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British make big whip rule changes
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<span class="text-grey-99 hidden lg:inline">13 July, 2022</span>
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<img src="https://cdn.racing.com/-/media/racing/royal-ascot-2022/changingoftheguardday4-660x380cargill.jpg?h=380&w=660&la=en&hash=0CE0743C61D443445127BF9E90F177F225C13F89" class="w-full" alt="​Changingoftheguard wins on Day 4. Picture: Steve Cargill" /><div class="rdc-image__caption">
Changingoftheguard wins on Day 4 at Royal Ascot. Picture: Steve Cargill
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<p>Britain's jockeys will have to make fundamental
changes to the way they use the whip within a matter of months following
the unexpected news that a review group has decided to ask for a ban on
whip use in the forehand position.</p><p>It was one of 20
recommendations by the Whip Consultation Steering Group, set up last
year, which were published on Tuesday, having already been approved by
the BHA's board.</p><p>As was suggested by a leak last week,
disqualification is to be introduced as the ultimate sanction in cases
of extreme breaches of the whip rules, although officials would be
delighted if they never have to use that power. It will be available for
all races, not just high-profile ones, as was mooted by the leak.</p><p>An
innovation is the creation of a whip review panel which will take most
of the responsibility for enforcement action from raceday stewards.
Penalties for breaches are to be increased and will be especially stiff
in major races, at double the level set for standard races. Totting-up
bans will be triggered by three breaches in a six-month period, rather
than five as at present.</p><p>The aim is for the recommendations to be
incorporated into racing's rules by late autumn but David Jones, a BHA
director who chaired the group, was careful to avoid being tied down to a
specific date as he addressed a press conference. A detailed
implementation plan is to be developed, making time for training of
jockeys and stewards and allowing for a bedding-in period before the new
rules will be applied in earnest. Jones believes there is nothing to be
gained by rushing and more time will be allowed for that process if
necessary.</p><p>While the changes are more significant than many in
racing will have anticipated, the steering group's hope is that they
will take the heat out of the issue for many years and satisfy most of
the sport's critics that it is serious about its responsibilities to the
horse. "It's really key for us to show that we really want to make a
difference and this is a serious issue," Jones said. "It was right at
the heart of what we wanted to do, to show that we were not just
tinkering."</p><p>Jump jockey Tom Scudamore, who served on the steering
group alongside his Flat colleague PJ McDonald, estimates that 70 per
cent of his current whip use is in the forehand position, an indication
of the impact the new rules will have on some riders. But he was
confident that his friends and rivals in the weighing room would make
the necessary effort to change.</p><p>"It's the same with any sport, you
have to adjust," he said. "I think my colleagues will see in this case
that it's for the benefit of the sport and anything that's for the
benefit of the sport, they'll go along with.</p><p>"It's the same in any sport. If you're a defender in football, you could get away with a lot more before VAR than you can now."</p><p>The
risk of the whip striking a horse with excessive force is thought to be
less when it is used in the backhand position, which was also described
in the review as "neater and more stylish" than forehanded use.
Scudamore cited Willie Carson as a jockey who made excellent use of the
whip in the backhand position.</p><p>"Watching the old videos of him, I
can't remember seeing him using it in the forehand," he said. "He was a
fine example of what we're looking towards. He always seemed to use it
in the right place, even though his reach wasn't exactly as long as
mine."</p><p>Horses will be disqualified if their jockey has used the
whip four or more times more than the limit for that type of race, with
discretion allowed to the stewards to discount instances of whip use
down the shoulder with both hands on the reins, or if needed for safety.
Jones was pressed as to how the group had settled on the figure of four
over the limit as a suitable trigger.</p><p>"You have to have lines in
life, don't you?" he said. "Part of our thinking was that zero tolerance
would be difficult because you might go one over and just not realise
it.</p><p>"We felt that four was definitely egregious use. We felt that
was a 'win at all costs' kind of ride. Don't forget that penalties for
going one or two over in a major race are significant."</p><p>There was
some encouragement for the sport from Roly Owers, chief executive of
World Horse Welfare and a member of the steering group, who said: "I
think there's great confidence in the group that this is a set of
recommendations that can work." However, he later said the changes did
not go far enough to satisfy WHW, which wants an end to whip use for
encouragement.</p><p>The steering group did not include a representative
of the betting industry but Brant Dunshea, the BHA's chief regulatory
officer, said it had heard from bookmakers and punters during the
consultation process and had reflected on whether these changes would
have an impact on turnover. He said there was no clear evidence either
way from countries that had gone through similar changes.</p><p>Dunshea
added that efforts will be made to reach jockeys based in Ireland and
France, to explain the new regime before they ride in Britain.</p><p><strong>The core recommendations</strong></p><p>Use of the whip for encouragement to be limited to the backhand position only</p><p>Permitted level for use to remain at seven on the Flat, eight over jumps, in the backhand only</p><p>Development
of a review panel which is responsible for evaluation of all rides and
any necessary sanction or action (including directing jockeys to further
training)</p><p>Increased penalties for offences, including doubled suspensions in major races when the whip is used above the permitted level</p><p>Disqualification
introduced for offences in which the whip has been used four times or
more above the permitted level in all races</p>
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