HearMeOut: New GHRA Board faces its first major test at Guyana Cup

Aug 21, 2026 Sports

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By Rawle Toney

Kaieteur Sports – The 18th staging of the Guyana Cup on Sunday at the Rising Sun Turf Club will be far more than a showcase of some of the finest thoroughbreds in the region and beyond.

This year’s Guyana Cup also serves as a critical litmus test for the recently installed Board of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA) and its ability to bring order, professionalism, accountability and credibility to an industry that has endured years of regulatory shortcomings.

By all indications, this year’s Guyana Cup is shaping up to be one of the biggest in the event’s history, with leading stables significantly increasing their investments and importing high-quality horses in pursuit of the coveted Banks-sponsored Guyana Cup crown.

But with greater investment comes greater scrutiny.

The GHRA will enter the spotlight against the backdrop of one of the most disorganized Guyana Cup presentations in recent memory.

Last year’s event at Rising Sun descended into controversy and tragedy, culminating in the death of promising young jockey Kishawn Pereira following a fall in the penultimate race. Pereira succumbed to his injuries while being transported to hospital.

The problems did not end there.

The premier Guyana Cup race was eventually run in darkness, while malfunctioning starting gates prevented several horses from getting away cleanly, including defending champion Olympic Kremlin.

The circumstances surrounding the start generated widespread outrage and raised serious questions about race-day preparation, equipment, track conditions, safety and overall event management.

That can’t be allowed to become the standard for Guyana’s premier horse-racing event.

The circumstances surrounding last year’s Guyana Cup make Sunday’s proceedings an important early examination of whether the newly established regulatory regime can deliver the standards promised by legislation.

The Guyana Horse Racing Authority Bill 2024, tabled by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr. in December 2024, was passed by the National Assembly on April 28, 2025, and received presidential assent on May 9, 2025.

The legislation established a statutory framework intended to regulate and modernise horse racing in Guyana.

The Authority is expected to oversee licensing, regulation, discipline and the wider administration of the sport. The framework provides for licensing of racecourses, trainers, jockeys and stable employees, while also establishing mechanisms for investigating complaints and enforcing disciplinary measures.

It also gives the regulatory system a stronger mandate to address safety, security and operational standards at racecourses.

The recently appointed GHRA Board is chaired by Dr. Steven Cheefoon, with Hon. Adrian V. Annamayah, Dr. Nardeo Bassoo, Mr. Amernauth Kiritpal, Mr. Zahir Khan, Mr. Poonai Bhigroog and Councillor Mohamed Naeem Kamal also serving on the governing body, according to the Government Gazette.

The legislation was long overdue.

Previous attempts to regulate the industry encountered resistance and failed to progress, leaving horse racing vulnerable to disputes, inconsistent standards and questions surrounding accountability.

The new law was therefore presented as an opportunity to establish a professional framework capable of attracting investment and protecting the interests of owners, trainers, jockeys, spectators and the horses themselves.

Sunday will provide the GHRA with its first major opportunity to demonstrate that the new era is more than legislation on paper.

The stakes are particularly high because stable owners are putting serious money into the sport. Internationally bred horses, increased prize purses and growing commercial interest mean the financial value of the Guyana Cup is rising.

With that investment comes an unavoidable expectation; the infrastructure, administration and safety standards must rise accordingly.

The GHRA must therefore ensure that the starting gates work, track conditions are properly assessed, lighting is adequate, emergency medical arrangements are fit for purpose, race officials are properly positioned and every aspect of the programme is executed with precision.

There must be no repeat of horses being trapped at the gates, races being conducted in unsafe light or questions being raised after the fact about whether reasonable precautions were taken.

Guyana has finally established the regulatory machinery to govern horse racing. The Guyana Cup is now an opportunity to show that the machinery works.

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• GHRA, Guyana Cup, HearMeOut, Horse Racing, Rising Sun Turf Club

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