BHA amends whipping proposal after criticism from jockeys

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The BHA has dropped plans to restrict the use of the whip in the forehand stance, with a number of key elements of the whip exam set to be changed following consultation over Christmas.

The Professional Jockeys Association has pressured the sport’s governing body to drop controversial plans to use the whip in the backhand position only, highlighting welfare concerns raised by riders who had adapted to the proposed changes. Senior rider Harry Cobden was among many to criticize the rule, calling it “bloody ridiculous”.

Of the 20 recommendations offered by the BHA, it is the fourth point that covers the two main areas of change, with the whip now able to be used in the forehand position and the number of strikes allowed reduced to one on each code. A reduction was not part of the original recommendations issued this summer, but jockeys will now be limited to using the whip seven times on jumps and six on the flat, down from eight and seven respectively.

The disqualification will still be implemented if a runner uses the whip four times over the limit, but due to the total number of strikes decreasing, the threshold is now set to 11 and 10 respectively. The other major change, an increase in the severity of the bans, is seen by the governing body as a further toughening of one of the original proposals rather than a change.

In a statement released on the morning of January 4, the BHA said: “This change follows additional concerns raised by jockeys over the past few weeks, including some information which was not released during the consultation phase. or technical discussion.This included comments that some jockeys who have sustained shoulder or collarbone injuries may find it more difficult to use the whip only in the backhand.

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“After a period of dialogue between the BHA, the PJA and the jockeys, the BHA Board of Directors met to consider further representations from all parties, before deliberating and agreeing to rule revisions.

“The objectives of the set of 20 recommendations include developing rules that promote more thoughtful and judicious use of the whip to encourage and improve the perception of whipping. The BHA Board of Directors agreed that these goals could be equally achieved by either the backhand rule alone, or the lower thresholds and increased penalties announced today, combined with all of the measures announced this summer.”

The statement stressed: “These changes do not, in the view of the BHA Board, reflect a dilution of the set of rule changes, but rather reflect a method of achieving the same results through a different approach. .”

Photo: Edward Whitaker/Racing Post

The implementation period for the new rules will begin on January 9 on jumps, with full implementation on February 6. The corresponding dates for the dish are February 27 and March 27.

The whip’s new rules were the result of what consultation steering group chair David Jones called “extremely thorough consultation” over 2021 and 2022, which he said was “arguably the most thorough undertaking by the BHA with respect to any specific regulatory reform in the past”.

But explaining the changes announced on Wednesday, he said: “We are committed to listening to our participants, and when further views and information come to light very late in the day, and following the conclusion of this process, we were required to consider and make representations to the BHA Board accordingly.”

BHA Chairman Joe Saumarez Smith said: “It has become clear from the views raised over the past few weeks and presented to the BHA Board of Directors, that the backhand only rule would have may have caused difficulties for some runners, however, in considering making changes, it was essential that the BHA Board did nothing to dilute the outcome of the whip’s report.

“The BHA Board has therefore agreed to these additional changes, which resolve the issues with the backhand rule only, but retain the objective of making the use of the whip visibly more palatable to the public, contributing thus to preserve the engagement with the sport among our fans present and We now hope and expect that these new rules will be respected and that a visible change in the use of the whip will take place among our jockeys and those who ride here.

“The board also expressed the view that the sport should try to avoid any recurrence whereby, following the conclusion of a thorough consultation process, further relevant information is revealed. was strongly emphasized at the PJA and we are pleased that the PJA has agreed to review its consultation processes in light of this.”

The main changes announced to the new whip rules

The use of the forehand whip will continue, rather than being banned. The original proposals would have limited it to backhand use. Permissible use of the whip is reduced to six strokes on the flat (down from seven) and seven in domestic hunt races (down from eight). Penalties for use above the authorized level have been increased beyond those published last November, as have those for misdemeanor misdemeanors. For example, the punishment for using the whip above shoulder height is increased from a suspension of at least two days to four (all penalties doubled in Class 1 or 2 races). Similarly, using the whip without giving the horse time to respond will result in a ban of at least four days (from two) and, in case of excessive force, a ban of five days (from three).

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