A statement today from Paul Roy, Chairman of BHA re; Whip Rules

wots that smell

pigs?
cows?
b .....

Encouraged by the positive response from trainers and jockeys

give Natalia her money back, poor girl!

You spin me right round baby, right round, like a record baby right round..round round...

As posted many times ,not just by myself,the lack of leadership is attrocious.Confrontation after confrontation,all parties disagreeing with each other over various issues.Time to resign and get a new captain to stear the good ship racing into calmer waters.
At present all involved ,not just in this issue,but in many others,are at loggerheads,courses,Levy,bookmakers,owners,trainers etc.
  The only way forward is with unity,and it will take a good leader to establish that,someone that is capable of seeing the WHOLE picture,and not with set views that are usually incorrect.

I would like to know his definition of "positive".

Strange how Paul Roy doesn't seem to have his own Wikipedia entry. Has he had it censored or is he considered such a low-life that Wikipedia wouldn't want him damaging their reputation?

Paul Roy, stained and tainted by the hands of greed and egotism.

A man for no reasons nor any seasons.

Anyone happily working for this money-seeking leech not only does racing a dis-service but also themselves.

Show some backbone and pride in yourself and speak out against this bureaucratic nightmare that is Paul Roy. Or are you too afraid of losing your cosy little number within the BHA sinking ship?

Paul Struthers on 5Live Sport between 8-9 tonight

Good call, Gonzo.

They are terrified of the tree huggers...I bet the showjumping people tell them to go donald duck themselves when they interfere

Either that or have no jockeys to ride.

Richard Hughes has given up both his remaining rides at Kempton after announcing he would hand in his licence in protest at new whip rules

Theres Champions Day overshadowed. I was told yesterday he wanted to hand it in yesterday..I posted it somewhere i heard news about it.

BHA defends move to review whip penalties

BY TOM KERR & ANDREW KING racingpost.com

PAUL ROY has said he would have been "pig-headed" not to listen to complaints about the punishments handed down to riders in breach of tough new whip rules.

The BHA chairman was speaking after the association released a statement on Thursday afternoon stating that the group behind the stringent new regulations would meet to consider a submission from the Professional Jockeys' Association raising concerns about the changes.


The statement came a day after Tim Morris, the BHA's director of equine science and welfare, was quoted in Thursday's Racing Post as saying the new regulations would not be reconsidered.

Speaking on Thursday night, Roy said: "There have been active discussions over the last 24 hours, if not the last 48 hours, and a lot of dialogue has been taking place.

"I have had a lot of conversations with [PJA chief executive] Kevin Darley and individual jockeys, and [BHA director of raceday operations and regulations] Jamie Stier has also had numerousdiscussions and meetings, and earlier this week there was also a meeting with Kevin Darley.

"We've made it very clear that we think that we've brought in some appropriate measures here after a very wide-spread consultation, but at the end of the day if there are some very strong views that have arisen in the last three or four days, I am not going to be pig-headed enough to say we won't listen."

In the earlier statement, Roy backed the new whip regulations but said the review group who came up with them would meet soon to consider complaints - particularly in relation to the punishments jockeys receive for whip offences.
He said: "We remain clear and confident in the review and its findings and are encouraged that the PJA is generally supportive of the principles behind the new rules and the need for compliance with them.

"However, they have raised certain concerns, particularly in relation to the penalty structure, and we expect to receive further formal written submissions from them shortly.

"We will therefore reconvene the review group working party and they will begin to consider the PJA's submission as soon as possible after it is received."

The new rules, introduced on Monday, limit the number of times a jockey can strike a horse to seven on the Flat and eight over jumps. On top of the minimum punishment being increased to a five-day ban from a caution, offenders also lose their riding fee and share of prize-money from the ride.

The regulations have provoked a storm of controversy among jockeys, who have complained about both the severity of punishment and lack of consultation prior to the rule change.

Harry Skelton earlier became the first jump jockey to be banned under the new guidelines after being found guilty of using his whip with excessive frequency at Wincanton.

The stewards looked into Skelton's ride onEl Diego, runner-up in the 3m1½f handicap chase, and found the rider had hit the seven-year-old nine times, which is one over the permitted eight.

Skelton was suspended for five days - October 27-31 inclusive - and also forfeited his riding fee and percentage of prize-money.

He said: "I broke the rules - it's as simple as that. I was trying my hardest on a tricky horse andhis owner, trainer and I miscounted."

Stewards secretary Paul Barton said: "Harry Skelton used his whip with excessive frequency on his mount in that he hit the horse nine times and that is one outside of the new whip rules."

James Doyle also received a five-day ban on Thursday for his ride on Tigers Tale in the 7f nursery at Kempton.

On Wednesday Flat jockeys William Buick, Pat Cosgrave and Natalia Gemelova all fell foul to the beefed-up penalty structure, which has stoked ill feeling in the weighing room.