It has been done Kev. 2011 Ballarat cup.
http://www.harness.org.au/stewards-r...fm?mc=BA290111
Thinking further on the over use of whips, I wonder whether connections of a horse could ever protest against an opponent on the grounds that the driver broke the rules through over-use of the whip?
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It has been done Kev. 2011 Ballarat cup.
http://www.harness.org.au/stewards-r...fm?mc=BA290111
Thanks Nate - very interesting. I can see their dilemma but the margin was only a HD so I would like them to err AGAINST the offender
http://www.harness.org.au/meeting-re...A290111&ms=vic
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In this case Wayne but it would be interesting to see some balls when there is only one offender
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You have to say looking at Prix d' Amerique how any whips are barely noticeable
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Is it any wonder that no one is going to trots. It's not just because of TV either. I used to take my girls to Harold Park often when they were younger. I live a couple of hundred metres from the atrocity it is now but as they got older and got into it more it really upset them to see their favourite horses "flogged". By 13 and 14 they weren't interested anymore and were bemused I was.
I was taking a look at the results from last night and see that A M Grives was reprimanded for unacceptable whip use. I counted and I'm pretty sure I missed a few, no less than 60 strikes on Lochinvar, which included a short pause probably because her arm had gone numb.
Up at Albion Park, K L Dawson on Destreos. 12yo, nearly 400th start in a race and she gave it a flogging up the straight.
Now we can debate whether in both instances it made a difference. Would Lochinvar have finished 3rd and would Destreos of held on, probably not but who knows ?
This is I do know. For quite a few months in the year I'm fortunate to watch some of the best drivers in the world in action around The Meadowlands and Yonkers. The whip is used but sparingly. The majority of our best aren't prolific users either.
Real action is required. Education, fines, suspensions and the odd relegation in severe cases. It's a blight on an industry suffering an identity crisis with younger racegoers.
Bring back Beattie .He was very proactive in enforcing the whip rule plus many others that seem to be in the too hard basket.
http://www.harness.org.au/news-artic...?news_id=29141
The rules and a new video are linked to this article.
No mention of penalties
The essence of the rule which needs to be enforced is 156.4e - that the whip can only be used in a flicking motion
Greg Sugars is pretty impressive on the video
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Check out Mark Pitt's whip action on Gumdrops
It was a cracker of a race
I wonder when a horse might lose a race because of incorrect whip use - maybe never as that margin was a SHFD in a group race
http://www.harness.org.au/meeting-re...ic#MXM07051605
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