Horse racing issues continue and needs to be addressed

Jul 19, 2023 Sports

By Samuel Whyte

Kaieteur Sports – The revelation that three and four years old horses had entered to compete in a two years old event only serves to emphasize the need for a coordinating body like the Guyana Horse racing Authority (GHRA) to be in place, hence the need for Legislation. A number of owners entered their horses fully well knowing that they were old.

To have a doctor on standby to check horse’ mouths and so forth to ascertain their age is backward. This should not be the case if stud books, registers, other records and an Independent GHRA is in place.

The recent staging of two horserace meets in two days and no coordination between the two entities is another talking point and the need for proper rules and regulations to govern the sport. The agreement is, there should be at least two weeks before races. The limited number of horses available is another point.

Whilst there were two day race meets before those programmes were well structured and coordinated. There should be different races and distances etc. Instead the organisers are fighting, hence the confusion.

The chaotic way in which things are done has forced sponsors and owners to walk away. If things continue like this, promoters and organizers will have their work cut out to get horses and sponsors on board.

We remember the days of Durban Park and all the glowing tributes that were accredited to that facility. Guyana was once the top destination for horseracing in the Caribbean and South America. Horses would come from foreign to race whilst horse from Guyana used to go overseas and compete with success.

How did Guyana get to this stage? Is it the lack of Legislation, the absence of a functioning GHRA, enforcement of the rules, and indiscipline on the part of those involved, or is it that Guyana is just sliding down the abyss? To me the answer is all of the above, as been articulated in articles before.

According to some, things are done in a haphazard manner so the opportunity to cheat and apply unfair tactics will pervade.

The talk of the passage of the much needed Legislation by August is unreal. Parliament goes into recess in August for a few months, so that is out of the window.

When the Cricket Legislation had to pass there were wide spread consultation and submissions. There were discussions with various entities including with lawyers. Some even went to court.

But why all this fuss when a number of draft copies and submissions were made to the government a long time ago by a number of magnates of the sport.

Those documents were drafted by imminent legal minds who were stalwarts in the horse racing industry. The late Senior Counsel and Horse Racing Entrepreneur Marcel Crawford spearheaded one such legislation. There were also inputs from other horserace stalwarts including the late Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice, Cecil Kennard, and the late Insanally Habibulla.

There is also the Rules of Racing 1993 available. This document explains everything to do with horse racing in Guyana. It just needs updating. Why isn’t it being used, is anybody guess, persons are enjoying the ride.

No one wants to be associated with confusion except if they are benefitting. The government and the players are equally culpable.

The government needs to break their deafening silence and get off their hands. A number of persons are willing to assist but there must be rules, enforcement and monitoring. The country is waiting.

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