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Padded Whips to be mandatory for Racing in Australia
Has anyone seen any of these? I wonder if they would be suitable for other types of riding.
March 23, 2009
Proposed changes which tighten the use of whips in racing have been confirmed by the Australian Racing Board (ARB).
"The effect of these changes will be to change forever the role of the whip in Australian racing," the board said in a statement.
It said the changes, which allow only the use of padded whips, followed lengthy consultation both within the industry and with the public.
The new rules also tightly limit the circumstances and way in which a whip can be used. The whip cannot be raised above shoulder height and its use will be prohibited where there is no prospect of improving the horse's placing.
There will be a national code of penalties for breaches of the whip rules.
"These changes send a clear message that Australian Racing is fully attuned to contemporary community expectations, said ARB chairman Bob Bentley.
"The need for change is clear and there was no point fiddling around at the edges. There is no point procrastinating where there is industry and public expectations that practices of the past are no longer condoned.
"Once we opened up the subject we were determined to do it properly."
Bentley responded to criticisms that changes to the existing whip rules were pandering to welfare groups.
"Some people are uncomfortable with change but racing needs to change and be proactive.
"There are a lot of things that society condoned 50 years ago but which are now seen as unacceptable, and this is one of them.
"When something remains stuck in the same position for 50 years you start to worry whether it still has a heartbeat - well that's not going to happen to Australian racing. It is our job to make sure that racing remains fresh and relevant so that millions of Australians go on enjoying it into the future."
Bentley said the board considered all the arguments for and against padded whips. "The best scientific advice available to us says that padded whips do not inflict pain or injury, and that is the outcome we want. A number of other countries are watching very closely what we do here and I think will follow our lead in the near future."
He said that while, for many jockeys, their riding styles don't greatly rely on the whip, for some there will be real adjustment required.
"We are determined to provide meaningful help to them in making this adjustment. One of the practical measures agreed on is the development of a DVD that will demonstrate what is and what is not permissible.
March 23, 2009
Proposed changes which tighten the use of whips in racing have been confirmed by the Australian Racing Board (ARB).
"The effect of these changes will be to change forever the role of the whip in Australian racing," the board said in a statement.
It said the changes, which allow only the use of padded whips, followed lengthy consultation both within the industry and with the public.
The new rules also tightly limit the circumstances and way in which a whip can be used. The whip cannot be raised above shoulder height and its use will be prohibited where there is no prospect of improving the horse's placing.
There will be a national code of penalties for breaches of the whip rules.
"These changes send a clear message that Australian Racing is fully attuned to contemporary community expectations, said ARB chairman Bob Bentley.
"The need for change is clear and there was no point fiddling around at the edges. There is no point procrastinating where there is industry and public expectations that practices of the past are no longer condoned.
"Once we opened up the subject we were determined to do it properly."
Bentley responded to criticisms that changes to the existing whip rules were pandering to welfare groups.
"Some people are uncomfortable with change but racing needs to change and be proactive.
"There are a lot of things that society condoned 50 years ago but which are now seen as unacceptable, and this is one of them.
"When something remains stuck in the same position for 50 years you start to worry whether it still has a heartbeat - well that's not going to happen to Australian racing. It is our job to make sure that racing remains fresh and relevant so that millions of Australians go on enjoying it into the future."
Bentley said the board considered all the arguments for and against padded whips. "The best scientific advice available to us says that padded whips do not inflict pain or injury, and that is the outcome we want. A number of other countries are watching very closely what we do here and I think will follow our lead in the near future."
He said that while, for many jockeys, their riding styles don't greatly rely on the whip, for some there will be real adjustment required.
"We are determined to provide meaningful help to them in making this adjustment. One of the practical measures agreed on is the development of a DVD that will demonstrate what is and what is not permissible.
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