FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2017; 7(1); 4; doi: 10.3390/ani7010004

Whip Rule Breaches in a Major Australian Racing Jurisdiction: Welfare and Regulatory Implications.

Abstract: Whip use in horseracing is increasingly being questioned on ethical, animal welfare, social sustainability, and legal grounds. Despite this, there is weak evidence for whip use and its regulation by Stewards in Australia. To help address this, we characterised whip rule breaches recorded by Stewards using Stewards Reports and Race Diaries from 2013 and 2016 in New SouthWales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). There were more recorded breaches at Metropolitan (M) than Country (C) or Provincial (P) locations, and by riders of horses that finished first, second, or third than by riders of horses that finished in other positions. The most commonly recorded breaches were forehand whip use on more than five occasions before the 100-metre (m) mark (44%), and whip use that raises the jockey's arm above shoulder height (24%). It is recommended that racing compliance data be analysed annually to inform the evidence-base for policy, education, and regulatory change, and ensure the welfare of racehorses and racing integrity.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2017-01-16 PubMed ID: 28275207PubMed Central: PMC5295154DOI: 10.3390/ani7010004Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article primarily puts into question the use of whips in horse racing, specifically focusing on rule breaches related to whip use in Australia’s major racing jurisdictions, New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The study leverages stewards’ reports and race diaries from 2013 and 2016 to uncover trends and inform future policy, education, and regulation considerations.

Objective of the Study

  • The primary goal of the research was to scrutinize the use of whips in horse racing, an aspect increasingly being challenged on ethical, animal welfare, legal, and social sustainability grounds. The study aimed to strengthen the evidential basis for whip usage and its regulation by stewards within Australia.

Methodology

  • The researchers examined whip rule breaches in horse racing events by analyzing Stewards Reports and Race Diaries in NSW and ACT. These records dated from two main years, 2013 and 2016.

Findings

  • The study revealed that there were more recorded whip rule violations at metropolitan locations than at country or provincial venues.
  • Additionally, riders of horses that finished in the top three positions were found to breach whip rules more often as compared to those who did not finish in those top spots.
  • The two most common types of whip rule infraction included using the whip in a forehand manner more than five times before reaching the 100-meter mark, which accounted for 44% of breaches. The other major violation was whip use that compelled the jockey to raise his/her arm above shoulder height, constituting 24% of the total violations.

Implications and Recommendations

  • The data reveals that there may be a need to reassess the use of whips in horse racing due to the high number of rule breaches.
  • The research authors propose that racing compliance data should be analyzed on an annual basis. This would help create a sound evidence base crucial for informing policy-making, education, and regulatory modification geared towards preserving the welfare of the horses and the integrity of horse racing.

Cite This Article

APA
Hood J, McDonald C, Wilson B, McManus P, McGreevy P. (2017). Whip Rule Breaches in a Major Australian Racing Jurisdiction: Welfare and Regulatory Implications. Animals (Basel), 7(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani7010004

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 7
Issue: 1
PII: 4

Researcher Affiliations

Hood, Jennifer
  • Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Room 206, R.M.C. Gunn Building, Sydney 2006, New South Wales, Australia. jenih@iinet.net.au.
McDonald, Carolyn
  • Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Room 206, R.M.C. Gunn Building, Sydney 2006, New South Wales, Australia. carolyn131283@gmail.com.
Wilson, Bethany
  • Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Room 206, R.M.C. Gunn Building, Sydney 2006, New South Wales, Australia. bethany.wilson@sydney.edu.au.
McManus, Phil
  • School of Geosciences, University of Sydney, Room 435, F09, Madsen Building, Sydney 2006, New South Wales, Australia. phil.mcmanus@sydney.edu.au.
McGreevy, Paul
  • Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Room 206, R.M.C. Gunn Building, Sydney 2006, New South Wales, Australia. paul.mcgreevy@sydney.edu.au.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

