New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) is considering banning the use of whips on horses.
The NZTR is asking owners, trainers, breeders, jockeys and racegoers – along with the general public about potential changes to the whip rules.
New Zealand’s whip rules were changed in October last year. The new rules restrict the use of the whip to no more than five times prior to the final 100m. They can be used at the rider’s discretion.
NZTR is proposing further restricting whip usage from mid 2021.
Other countries have already imposed more restrictive whip usage than New Zealand. France limits whip use to just five times within a race; Ireland, eight times and the UK, seven.
In 2019 New Zealand jockey Michael Walker was fined $10,000 and banned for seven races. He whipped his horse , Prince of Arran,12 times before the 100m mark.
2 Responses
This is a good idea to ban whips, they should’ve done it ages ago. hurting our animals is not cool at all..
This is a good idea. I think they should ban the whole race! Because they drug the horses to make them go faster, they whip them WAY to hard, and they scare the horses half to death!