New whip rules proposed by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) would see horses disqualified if their jockeys seriously breach regulations. Under the plans, any jump jockey striking their mount 12 times or more in a major race would lead to disqualification, while flat riders face the same penalty for 11 strikes above the permitted threshold.
The changes, which follow a consultation by the BHA's whip steering group, include restricting whip use to the backhand position only and doubling suspensions for overuse in top-tier races. If the rules had been in place earlier this year, Grand National winner Noble Yeats would have been disqualified after jockey Sam Waley-Cohen was suspended for nine days and fined £400 for using his whip excessively and in the wrong place.
The steering group's report features 20 recommendations, including disqualification for four or more strikes above the limit, increased suspensions starting at three days, and a new whip review panel. The rules are expected to be implemented from late autumn with a bedding-in period.
However, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) called the proposals 'a real missed opportunity for horse welfare', while World Horse Welfare's chief executive Roly Owers expressed a desire to move away from whip use for encouragement entirely. The steering group chair David Jones acknowledged differing views, stating, 'It is inevitable that there will be those who think we have gone too far, and those who think we have not gone far enough.'
