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Tag: HISA
Jockeys’ Guild Virtual Assembly Includes Presentations On Mental Health Awareness, Proposed HISA Regulations
The Jockeys' Guild held its Annual Meeting virtually again this year on Dec. 7, 2021. The virtual meeting was attended by active Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse jockeys from around the country.
The highlights included a synopsis of the short film THE FALL by Equine Productions' Visual Director Nathan Horrocks, who co-directed the feature with Cold Feet star Robert Bathurst. Horrocks has been in racing most of his life and has witnessed firsthand the mental health challenges that jockeys face on a daily basis. His hope is to raise awareness of the mental health struggles within the sport of racing and let jockeys know they do not have to suffer in silence.
Racing advocate and long-time supporter of the jockeys Sen. Damon Thayer (KY-R) addressed the members on the compromise he was instrumental in accomplishing in Kentucky regarding the use of the riding crop, as well as the increase in losing mount fees at select tracks. His involvement, as well as his continued support, is invaluable.
Dr. David Lambert B.V.Sc. (Hons.), M.R.C.V.S, President and Founder of Equine Analysis, in Midway, Kentucky, presented “21st Century Solutions: Stopping Horses From Breaking Down.” The system, known as Stride Safe, employs sensors, which are placed in saddle towels, to track the movements of the horse and gather data which can be used to protect horses, and in turn, jockeys from life-threatening injuries. The system is currently being utilized at NYRA.
Ann McGovern, director of Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's (“HISA”) Racetrack Safety standing committee, provided the jockeys with an update about the current status of the proposed racetrack safety rules, which have been formally submitted to the Federal Trade Commission. She also advised members about the intent of the Authority to provide regulations assuring for the safety of the horses, thereby, improving the safety of the jockeys. Jockeys voiced their concerns regarding changes that have occurred with racing, as well as their ongoing worry with regards to the safety issues created by the restrictive use of the riding crop and the penalties being proposed by HISA. The Jockeys' Guild will submit public comments to the FTC and encouraged others to do so as well.
Nancy LaSala, Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (“PDJF”) President, and PDJF Board Member and horse owner/breeder Paul Braverman gave an update on the PDJF. Mr. Braverman emphasized that the PDJF has made a commitment to the disabled jockeys for the rest of their lives, yet there is no committed source of funding from the industry. Like many other non-profit organizations, COVID-19 has had a negative impact on their customary fundraising efforts and was a stark reminder of the need for institutional funding. In response to horse owner's requests, the PDJF has created a new initiative called “Rider's Up” that has the full support of the PDJF Board and has been presented to many industry stakeholders. The PDJF is hopeful that contributions generated from the Rider's Up Initiative by horse owners will enable the PDJF to increase its monthly stipends to recipients who have suffered career-ending catastrophic injuries.
In support of this worthy cause, the Jockeys' Guild Senate members voted to adopt a new policy, whereby winning Jockeys' Guild members of races with purses over $70,000 will contribute 0.005 percent of their earnings, capped at $200. This would be a separate program from the “one dollar program” that is already in place and would continue to be offered at the tracks that do not offer purses of $70,000 or more. Like the horse owners program, the jockeys will have the ability to opt-out. The Guild Senate formally adopted this proposal to support the PDJF's Riders Up initiative with the intent of encouraging the horsemen organizations to follow suit, such that both the winning owner and winning jockey can help to make a critical impact on the welfare of these disabled riders. It should be noted that many active jockeys already contribute money and their time to the PDJF, as well as donations to other jockeys who are injured.
The riders in attendance re-elected John Velazquez and Mike Smith as Co-chairmen, Javier Castellano and Julien Leparoux, along with newly elected Quarter Horse jockey James Flores, as Vice-Chairs, Joel Campbell as Treasurer and Rodney Prescott as Secretary. In addition, Alex Birzer, Joe Bravo, and Drayden Van Dyke were re-elected to the Board of Directors.
In a closed session, the members reviewed 2021 financials and the 2022 budget.