This article includes 48 references
  1. Jones B, McGreevy P.D.. Ethical equitation: Applying a cost-benefit approach.. J. Vet. Behav. 2010;5:196–202.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jveb.2010.04.001google scholar: lookup
  2. McGreevy P.D., Oddie C. Holding the whip hand—A note on the distribution of jockeys’ whip hand preferences in Australian thoroughbred racing.. J. Vet. Behav. 2011;6:287–289.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jveb.2011.02.010google scholar: lookup
  3. Evans D, McGreevy P. An investigation of racing performance and whip use by jockeys in thoroughbred races.. PLoS One 2011 Jan 27;6(1):e15622.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015622pmc: PMC3026808pubmed: 21283587google scholar: lookup
  4. McGreevy PD, Corken RA, Salvin H, Black CM. Whip use by jockeys in a sample of Australian Thoroughbred races--an observational study.. PLoS One 2012;7(3):e33398.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033398pmc: PMC3307719pubmed: 22442687google scholar: lookup
  5. Graham R, McManus P. Changing Human-Animal Relationships in Sport: An Analysis of the UK and Australian Horse Racing Whips Debates.. Animals (Basel) 2016 May 3;6(5).
    doi: 10.3390/ani6050032pmc: PMC4880849pubmed: 27153097google scholar: lookup
  6. Horsetalk.co.nz Ban on Whip Use Would Be Positive for Racing, Suggests John Francome. [(accessed on 23 June 2016)]. Available online: http://horsetalk.co.nz/2015/11/12/ban-whip-use-positive-racing-francome/#axzz40UAtJE5b.
  7. McLean A.N., McGreevy P.D.. Ethical equitation: Capping the price horses pay for human glory.. J. Vet. Behav. 2010;5:203–209.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jveb.2010.04.003google scholar: lookup
  8. Jones B, Goodfellow J, Yeates J, McGreevy PD. A Critical Analysis of the British Horseracing Authority's Review of the Use of the Whip in Horseracing.. Animals (Basel) 2015 Mar 20;5(1):138-50.
    doi: 10.3390/ani5010138pmc: PMC4494335pubmed: 26479143google scholar: lookup
  9. McGreevy P.D., Hawson L.A., Salvin H., McLean A.N.. A note on the force of whip impacts delivered by jockeys using forehand and backhand strikes.. J. Vet. Behav. 2013;8:395–399.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jveb.2013.03.003google scholar: lookup
  10. Bergmann I. Sustainability, thoroughbred racing and the need for change.. Pferdeheilkunde 2015;31:490–498.
  11. Heleski C.R., Anthony R. Science alone is not always enough: The importance of ethical assessment for a more comprehensive view of equine welfare.. J. Vet. Behav. 2012;7:169–178.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jveb.2011.08.003google scholar: lookup
  12. British Horseracing Authority Responsible Regulation: A Review of the Use of the Whip in Horseracing. 2011. [(accessed on 23 June 2016)]. Available online: http://www.britishhorseracing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/WhipReview.pdf.
  13. Lewin GR, Moshourab R. Mechanosensation and pain.. J Neurobiol 2004 Oct;61(1):30-44.
    doi: 10.1002/neu.20078pubmed: 15362151google scholar: lookup
  14. Taylor PM, Crosignani N, Lopes C, Rosa AC, Luna SP, Puoli Filho JN. Mechanical nociceptive thresholds using four probe configurations in horses.. Vet Anaesth Analg 2016 Jan;43(1):99-108.
    doi: 10.1111/vaa.12274pubmed: 25997162google scholar: lookup
  15. SBS News Greens back RSPCA Call to Ban Horse Whips. Feb 26, 2015. [(accessed on 8 July 2016)]. Available online: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2012/03/21/greens-back-rspca-call-ban-horse-whips.
  16. The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses Proposal for the Phasing out of the Whip in Australian Thoroughbred Racing March 2015. [(accessed on 30 November 2016)]. Available online: https://www.horseracingkills.com/campaigns/the-whip/proposal-for-phasing-out-the-whip/
  17. The Australian As Public Turns against Racing Codes, Whip Goes Under Review. [(accessed on 23 June 2016)]. Available online: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/opinion/patrick-smith/as-public-turns-against-racing-codes-whip-goes-under-review/news-story/f3cc57b7ae1402a3a8874623a20d233c.
  18. RSPCA Policy C05 Horse Racing. [(accessed on 23 June 2016)]. Available online: http://kb.rspca.org.au/RSPCA-Policy-C05-Horse-Racing_642.html.
  19. British Horseracing Authority Responsible Regulation: A Review of the Use of the Whip in Horseracing. 2011. [(accessed on 15 July 2016)]. Annex A. Available online: http://www.britishhorseracing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/WhipReview.pdf.
  20. Racing NSW Stewards Reports. [(accessed on 23 June 2016)]. Available online: http://new.racingnsw.com.au/default.aspx?s=race-diary-stewards&filter=Stewards.
  21. Racing NSW Race Diary. [(accessed on 23 June 2016)]. Available online: http://racing.racingnsw.com.au/FreeFields/Calendar_Meetings.aspx?State=NSW.
  22. Racing NSW BOBS General Information. [(accessed on 23 June 2016)]. Available online: http://www.racingnsw.com.au/default.aspx?s=general-information-bobs.
