The use of the whip in horse racing has been and continues to be a strongly discussed issue around the world. This contentious debate has raged for decades, and it is occasionally cited as the reason some people frown upon horse racing.

The whip’s aim is to make horses run faster and to sustain speed when they tire at the finish of a race. Whipping the horses repeatedly can cause physical and psychological suffering and raises the risk of the jockey and even other competitors in the race.

The local racing industry had not effectively addressed this egregious act of animal cruelty. Some people believe it’s been long overdue for the industry to act on the issue by getting it outlawed. Furthermore, some say a prohibition is likely to improve horsemanship skills, level the playing field, and prevent horse and rider injuries.

In bringing local racing in line with what is considered international standards, specifically aimed at protecting the health of horses, the regulatory body of racing, the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC), has amended Rule 138 (5) of the Rules of Racing to limit the amount of times a jockey can whip a horse in a race.

Now jockeys are allowed only 10 strikes on the horse during any one race, including six times in the straight, that is, the final two furlongs (400m). Rule 138 (5) takes effect on April 1, 2024.

Antoine Nembhard, the chief steward of the JRC, said that modifying the rules will go a long way toward alleviating some of the public’s worries about animal cruelty.

“There is a need for change because the image of racing sometimes is tarnished by what we see. And I think we can and must do better at presenting an image to the public that we do condemn anything that is abusive to animals. I think this goes a long way in addressing some of the concerns that are out there in the public domain,” Nembhard told the Jamaica Observer.

“We came up with a formula that was really suggested by the riders themselves. Hall of Fame riders such as Charles Hussey and Winston Griffiths, as well as Allan Maragh, who was a recent winner of the Jamaica Derby, came onboard to assist us in crafting a policy that was fair and in keeping with international best practices.

“It was out of that consultation that the number of 10 strikes for the entire race and no more than six strikes in the final two furlongs, which is the money part of the race, was conceptualised and eventually adapted as the new way forward for Jamaica,” he further explained.

Failure to comply can lead to a suspension of not more 25 successive race days; a fine not exceeding $20,000; or riding without the use of the whip, or any combination of the aforementioned.

Nembhard stated that the riders’ punishment will be determined by the circumstances surrounding their excessive use of the whip.

“We would rather not punish; we would rather that they become compliant and that everybody falls in line and abides by the results. We would prefer no suspension because a suspension is going to become or a fine is going to deprive them of well-needed resources or time out of the saddle. We prefer not to do that,” he said.

Dr Sophia Ramlal, a senior JRC veterinarian, remarked that the adjustment adds an extra layer of protection for horses and jockeys while also potentially bringing more expertise out of jockeys themselves.

“The revised whip rule supports my view that the riding crop is to be used as a tool, not as a weapon,” Dr Ramlal said.

“This hits all the crucial points: equine welfare, jockey safety, jockeymanship, accountability, and best practice. This rule has provided a clear framework for when, where, and how a whip can be used, thereby giving measurable means for how this tool is to be used and how abuse should be handled. It reflects our industry’s continuing thrust to adopt best practices and lift our product,” she added.

Stacie Clarke-Rogers, operations consultant at the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, a non-profit organisation in Lexington, Kentucky, in the United Stakes, said that the change in the whip rules is for the better.

“It is not just Jamaica; a lot of racing entities can sort of get away with a lot of things they used to do 30 or 40 years ago, but now it is part of that social licence,” Clarke-Rogers told the Observer during a recent visit to Caymanas Park

“When the public says, that looks awkward, I don’t think I appreciate that, and if we want people to appreciate the sport, then we have to listen to what the public is saying. And if the public recognises that maybe we don’t want to hit a horse so many times in a race, then we should be listening.

“And I think it is important that we do listen to our public because that’s important for the integrity of the sport and also for the financial integrity of the sport. We can’t survive if we don’t have patrons,” she further stated.

Patrick Smellie, president of the United Racehorse Trainers’ Association of Jamaica (URTAJ), while welcoming the new rule, said that the JRC could have shown the riders more leniency.

“The 10 strike for the entire race is not bad. It could be a little more lenient with 12 strikes. Speaking to some of the jockeys, they said that they are going to try and work with it as sometimes they do excessively use the whip. With what they were going with six originally, that definitely couldn’t work,” Smellie said.

While the whip is vital in winning and losing races, Phillip Parchment, president of the Jockeys’ Guild, believes it is more necessary to encourage his colleagues to be more creative in the saddle rather than relying on striking the horses.

“This rule change is very good. It will do wonders for some of these riders to learn to more hand-ride the horses, as these jockeys we have here are depending on the whip too much and don’t know how to take and balance the horses during the race,” Parchment said.