progressed that the hearing would be re-convened to consider if the meeting should proceed. Having regard to the nature of the evidence that was put before the Judicial Committee, it was not considered necessary for a decision to be made at that time.
After Race 10, and at a time when all horses were on the track in readiness for Race 11 (the last race), the Judicial Committee conferred and decided that as no further issues had been raised by horsemen, that it was no longer necessary for a ruling to be made.
Facts:
Heavy rain had fallen at Reefton in the twelve hour period before the race meeting of 30th December 2011 commenced. The track was water laden and the track surface after five races was deteriorating, and had become muddy. A considerable amount of surface water was also lying on parts of the track.
Horsemen had expressed their concerns to the Stipendiary Stewards about the track conditions because of muddy spray being generated and inhibiting vision. A direction was made for all sulkies to be fitted with mudguards, and this did seem to alleviate the problem to a certain degree.
However, after the running of the Reefton Cup, (race 5) because of further concerns being expressed, the Stipendiary Stewards elected to file an information, seeking a ruling from the Judicial Committee, to ascertain if the meeting should proceed due to weather and track conditions.
Submissions for Decision:
Five senior and experienced horsemen were called to submit their views on conditions. Prior to the various horsemen submitting their views, the Chairman suggested that the most significant issue to be addressed, was that of safety to other horsemen and horses, if visibilty was being inhibited. The horsemen were asked to consider if racing could continue without safety being compromised.
It was also suggested that as a secondary consideration, submissions should be made as to whether the racing public and horses' connections were getting a fair competitive run for their money, because of the fact that racing tactics were being restricted by virtue of the track conditions.
Mr J Dunn was of the view that horses were not slipping, and that he had not had any difficulties in seeing. He said that all horsemen seemed to be giving each other plenty of racing room and that he felt that he could drive confidently.
Mr B Orange shared Mr Dunn's views and he said he was happy to carry on with racing.
Mr M Jones said that when horsemen began to position their horses off the running rail, that problems arose, because there was more surface water further out. However, he was happy for the day's racing to continue.
Mr R May, said that from his perspective, that there were no issues with the horses handling the track. He said that care needed to be taken and he was confident that all horsemen were exercising due care.
Mr J Curtin said that conditions were worsening as the day progressed, but that the conditions were the same for everyone.
The consensus of the horsemen also seemed to be that because the conditions were the same for all, that the betting public and connections were not being disadvantaged.
Mr T Thomas, the Club President, enquired of the Stipendiary Stewards if the conditions had led to bad driving by the horsemen. Mr Wallis, Stipendiary Steward, said that there has not been any examples of bad driving in the races that had been run so far that day.
Reasons for Decision:
Having regard to the totality of the evidence, and as no further concerns were raised the Judicial Committee, a ruling was not in all of the circumstances necessary.
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: 1b9b21582a2dc08440de1d9bef89270c
informantnumber:
horsename:
hearing_racingtype:
startdate: no date provided
newcharge:
plea:
penaltyrequired:
decisiondate: 20/12/2011
hearing_title: Reefton TC 30 December 2011 - (request for a ruling)
charge:
facts:
Heavy rain had fallen at Reefton in the twelve hour period before the race meeting of 30th December 2011 commenced. The track was water laden and the track surface after five races was deteriorating, and had become muddy. A considerable amount of surface water was also lying on parts of the track.
Horsemen had expressed their concerns to the Stipendiary Stewards about the track conditions because of muddy spray being generated and inhibiting vision. A direction was made for all sulkies to be fitted with mudguards, and this did seem to alleviate the problem to a certain degree.
However, after the running of the Reefton Cup, (race 5) because of further concerns being expressed, the Stipendiary Stewards elected to file an information, seeking a ruling from the Judicial Committee, to ascertain if the meeting should proceed due to weather and track conditions.
appealdecision:
isappeal:
submissionsfordecision:
Five senior and experienced horsemen were called to submit their views on conditions. Prior to the various horsemen submitting their views, the Chairman suggested that the most significant issue to be addressed, was that of safety to other horsemen and horses, if visibilty was being inhibited. The horsemen were asked to consider if racing could continue without safety being compromised.
It was also suggested that as a secondary consideration, submissions should be made as to whether the racing public and horses' connections were getting a fair competitive run for their money, because of the fact that racing tactics were being restricted by virtue of the track conditions.
Mr J Dunn was of the view that horses were not slipping, and that he had not had any difficulties in seeing. He said that all horsemen seemed to be giving each other plenty of racing room and that he felt that he could drive confidently.
Mr B Orange shared Mr Dunn's views and he said he was happy to carry on with racing.
Mr M Jones said that when horsemen began to position their horses off the running rail, that problems arose, because there was more surface water further out. However, he was happy for the day's racing to continue.
Mr R May, said that from his perspective, that there were no issues with the horses handling the track. He said that care needed to be taken and he was confident that all horsemen were exercising due care.
Mr J Curtin said that conditions were worsening as the day progressed, but that the conditions were the same for everyone.
The consensus of the horsemen also seemed to be that because the conditions were the same for all, that the betting public and connections were not being disadvantaged.
Mr T Thomas, the Club President, enquired of the Stipendiary Stewards if the conditions had led to bad driving by the horsemen. Mr Wallis, Stipendiary Steward, said that there has not been any examples of bad driving in the races that had been run so far that day.
reasonsfordecision:
Having regard to the totality of the evidence, and as no further concerns were raised the Judicial Committee, a ruling was not in all of the circumstances necessary.
Decision:
The hearing was adjourned after all submissions had been made. All present were advised that if further concerns were raised as the day progressed that the hearing would be re-convened to consider if the meeting should proceed. Having regard to the nature of the evidence that was put before the Judicial Committee, it was not considered necessary for a decision to be made at that time.
After Race 10, and at a time when all horses were on the track in readiness for Race 11 (the last race), the Judicial Committee conferred and decided that as no further issues had been raised by horsemen, that it was no longer necessary for a ruling to be made.
sumissionsforpenalty:
reasonsforpenalty:
penalty:
hearing_type: Request Ruling
Rules: Rule 1112 (1) The following persons may file with the Registrar of a Judicial Committee an information to which there is no defendant but which seeks a ruling from the Judicial Committee on a matter referred to in the information:
Informant:
JockeysandTrainer:
Otherperson:
PersonPresent: Mr T Thomas - President, Reefton Trotting Club, Mr J Dunn - Open Horseman, Mr B Orange - Open Horseman, Mr M Jones - Open Horseman, Mr R May - Open Horseman, Mr J Curtin - Open Horseman, Nr N Yrgden - Stipendiary Steward
Respondent:
StipendSteward: Mr S Wallis - Stipendiary Steward
raceid: 7b17bd36a67114e4564f35d37d441ccb
race_expapproval:
racecancelled: 0
race_noreport: 0
race_emailed1: 0
race_emailed2: 0
race_title: R1
submittochair:
race_expappcomment:
race_km:
race_otherexp:
race_chair:
race_pm1:
race_pm2:
meetid: 5d43ffbf911a6adbd301bb12f7e0c2c9
meet_expapproval:
meet_noreport: 0
waitingforpublication: 0
meet_emailed1: 0
meet_emailed2: 0
meetdate: 30/12/2011
meet_title: Reefton TC - 30 December 2011
meet_expappcomment:
meet_km:
meet_otherexp:
tracklocation: reefton-tc
meet_racingtype: harness-racing
meet_chair: KHales
meet_pm1: SChing
meet_pm2: none
name: Reefton TC