  23. Racing NSW Rules of Racing of Racing NSW. [(accessed on 23 June 2016)]. Available online: http://www.racingnsw.com.au/site/_content/document/00000401-source.pdf.
  24. R Core Team. R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing.. R Foundation for Statistical Computing; Vienna, Austria: 2016.
  25. Murrihy R. Chief Steward NSW Racing, Sydney, NSW, Australia. May 12, 2016.
  26. Love EJ, Murrell J, Whay HR. Thermal and mechanical nociceptive threshold testing in horses: a review.. Vet Anaesth Analg 2011 Jan;38(1):3-14.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1467-2995.2010.00580.xpubmed: 21214705google scholar: lookup
  27. Mills P.C., Higgins A.J.. Investigation of the potential of whips to injure horses. Proceedings of the 11th International Conference of Racing Analysts and Veterinarians; Queensland, Australia. 18–24 May 1996.
  28. National Health and Medical Research Committee. Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes.. 8th ed. National Health and Medical Research Committee; Canberra, Australia: 2013.
  29. British Horseracing Authority BHA Briefing: New Figures Show Whip Offences Continued to Fall in 2015. [(accessed on 15 July 2016)]. Available online: http://www.britishhorseracing.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/BHA-BRIEFING-2015-Whip-Data-14-01-16.pdf.
  30. Murrihy R. Chief Steward NSW Racing, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Apr 21, 2016.
  31. Van Gestel M. Deputy Chairman of Stewards—Operations, NSW Racing, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Jun 29, 2016.
  32. Racing NSW Annual Report 2014. [(accessed on 24 June 2016)]. Available online: http://www.racingnsw.com.au/site/_content/document/00001257-source.pdf.
  33. Van Gestel M. Deputy Chairman of Stewards—Operations, NSW Racing, Sydney, NSW, Australia. May 13, 2016.
  34. Australasian Legal Information Institute Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979. [(accessed on 11 July 2016)]. Available online: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/poctaa1979360/s4.html.
  35. British Horseracing Authority Guide to Procedures and Penalties 2016. [(accessed on 15 July 2016)]. Available online: http://www.britishhorseracing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/guide-procpen-2016.pdf.
  36. International Federation of Horseracing Authorities International Agreement on Breeding, Racing and Wagering 25 January 2016. [(accessed on 8 July 2016)]. Available online: http://www.horseracingintfed.com/resources/2015Agreement.pdf.
  37. International Group of Specialist Racing Veterinarians (IGSRV) WhipChip the Electronic Whip. [(accessed on 15 July 2016)]. Available online: http://igsrv.org/whipchip:-the-electronic-whip.
  38. Law Council of Australia Policy Statement–Rule of Law Principles. [(accessed on 4 July 2016)]. Available online: http://www.lawcouncil.asn.au/lawcouncil/images/LCA-PDF/a-z-docs/PolicyStatementRuleofLaw.pdf.
  39. McGreevy P.D., Ralston L. The distribution of whipping of Australian Thoroughbred racehorses in the penultimate 200 m of races is influenced by jockeys’ experience.. J. Vet. Behav. 2012;7:186–189.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jveb.2011.05.001google scholar: lookup
  40. McGreevy P.D., Caspar G.L., Evans D.L.. A pilot investigation into the opinions and beliefs of Australian, British, and Irish jockeys.. J. Vet. Behav. 2013;8:100–105.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jveb.2012.04.004google scholar: lookup
  41. Van Gestel M. Deputy Chairman of Stewards—Operations, NSW Racing, Sydney, NSW, Australia. May 17, 2016.
  42. Racing Australia Media Release Letter from Racing Australia Chairman—Sent To All Jockeys Today 19 November 2015. [(accessed on 23 June 2016)]. Available online: http://www.racingnsw.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=19005.
  43. Racing Australia Media Release Whips. Oct 23, 2015. [(accessed on 23 June 2016)]. Available online: http://www.racingaustralia.horse/uploadimg/media-releases/Racing%20Australia%20Media%2023%20October%202015.pdf.
  44. Racenet.com.au Berry’s Penalty the Severest of Whip Infringers. Apr 2, 2016. [(accessed on 24 June 2016)]. Available online: https://www.racenet.com.au/news/121649/Berry%E2%80%99s-penalty-the-severest-of-whip-infringers.
  45. G1X Stewards to Get Cracking on the Whip Rule. [(accessed on 23 June 2016)]. Available online: https://www.g1x.com.au/news/racing/stewards-to-get-cracking-on-the-whip-rule.
  46. Racing Australia Media Release 24 June 2016. [(accessed on 30 July 2016)]. Whip Rules. Available online: http://www.racingaustralia.horse/uploadimg/media-releases/Racing%20Australia%20Media%2024%20June%202016.pdf.
  47. Knight PK, Hamilton NA. Handedness of whip use by Australian Jockeys.. Aust Vet J 2014 Jul;92(7):231-4.
    doi: 10.1111/avj.12196pubmed: 24964830google scholar: lookup
  48. Grandin T. Improving Animal Welfare: A Practical Approach.. CAB International; Oxfordshire, UK: 2010. p. 2.

