Right: Jockeys demand that the whip be used at their discretion, to ensure their own safety and the safety and well-being of their mounts.
web links and documents
In August 1991 The Senate Select Committee on Animal Welfare published its report into Aspects of Animal Welfare in the Racing Industry. The report included the Committee's recommendation that regulations regarding the use of the whip be strengthened and that consideration be given to banning its use. A pdf file of the report can be linked to from http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/history/animalwelfare_ctte/welfare_racing_industry/The regulations governing the use of the whip in the British racing industry can be found at the British Horseracing Authority's Internet site. The detailed rules together with a click-through to the Authority's official policy of the use of whips can be found at http://www.britishhorseracing.com/inside_horseracing/about/whatwedo/disciplinary/whipuse.asp
On July 18, 2009, Queensland's The Morning Bulletin published an article essentially promoting the new padded whips. Titled, 'Horses get break with "soft" whip' and written by Tony McMahon, the full text of the article can be found at http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2009/07/18/horses-get-break-with-soft-whip/
On July 27, 2009, Racing Victoria published an explanation of the new whip rules (including an explanatory video) on its Internet site. The explanation can be found at http://www.racingvictoria.net.au/p_New_Australian_Whip_Rules.aspx
On August 30, 2009, The Daily Telegraph published a report detailing the negative reaction within the racing industry to the new regulations restricting the use of the whip. The report is titled 'Cruelty ban on jockey whips has horse racing in a lather'
The full text of the report followed by 64 readers' comments can be read at http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sunday-telegraph/cruelty-ban-on-jockey-whips-has-horse-racing-in-a-lather/story-e6frewt0-1225767344497t"
On September 7, 2009, 3AW's Peter Maher interviewed a number of racing industry spokespeople on the question of whether there should be limits imposed on how often a whip should be used. The interviews are accompanied by a text response to the question 'Should the whip be banned from racing?' These interviews and the supporting text can be found at http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/3aw-generic-blog/ban-the-whip-from-horse-racing/20090907-fdze.html
On September 15, 2009, the Sydney Morning Herald published an opinion piece by John Schreck, who has acted as deputy chairman of stewards for the Victoria Racing Club, the chairman of stewards for the Australian Jockey Club, director of racing for the Macau Jockey Club, and chief stipendiary steward for the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
In the piece titled, 'A frenzy whipped up, but racing can't distance itself from community standards', Mr Schreck argues that horse racing cannot be conducted in a way that does not accord with community standards. The full text of the article can be found at http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/horseracing/a-frenzy-whipped-up-but-racing-cant-distance-itself-fromcommunity-standards/2009/09/14/1252780269939.html
On September 23, 2009, the RSPCA published a media release titled, 'Money talks: new whip rules out the window'. The media release was a protest against the decision of the Australian racing Board to soften its new whip regulations and increase the number of times jockeys can strike their mounts over the last 100 metres of a race.
The full text of the media release can be found at http://www.rspca.org.au/news/money-talks-new-whip-rules-out-the-window.html