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British Racing Unites to Highlight Industry Conduct

Several stakeholder bodies of British horseracing have assumed a united front in regard to the conduct of those who work in the sport, while committing to take wide-ranging action to offer support and education to the industry.

In an excerpt from a joint statement issued Tuesday by The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), National Trainers Federation (NTF), Professional Jockeys Association (PJA), National Association of Racing Staff (NARS), Racehorse Owners Association (ROA), Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) and Racecourse Association (RCA):

“It is essential that horseracing remains a progressive, modern industry when it comes to the conduct of our people. We must prioritize the wellbeing and development of our workforce, stand against discrimination of any kind in British racing, and invest in making racing a safe, fulfilling place to work…We must encourage a culture of openness and seek to support anyone who faces problems or has found themselves in difficulty. We must promote a culture of respect in how those involved in racing interact with one another and promote more diversity and inclusion at all levels of the industry.”

All groups will take part in a working party which will report to the industry People Board and will assist in promoting the positive elements of conduct within the industry, education, deterring poor behaviour and discrimination while empowering people to call out conduct which falls short. The group will be chaired by the BHA and include representatives from the BHA, NTF, NARS, PJA, RCA, ROA and TBA.

The working party and resultant action lead the effort to introduce a new industry Code of Conduct, which will introduced in Spring 2022. The Code of Conduct has been developed by the signatories, who are also signatories of British racing's Diversity and Inclusion industry commitment. Among the working party's chief objectives is to ensure that the new Code of Conduct is properly communicated in addition to the introduction of the sport's new Safeguarding policy and regulations, which are also close to being finalized.

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‘Promote A Culture Of Respect’: British Racing Stakeholders Form Group To Develop New Code Of Conduct

The major stakeholder bodies of British horseracing have issued a joint statement regarding the conduct of those who work in the sport, and a commitment to take wide-ranging action to offer support and education to industry participants around behaviors. 

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), National Trainers Federation (NTF), Professional Jockeys Association (PJA), National Association of Racing Staff (NARS), Racehorse Owners Association (ROA), Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) and Racecourse Association (RCA) said:

“British racing is a diverse industry where individuals of varying identities and from a wide range of backgrounds work and compete side-by-side. It is a sport characterized by the shared values of camaraderie and conscientiousness, which come hand-in-hand with working in an elite sport and the risks associated with working alongside our equine athletes.

“Great progress has already been made by the industry in terms of improving standards around training, education, employment practices, wellbeing, safeguarding and career development, with the entire sport involved in making racing a better place to work.

“However, there is always more that can and must be done. We must encourage a culture of openness and seek to support anyone who faces problems or has found themselves in difficulty. We must promote a culture of respect in how those involved in racing interact with one another and promote more diversity and inclusion at all levels of the industry.

“The signatories to this statement, therefore, today publicly commit to further improve standards, education and training around industry conduct, through the formation of a dedicated cross-industry working party.”

Next Steps

As part of this commitment, initial discussions around which commenced earlier this year, all the signatories have agreed to take part in a working party which will report into the industry People Board and will have the objectives of promoting the positive elements of conduct within the industry, educating our people, deterring poor behaviors and any form of discrimination while empowering our people to call out conduct which falls short of our joint expectations.

The group will be chaired by the BHA and include representatives from the BHA, NTF, NARS, PJA, RCA, ROA, TBA and/or – crucially – the people that they represent.

The working party will, as a priority, develop a specific action plan, which will be underpinned by research into the most effective examples of positive behavior change from other industries.

The formation of this working party and resultant action plan will form an important part of the previously announced project to introduce and embed a new industry Code of Conduct and underpinning regulations, which are being finalized with a view to being introduced in Spring 2022.

The Code of Conduct has been developed alongside all the signatories to this statement, who are also signatories of British racing's Diversity and Inclusion industry commitment.

The working party will have amongst its objectives ensuring that the new Code of Conduct is properly communicated, explained and understood and that it achieves its objectives of raising standards of behavior and conduct within the sport. The working party will also assist in the introduction of the sport's new Safeguarding policy and regulations, which are also close to being finalized.

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British Horseracing Authority Plans Increased Regulation Of Racing Syndicates

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is publishing plans to strengthen the regulation of shared racehorse ownership following an industry-wide consultation completed in the autumn of 2020.

The consultation, which formed part of one of the nine key goals for British racing's recovery plan, examined the current risks and opportunities of shared ownership and how they might be addressed through enhanced regulation and improved administration.

The industry plan for shared ownership, which has been developed through consideration of the consultation feedback and further engagement with stakeholders, details 10 key measures to be introduced as part of a phased implementation plan over the next 12 months. These can be read in full below.

The measures are designed to support public confidence in Syndicates and Racing Clubs and provide a solid foundation for the continued growth of shared ownership.

