The Ontario Racing Commission sent out a notice to the industry today stating that new provincial rules governing the urging of horses in racing will be in place effective September 1, 2009
. The rules – which will apply to standardbred, thoroughbred and quarter-horse racing – take into consideration the safety of the participants, the welfare of the horse and the perception of the product.
The ORC launched the process of developing new rules on the urging of horses one year ago. Following a special meeting held at the invitation of ORC executive director John Blakney, industry working groups were established. With input from industry members, the respective breed groups submitted proposed rule changes to the ORC board. After careful consideration, the rules were subsequently approved by the board in early summer.
ORC chair Rod Seiling acknowledged the considerable effort undertaken by members of the racing community. “We want to recognize the work of the multi-breed working groups and thank all those who shared their comments on the proposed changes.”
He pointed out that this close examination of the styles and practices on urging of horses in racing is in keeping with the ORC’s mandate. “The health and welfare of the horse and the safety of participants are front and centre to our efforts to regulate racing. The time was right to move forward on this issue. We believe these new rules are fair, enforceable and appropriate for today’s racing industry.”
Among the provisions in the new rules: for standardbred racing, there is now a requirement to keep a line in each hand for the entire race. Thoroughbred and quarter-horse rules now stipulate only a ‘humane or cushion’ riding crop may be used, and the horse must be allowed time to respond before it may be used again.
New penalty guidelines are in place to reflect the importance of adhering to these new rules on urging of the horse. To view the new rules, and the corresponding penalty guidelines, click here.
In order to facilitate an orderly and workable transition to the news rules, training and orientation sessions are now underway for ORC officials. Special paddock meetings and education sessions for racing participants will be held shortly across the province.
(With files from the ORC)
As an OHHA director and
As an OHHA director and current President I am very familiar with this issue. Since this process began last year I have asked hundreds of people what their feelings are regarding the "urging" of horses. Horse people, patrons, friends, family, politicians, etc. Every horse person had an opinion, the gamblers had an opinion and after that not so many opinions. As is true in life it appears that a vocal minority with perceived good intentions propelled a mandate from the regulator into our current reality.
Most horse people I spoke with felt that if the rules as they are currently written were enforced, "urging" would be a non issue. So what happened? How did we let it get this far? If the strongest possible majority of Drivers, Trainers, Owners, Grooms (many racing officials too) feel that these new rules are a disaster waiting to happen for Ontario's Standardbred racing industry why are we here? The answer is simple...we let it happen. We did not have a strong collective unified voice. In its place we had a vocal minority of individual opinions... a virtual crescendo when played against the apathetic backdrop of the silent majority.
As the majority investors in this business we did not want this to happen yet it has and at the 11th hour we are now starting to feel the concern in barns and paddocks. Trainers and owners faced with the reality of sending certain horses south where they can continue to be driven as they need to be and have been. Drivers talking about not driving at certain tracks or going elsewhere all together as the risk of getting infractions, for driving as they have for their entire career, are too great when faced with the new penalties. Why are we doing this again?
The landscape of racing in Ontario changed with the introduction of slots. $$$ came flooding in and it was a great time to race horses and own racetracks. You would have thought that all of this additional revenue would have been the glue that held us together by demonstrating how all horsepeople benefit when we are unified. Fast forward and what do we see? An industry built and sustained by horse people and yet we are the ones told we should "feel fortunate" to race for the purses we do as opposed to benefiting from our investment of dollars and handwork? How can anyone be surprised when the President of one of our horsepeople’s associations suggests we need to accept the fact that "we (horse people) have nothing they (Racetrack) want" and apparently you can be a horsemen’s association even though you contractually agree to not represent your members if they find themselves in a dispute with your contracted racetrack partner...exactly how is that representing horsepeople?
You reap what you sow and it’s a bumper crop for apathy and fragmentation. Not so long ago those fields would yield resolve and unanimity. I for one would like to get back to our roots and demonstrate to everyone that we are a very proud dedicated group, who make this engine run and our voice and opinions are not merely to be considered they are to be respected and acted upon.
I agree with Mr. Calhoun,
I agree with Mr. Calhoun, right now it is ridiculous. A driver going for $525. at Inverness will get the same fine as one going for 1 million elsewhere in Canada. North America night (June 27th) it was incredible the amount of whipping going on, yet only 2 fines (Sears & Pierce ) were levied and let's face it $500 was the max fine and $100 for the other is not much of a deterent going for that kind of cash.
I don't agree with the new rules, Quebec brought them in 10 years ago and their industry is non-existent today, so it did not help them at all.
