The Discussion: Whip Debate

The conversation over the desirability of the whip in racing is something that often rears its head and with so much focus on equine welfare this spring, it is hardly surprising to see the debate again front and centre.

There have been a variety of opinions emerge from jockeys, trainers, owners, breeders and regulators, but the overwhelming trend is that more people than ever are in favour of banning the whip.

The debate within the thoroughbred industry invariably focusses on the public perception issues of jockeys' use of the whip in the context of shifting community attitudes towards what constitutes the proper treatment of animals.

While there are a broad range of perspectives from different stakeholders, it is the opinion of those who utilise it as a tool every day, the jockeys themselves, which should hold greatest weight.

That is why Chris Symons' decision to raise the issue of the public’s perception of whip use on Melbourne radio last week was so significant.

Symons may not be the highest profile jockey in the ranks, but the 37-year-old has a wealth of experience in the saddle and he believes it's time for a discussion about the whip.

When TDN AusNZ spoke to Symons a few days after that interview, he was decidedly more cautious about the tone he struck. The whip issue is a vexed one in racing and he admitted had felt the heat of expressing his thoughts.

"I got whacked on the head [regarding media comments] and it is what it is. But I didn't not think that that was going to happen. I knew that as soon as I said something, that there was potential backlash," he said.

"I just know that based on where I sit at the moment, looking sometimes from the other side of the fence, that there seems to be an issue. We can bury our heads in the sand if we want, or we can rise up and say how do we get on top of it?"

Symons' passion for racing and animal welfare can not be undersold. Through his animal theme park, The Funky Farm, he is exposed more than most to prevailing community attitudes about the treatment of animals.

He says he is not an advocate for change but is an advocate for the ability to sit down and have a proper discussion.

"Do I think (banning the whip) is the right direction to go in? I don’t know. But is the industry in a bit of a crisis at the moment when it comes to animal welfare? I'd say yes," he said.

"We can keep saying, let’s keep telling everybody to nick off, or we can have a proper discussion."

Symons' initial comments drew support from Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne, while Victorian Jockeys Association Matt Hyland said it was something that would be discussed among the 180 members of his organisation, but that its position was to retain the use of the whip in races.

Whip comments strike a chord across industry

The prospect of a ban on the whip drew support from significant industry figures on social media, including Newgate's Henry Field, who urged the Australian industry to be world leaders in implementing change.

Lloyd Williams, one of the most influential owners of the past 30 years in Australia and the winner of the Melbourne Cup on six occasions, was quoted last month of his desire to see an end to the use of whip in races.

“Australia needs to be at the forefront and withdraw the whip,” Williams told the Herald-Sun. “If we are not proactive, the industry will be lucky to survive.

“If the industry doesn’t do something, it will be done for them. The world has changed. I have seen some research. The whip has to go.”

Williams' opinion saw the whip debate bubble to the surface again and prompted a response from Racing Victoria CEO Giles Thompson which raised a few eyebrows across the industry.

"This is a debate that has been around a long time and will continue until the whip is banned," Thompson told RSN.

"I don’t see the whip being sustainable in the long term. The question for us in racing, is how do we make that inevitable transition and when do we make that inevitable transition."

'A sad day for racing '

The sense of inevitability around the whip discussion is something that worries former Champion jockey and now Hall Of Fame trainer Ron Quinton.

"Unfortunately, the future for the whip is not looking too bright. A whip to a jockey, it's a tool of trade. It’s not so much about the aggressive whip riding or anything like that, it’s a guide for the jockey to use with that horse, particularly young horses," Quinton said.

Quinton pointed out that whip use had continued to evolve with community standards and he doesn't see a compelling practical reason why a whip ban is required.

"I'm all in favour of the horses not being hit too regularly, and there should be one blanket rule saying how many times you can hit that horse and not be worried how many times in certain parts of the race," he said.

"The racing bodies and the jockeys and the trainers have done everything in their power to provide a whip which has no ill effects on the horse. The horses have a thick hide, the whips of years gone by were much more severe and the racing authorities have provided jockeys with a whip now that is not too harsh.

"I think that they have done everything in their powers to accommodate the people who have had concerns about it. I think it will be a sad day if a jockey wasn't able to carry a whip in a race."

The public perception argument is not something that washes with Quinton, who said it is the opinion of those who work with horses every day which matters most.

"The greater percentage of people outside the racing game really don’t understand. They don’t know. Our racehorses are the most pampered and well looked after animals that you've ever seen. The thing is that horses are bred to want to run and generally speaking, most of them do their level best," he said.

"A whip is a tool of trade and it does teach the horse manners and it teaches them discipline. I think it’s an important tool."

Jockeys must be at heart of discussion

While there is a wealth of interested parties, both Quinton and Symons agree that the jockeys must be at the heart of any discussion.

"The conversation needs to be had with the jockeys, it's their life," Symons said. "It’s what they do and they are the ones that may have to change to adapt. There's more to a whip than just making a horse find its best, which is important to know. It’s there as a safety tool.

"They need to be part of that discussion and they need to make the call on it."

Quinton, who rode the winners of 46 Group 1 races and won Sydney's jockeys' premiership seven times in a 30-year career in the saddle, said in the eventuality that the whip is no longer available for jockeys to use, there will need to be significant adjustments made in how horses are ridden.

"They will have to learn to ride differently. They will have to have a bit more control of the horse's head for guidance. If it eventually happened, they would find a way around it. They would have to," he said.

It's a complex debate, something Symons understands well with his acknowledgement that the projected impacts on wagering also need to be considered.

But he is also adamant that the complexity or divisive nature of the debate shouldn't prevent it from occurring.

"The answer may be to just move on with what we have now and I'm happy to ride within the rules if that is the case. Is it having a detrimental effect? That's the question I want to ask," he said.

"Let’s not forget, I didn’t bring it up. It’s a discussion that has been had forever. It's been on the forefront of the industry's mind for the past couple of months. I was just answering a question."

The prospects for change

Even if there is a common view formed on the desirability of the whip, the next challenge would then be how to implement change. The regulatory framework around racing in Australia is not well designed for industry-wide reform, with individual states having the ability to determine how they police the Australian Rules Of Racing.

There have also been suggestions of conducting trials of whip-free racing to measure the public response, but the comments of RV CEO Thompson last month provided an interesting insight into how that state may choose to proceed.

"We are capable of making bold decisions when we need to, but it will remain a hot topic for quite a while," he said.

"It’s something that we are very aware of and alert to at Racing Victoria. We talk about it a lot. At some point, we might have to say, we will make a bold decision about this and go for it."