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The Jockeys' Guild and its Board of Directors has taken the position that the United States should remain under Category 2 approach to adjudicating potential interference during Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing.

While considering this decision, the Guild considered the safety of both the human and equine athletes, as well as fairness for all parties involved. The Category 2 method provides Stewards with the authority to disqualify a horse if, in their opinion, it interfered with other horses, regardless of whether the interference was accidental, willful, or the result of careless riding. Based on experience, the Guild believes that Category 2 provides for some additional safety protections for the riders. By giving the Stewards the ability to disqualify the horse which has caused the interference, regardless of where the horse finished, it will serve as a deterrent to unsafe riding. We, as an industry, have a responsibility to assure safety for both the horses and the jockeys. It is unreasonable to create a racing environment that is potentially going to lead to more hazardous riding styles.

Additionally, with regards to the fairness of such rules, while Category 1 often protects “the best horse,” Category 2 rules enable strong advocacy on behalf of all horses and jockeys who suffered interference. This is achieved by ensuring that the interferer is placed behind all of the horses who suffered the interference, both directly and indirectly. Using this method provides a safeguard against horses having their finishing position compromised as a result of the interference, and in turn, provides a fairer playing field to all participants, as opposed to just the “best horse.”

With regards to Quarter Horses races, Category 2 is the best method for several reasons including the fact that races are shorter and any interference at all can have an impact on the outcome of the race. To only apply Category 1 could have serious impact on Quarter Horse racing as it pertains to trails. As such, the Guild believes the Oklahoma Racing Commission is in the process of reverting back to Category 2 for Quarter Horse racing.

It should be noted, with the exception of Oklahoma, no other racing jurisdiction in the United States has adopted Category 1 method. Although, this item has been discussed on multiple occasions during the Association of Racing Commissioners International (“ARCI”) Model Rule's Committee meeting, there has not been movement to have the current rules changes in the United States. On Thursday, December 7, 2023 during the ARCI Model Rules Meeting, there are proposed modifications being presented with regards to “interference and placing to conform with IFHA rule.” Representatives of the Guild will appear virtually to voice opposition and to express its concerns on behalf of the jockeys.

The post Jockeys’ Guild: Category 2 Interference Rules Provide For ‘Additional Safety Protections For The Riders’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The National Thoroughbred Writers and Broadcasters have announced that the organization will assist racing media outlets in funding internships for the second year in a row.

The NTWAB's internship assistance program is designed to better enable horse racing publications and broadcast outlets to offer paid internship positions. The program can offer up to $2,500 each in matching funds to two outlets per year, with the hope of funding one publication and one broadcast outlet.

In its pilot year in 2023, the NTWAB program supported paid summer internships at The BloodHorse and The Saratoga Special.

The Saratoga Special's internship program traditionally takes place in the summer to coincide with the seasonal publication. Thanks to NTWAB support, Saratoga Special publisher Joe Clancy said the paper was able to include an additional intern position in its summer program, which was filled by high school student Alec DiConza.

“This year's internship at The Saratoga Special was a truly wonderful experience. Not only was it great fun to be at Saratoga Race Course almost every day for eight weeks, but I also significantly improved my skills in writing and communication,” said DiConza. “Through my work this summer, my ability to quickly craft a detailed piece of writing, such as a preview or a recap of a horse race, improved tremendously. Additionally, having the opportunity to speak with so many of the horse racing industry's most recognized names, while at first taking me out of my comfort zone, was extremely beneficial.

“Because of the well over 100 interviews I did throughout the summer, my confidence in speaking to others is higher than ever before. As a fan of racing for almost a decade, being able to work alongside some of the sport's great writers and to cover countless horse races myself was a dream come true. With all of the excitement and immeasurably helpful experience this internship provides, I think one would be hard pressed to find a better way for young people to get involved in racing.”

See one of DiConza's features from the Special here.

BloodHorse brought in Ali Cetinok, a junior majoring in journalism at the University of Kentucky. Cetinok has interest in covering all sports and found plenty to interest him during his time at BH.

“BloodHorse intern Ali Cetinok proved a valuable contributor for us in 2023,” said BloodHorse editorial director Frank Angst. “Ali contributed to all of our platforms, including an extensive magazine feature on universities and colleges that offer Thoroughbred breeding programs. He conducted an interview for our Daily newsletter, produced or assisted on videos for our BH+ platform, and contributed a sale-related feature, race previews, and race recaps to our website.

“We enjoyed having Ali and BH will look to participate in the program down the road. I'd recommend it to any NTWAB member.”

“It was an amazing experience. I was taught a lot, and I learned a lot,” said Ali Cetinok, who interned at BloodHorse. “The internship made me a better all-around journalist. It unlocked a new passion for me. I think something I'll always want to do.

“Of course, great people there. Help everywhere I looked. It was a great overall experience. I got to do actual journalism from morning to evening.”

An archive of Cetinok's work from his internship is available here.

Any publication or broadcast outlet in the horse racing sphere interested in applying for internship assistance for 2024 is encouraged to apply by Dec. 15. Applying outlets are asked to submit basic information about their internship's projected job responsibilities and funding request amount to an internship committee member or to ntwab2016@gmail.com.

The post NTWAB Announces Renewal Of Internship Support Program For Horse Racing Media Outlets appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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