Gregory J Saftich you
Gregory J Saftich you mention,"My business would FAIL miserably if someone told me I couldn't reprimand my employees when they are not performing...so will the racing industry!!"
That's exactly why the racing industry is FAILING.They don't "reprimand" non-performing horses(trainers).
Greg,would you promote or give a raise to a employee that wasn't making the grade,unable to perform the task at hand?I doubt it.The racing will allow non-performing horses to not only move up(promote) in class but to run for more money(raise)!!!!If a horse doesn't win for a certain amount of money,then that horse should not be allowed to run for ONE CENT more the next time it runs.
Non-winning racing is killing racing.It gives carte blanche to the trainers.There is no accountability.One week they run for a certain purse do nothing then move the horse up and run for more money and then "employ" SELECTIVE URGING.
I agree 100% with Steve and
I agree 100% with Steve and Bob. You are asking drivers to drastically change something they have done for their entire careers. These guidelines are unnecessary and definitely will have an effect on how I wager on racing in this province. Each horse is unique. Every equine athlete needs to be driven differently. That's why certain drivers have more success than others. When I manage my company many of my employees do their work well without me urging them to do so...others need me to oversee their work more closely and manage them differently. My business would FAIL miserably if someone told me I couldn't reprimand my employees when they are not performing...so will the racing industry!!
While we are on the topic of
While we are on the topic of urging, I urge everyone at the ORC and the rest of the fanclub to watch the chuckagon races at the Calgary Stampede (or anywhere for that matter). "The keeping both hands on the lines" idea doesn't seem to be a real safe option for that sport. Lots of carnage there. - Remember we have drivers in our sport not herders. On another note, the biggest black mark against our sport has and always will be the public's perception that their horse(the one they wagered on), got "stiffed". With these new rules the ORC better institute an anti-stiffing committee, or we'll shortly have no handle at all. What better way to keep a horse in a maiden for the entire meet when you can't take your hands out of the hand holds.
It seems the same in most industries/economic sectors - those high above with all the power think the most backward of all (and seldom ask for input from the ones on the ground!). If this is the fix for us; then these new rules should boost handles at all ON tracks by at least 10% inside of three months. Not going to happen folks!
No more "selective
No more "selective urging".
Gord Brown, how do you explain to the public that you use the whip one week and you don't use it the other! Or you use the whip with more intensity and more hits one week then the other! There is no consistency in using a whip. Your days of "selective urging" are over.
What I don't get is how some
What I don't get is how some past drivers that are judges now can vote for this rule to come in, as when they drove horses in their day they would hit the horses anywhere from 10 to 20 times. Are the horses any different now then they where then, are they more superior or more important now then they where then.
And for the trainers that voted for this rule (and they know who they are)are they going to give their purse money back when their driver gives their horse a one hander or two. No I don't think so. Even some of the trainers that have drivers lic. when they drove they had the right to hit the horses they felt was right. Why change it now?
The rules we have in place now have done alright,if the judges govern the people that want to abuse the horses then there is no reason to change it,(the next driver that beats a horse and drops a foot at 7·eighths - give them a 10 days suspension without appeal. See how they start to respect the rules then.
I agree with Steve
I agree with Steve wholeheartedly. I think it's gone way overboard.
I still don't feel that this is the problem with the public's negative perception of horse racing.
Gord Brown
I am all for cutting down on
I am all for cutting down on the practice of indiscriminate whipping and punishment some horses receive at the hands of some drivers. However upon reading the new rules I have the following comments.
Rule 22.23.03 (c) It appears you can't hit the wheel discs. Hitting the wheel discs has to inflict less hurt than hitting the horse?
Rule 22.23.03 (d) I am surprised that they haven't deleted this rule and allow the driver to hit the sulky shaft. If I was the horse I would far rather the driver hit the shaft than me.
Perhaps someone can explain the rational behind these two rules.
A sure step to drive
A sure step to drive gambling dollars away and into the casinos. When this rule was tested at WEG i believe the handle was down during the trial period; nobody seemed to want to discuss this. This is just another politically correct move which is popular with people who do not make their living racing horses and really lack the experience to make these kind of decisions. A definite step backwards.
And I totally agree with the comments made by Steve Calhoun.
I don't see how these rules
I don't see how these rules don't penalize local drvers especally in major stake races. U.S. drivers who show up rarely and only to drive in big races can take the small fine(s) or days. You think when a major U.S. driver is in a $500,000 race is going to care about these rules? Local drivers have to care. U.S. drivers who show up once in awhile won't care.