Horses whose jockeys seriously breach whip rules will face disqualification under new plans announced by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). The changes, which follow a review by the BHA's whip consultation steering group, will apply to riders who use four or more strikes above the permitted threshold.
If the rules had been in place earlier this year, Grand National winner Noble Yeats would have been disqualified. Winning rider Sam Waley-Cohen was suspended for nine days and fined £400 for using his whip above the permitted level and in the incorrect place. The amateur jockey did not serve the ban as he had already announced his retirement.
Under the new rules, jump jockeys who strike their mount 12 times or more in a major race would have their horse disqualified, while flat riders would face the same penalty for 11 strikes. Both codes allow leeway if a rider demonstrates a need to ensure safety. Jockeys must use the whip in the backhand position only, and suspensions for overuse in major races will be doubled.
The report features 20 recommendations, including increased suspension starting points, greater fines for amateur riders, and the establishment of a whip review panel. The changes are intended to be implemented from late autumn, with a bedding-in period. A minority of the steering group argued for removing the whip for encouragement, as in Scandinavia, but this was not adopted.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) called the proposals 'a real missed opportunity for horse welfare'. World Horse Welfare's chief executive Roly Owers said he wanted to see a move away from the whip for encouragement, stating: 'We simply do not believe its use is justified.'