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ARCI Urges On-Time Implementation Of Horseracing Integrity And Safety Authority
The Board of Directors of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) has unanimously indicated that the delay in HISA implementation suggested last week by the Authority's Chair Charles Scheeler was “not necessary and legally problematic” as the US State racing commissions are all eager to negotiate and finalize agreements with both the Authority and it's Enforcement Agency (assumed to be the United States Anti-Doping Agency).
“The people and organizations that have worked hard to pass the federal legislation have been waiting for ten years for these reforms and we see no reason why HISA and the enforcement agency cannot assume control on July 1, 2022, as required by the law,” said RCI Chair Robert Lopez.
Since late August State racing commissions have participated in fifteen implementation work sessions with both HISA and USADA senior staff. Those meetings were coordinated by the ARCI and the last session occurred early November.
The only missing pieces are how the HISA Authority plans to pay for things and what the additional costs of the Authority and Enforcement Agency will be. Existing program costs are matters of public record in each state and have been provided by the state commissions months ago.
“This is not rocket science,” said RCI President Ed Martin. “The big cost of collecting and testing samples is known in each state. Investigator salaries are known. Prosecutor salaries are known as is the number of cases that come on appeal. What is not known are the HISA/USADA enhancements to the existing system and if nobody has their arms around what they will cost by now it makes one wonder if this entire thing is structured correctly.”
Lopez said the states are eager to work with both HISA and its Enforcement Agency, presumably USADA, to achieve a smooth transition.
“State specific agreements need to be negotiated now and the state racing commissions are ready to begin those talks with both HISA and the Enforcement Agency individually.”
“We have been told that the HISA goal is to preserve as much of the existing public investment as possible to mitigate new costs of expanded integrity on racetracks, owners, breeders, horsemen, veterinarians and fans,” Martin said. “Delaying full implementation agreements as has been suggested only gives external forces more time to shift state support for racing to other areas.”
The ARCI said it was “most likely” that it will avail itself of the opportunity to comment directly to the FTC during the public comment period.
Martin said the initial read of the proposed Racetrack Safety rules were positive compared to previous versions, but that a complete analysis is underway. He also said that the ARCI had a productive meeting in Tucson last week with Travis Tygart and senior leaders from the US Anti-Doping Agency as well as two HISA Board Members, D.G. Van Clief and Dr. Sue Stover the next day.
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ARCI Urges HISA To Find Individual With State Government Experience For Executive Director Position
The Board of the Association of Racing Commissioners International voted unanimously today to urge the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority to select someone with experience and intricate knowledge of US state government operations in order to effectuate a smooth implementation of the reforms embodied in the new US federal law.
“Failure to appoint someone who does not have this level of expertise jeopardizes a successful and timely implementation by July 1, 2021 as required by law. As the implementation is complicated and sensitive as to preserve millions of dollars in public funding for programs that will become the responsibility of the Authority, someone who clearly has experience with the ins and outs of state budgets, operations, public private partnerships, and a familiarity of the US and state governmental processes is absolutely necessary,” said Robert Lopez, ARCI Chair.
The ARCI Board was informed by HISA Directors this morning that they have conducted a worldwide search and that the Authority is seeking to finalize a selection.
The HISA had retained the services of Executive Search firm Russell Reynolds to recruit a replacement for Interim Executive Director Hank Zeitlin. The RCI has been informed that HISA hopes to have someone in the position by the end of January.
At the meeting ARCI President Ed Martin stressed the importance of someone who can hit the ground running as state specific agreements need to be negotiated in order to successfully preserve and leverage the publicly funded infrastructure and not impose an impossible financial burden on owners, trainers, and racetracks.
RCI has expressed concerns that literally tens of millions of dollars in public funding for integrity programs could be jeopardized unless rules were crafted and operational agreements finalized between both the HISA and its Enforcement Agency, which has yet to be put under contract.
“To say we're concerned, is an understatement,” said Martin.
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