Key measures within the plans include strengthening the existing Code of Conduct for Syndicates, which was originally introduced in February 2017. The Code requires that all Syndicates which advertise publicly or charge a management fee must provide Syndicate members with a contract that covers specified areas.

These areas will be extended in addition to the BHA increasing its auditing of these contracts. As part of the registration process, and then through on-going spot-checks, the BHA will annually review a proportion of contracts to ensure and monitor compliance with the Code. A Code of Conduct will also be introduced for Racing Clubs.

The BHA will also require that Syndicators disclose the percentage shares held by each member of the Syndicate. Syndicate members will be able to view their own recorded shareholdings through the BHA's Racing Administration system from early 2022.

The plans also build on the existing regulation of shared ownerships which already includes the registration of all individuals who wish to manage, promote or administer a Syndicate or Racing Club. Further information will be sought as part of the registration process to better understand the financial arrangements of each entity and, in the case of a Syndicate receiving a significant amount of prize-money, Syndicators will be asked to outline how and when this will be paid to Syndicate members.

Plans will be developed and tested with Syndicators and Club Managers, which will help ensure the processes and systems that support implementation of the measures are effective, facilitate BHA regulation and simplify ownership administration.

Throughout implementation, each phase will be communicated in advance to all stakeholders with clear lead in times, in addition to help and support for Syndicators and Club Managers in understanding and adapting to the changes.

Richard Wayman, BHA Chief Operating Officer, said: “It is vital for the future of our sport that we are able to attract and retain racehorse owners. Syndicates and Racing Clubs clearly have a pivotal role to play in those efforts.

“The consultation responses confirmed that the sport has many extremely well-run Syndicates and Racing Clubs who give their members exemplary levels of service. It is crucial that the public can continue to have confidence in Syndicates and Racing Clubs, which these measures have been designed to support.

“My thanks go to all of those who took part in the consultation and took the time to offer the feedback which has been central in devising this important package of measures.”

Charlie Liverton, Racehorse Owners Association (ROA) Chief Executive, said: “Racehorse owners contribute over £30m a month to the rural economy and whether they are sole owners, in a Partnership with friends and family, or part of a Syndicate, their retention is critical to the future of the sport.

“Shared ownership in horse racing is thriving across many racing jurisdictions and ensuring that those joining a Syndicate or Racing Club have confidence in our sport is crucial. The ROA recognises this consultation as an important piece of work to build public confidence and join what is the greatest thrill – ownership of a racehorse.”

Dan Abraham, Racehorse Syndicates Association (RSA) Chairman, said: “The consultation conducted by the BHA confirms the outstanding ownership experience available to members of Syndicates and Clubs.

“The BHA's review and strengthening of the regulations related to shared ownership should even further enhance the public's confidence. The appeal of Syndicates and Clubs is stronger than ever and the RSA welcomes the BHA's approach to provide increased protection for members as well as Syndicators and Club Managers.”

The ten new measures, which will be implemented in a phased approach throughout 2021 and early 2022, are as follows:

PHASE 1 – For implementation from May 1, 2021

To extend the Syndicate Code of Conduct to cover new terms, including the acquisition costs of the horses, what will happen in the case of a horse's retirement and the dispute resolution procedure;
To introduce a new Code of Conduct to cover Racing Clubs;
To require Syndicators to confirm how and when prize money received following a significant win shall be paid to members; and,
To facilitate the addition of Syndicate members who accumulate bad debt to the forfeit list.

PHASE 2 – For implementation in Summer 2021

To introduce additional questions into the Syndicate registration form to better understand financial arrangements and how upfront costs will be covered; and,
To begin a sustained campaign to publicise the Codes of Conduct.

PHASE 3 – For implementation in early 2022

To ensure all Syndicate members and their percentage shares are recorded with the BHA;
To allow all Syndicate members with ≥2% share access to view their ownership online;
To begin auditing a proportion of Syndicate and Racing Club contracts to ensure compliance with the Codes of Conduct; and,
To prioritise the improvement of Syndicate and Racing Club administration systems to allow for easier compliance with new regulations and a better ownership experience.

A detailed breakdown the of measures including how they will be applied and who is expected to comply, along with a summary of consultation findings, can be found here.

Detailed guidance and support for Syndicators and Club Managers can be found on the BHA website here. Guidance includes access to the new Syndicate and Racing Club Codes of Conduct along with their FAQs.

The measures focus on shared ownership in the form of Syndicates and Racing Clubs. Syndicates are a form of ownership where members of a Syndicate share the ownership of one or more horses. Racing Clubs are a form of ownership where members of a Racing Club enjoy some of the benefits of being a racehorse owner, except they do not have any ownership rights of the horse. Instead, the ownership of the horse is retained by the Racing Club itself.

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