Citations

This article has been cited 8 times.
  1. Stallones L, McManus P, McGreevy P. Sustainability and the Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing Industries: An Enhanced One Welfare Perspective. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jan 31;13(3).
    doi: 10.3390/ani13030490pubmed: 36766378google scholar: lookup
  2. Seck M, Jobling R, Brown AF. Trialling Locally Made, Low-Cost Bits to Improve Bit-Related Welfare Problems in Cart Horses: Findings from a Study in Senegal. Animals (Basel) 2022 Dec 20;13(1).
    doi: 10.3390/ani13010002pubmed: 36611612google scholar: lookup
  3. Wilson BJ, Thompson KR, McGreevy PD. The race that segments a nation: Findings from a convenience poll of attitudes toward the Melbourne Cup Thoroughbred horse race, gambling and animal cruelty. PLoS One 2021;16(3):e0248945.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248945pubmed: 33760873google scholar: lookup
  4. Thompson K, McManus P, Stansall D, Wilson BJ, McGreevy PD. Is Whip Use Important to Thoroughbred Racing Integrity? What Stewards' Reports Reveal about Fairness to Punters, Jockeys and Horses. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 29;10(11).
    doi: 10.3390/ani10111985pubmed: 33137898google scholar: lookup
  5. Fenner K, Dashper K, Serpell J, McLean A, Wilkins C, Klinck M, Wilson B, McGreevy P. The Development of a Novel Questionnaire Approach to the Investigation of Horse Training, Management, and Behaviour. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 24;10(11).
    doi: 10.3390/ani10111960pubmed: 33114408google scholar: lookup
  6. Wilson B, Jones B, McGreevy P. Longitudinal trends in the frequency of medium and fast race winning times in Australian harness racing: Relationships with rules moderating whip use. PLoS One 2018;13(3):e0184091.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184091pubmed: 29513660google scholar: lookup
  7. McGreevy PD, Griffiths MD, Ascione FR, Wilson B. Flogging tired horses: Who wants whipping and who would walk away if whipping horses were withheld?. PLoS One 2018;13(2):e0192843.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192843pubmed: 29466458google scholar: lookup
  8. Mellor DJ, Beausoleil NJ. Equine Welfare during Exercise: An Evaluation of Breathing, Breathlessness and Bridles. Animals (Basel) 2017 May 26;7(6).
    doi: 10.3390/ani7060041pubmed: 28587125google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,727 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.