DRIVERS and JOCKEYS
W14. [a] No person shall drive/ride a horse in any race without having first obtained a Driver/Jockey’s licence, valid for the current year, from TROTBritain. No Driver/Jockey, holding a licence from TROTBritain, shall participate or drive/ride in trotting horseracing at a race-meeting which is not licensed by TROTBritain. Any person violating this rule shall be suspended.
[b] All applicants for a Driver/Jockey’s licence will be automatically included on relevant Personal Accident Insurance policies at a premium as determined and published by TROTBritain. Policy documents available on request from TROTBritain.
W15. [a] Anyone not holding a current Driving/Riding licence from a recognised jurisdiction who wishes to obtain a TROTBritain Driving/Riding Licence should apply to TROTBritain for a Provisional Licence using the website form.
[b] This Licence, if granted, will qualify the holder to take part in official Qualifiers and/or Workouts and also to work out horses prior to qualifying drives/rides.
[c] Provisional Drivers/Jockeys may only work out the horse they are recorded to drive in a Qualifiers and/or Workout at that meeting.
Both during Qualifier and or Workouts and while working out on race days they must wear high visual jackets (or equivalent) over the top of their colours.
W16. Driving/Riding Tests for persons holding a provisional TROTBritain licence to drive will be conducted only at tracks approved by TROTBritain for this purpose.
W17. After successfully completing the verbal driving test and demonstrating all the necessary competencies the holder of a Provisional Licence will be eligible to take a test. Before and after each drive in a Qualifier and/or Workout the TROTBritain Chief Steward will add the verdict (pass/fail) to the official result of the Qualifier sent to TROTBritain.
W18. Preliminary verbal test: A sample of questions on section M of the Rules and Regulations of TROTBritain will need to be successfully answered before being allowed to proceed to an initial driving or riding test. The tests are different for Driving and Riding.
[a] Qualification for a C Class Driver’s licence: A minimum of 3 tests in trotting Qualifier/Workouts with at least three (3) horses taking part.
[b] Qualification for a Saddle licence: Each test consists of two parts:
(i) a minimum of 500 yards/metres, including one complete bend, completed at or near racing speed.
Conditional on this being completed satisfactorily at any point on the same raceday
(ii) a trotting Qualifier/Workout trial of minimum 1 mile/1600 metres involving at least 3 horses
(iii) Normally two such tests will be required to be passed. However, if verifiable evidence of participation in other disciplines requiring riding competencies relevant to trotting (including but not confined to pacing under saddle) can be produced, this may be reduced to one. Such evidence must be sent by email to trotbritain@gmail.com at the time of applying for a provisional saddle licence, or by time of entry for an otherwise required test.
[c] Starting positions for mixed Qualifiers, Tests and Workouts
On gate from inside:
Sulky Qualifier horse/s (Ballot if necessary)
Sulky Driving Test/s (Ballot if necessary)
Sulky Workout horses (by rating)
Second line
Saddle Test/s (Ballot if necessary)
Saddle Workout horses (by rating)
W19. Driver/Rider assessments will be made by, and only by, TROTBritain officials or persons authorised by TROTBritain to make such assessments. If the candidate is successful a C Class drivers/Saddle licence will be issued.
W20. Any infringement of the rules by a Provisional Licence holder may result in a fine or other action, at the discretion of the TROTBritain Chief Steward in consultation with the Trotting Chief Track Steward
W21 DELETED
W22. Minimum age – The minimum age 15 years for Driving licence and 15 years for Saddle licence.
M10A (replaces M10) Use of whip in Sulky races
[a] The driver shall not take the reins in one hand and use the whip to hit the horse with the other hand.
[b] The driver shall use the whip only by means of a flicking motion of the wrist, keeping one rein in each hand.
[c] The flicking motion shall be used with no force generated from the movement of the elbow or shoulder. The wrist should not be raised higher than the hindquarters of the horse.
[d] The driver must only use the whip on the hindquarters of the horse.
[e] The butt end of the whip must not be used.
[f] The whip shall not be used outside the confines of the shafts and neither wheel discs nor shafts shall be hit.
[g] The whip must not be reused without giving the horse time to respond.
[h] The whip must not be used on a horse that is not responding, is not in contention, cannot maintain or improve its position, cannot lose its placing position, or has passed the winning line.
[i] The whip must not be used in a way that causes injury to a horse.
[j] The driver shall use the reins for encouragement only by means of a flicking motion of the wrist.
[k] The driver must only use the reins on the hindquarters of the horse.
[l] The driver may hit the horse with the whip a maximum of two (2) times before the quarter pole and three (3) times in the last quarter mile
M10B Use of whip in Saddle races
a) The rider must use an approved ‘soft’ whip.
b) The rider may use the whip (including when waving it) in the forehand or backhand position
(c) The whip may be applied to either the shoulder or hindquarters of the horse but without vigorous arm action in either case.
[d] The whip must not be reused without giving the horse time to respond.
[e] The whip must not be used on a horse that is not responding, is not in contention, cannot maintain or improve its position, cannot lose its placing position, or has passed the winning line.
[f] The whip must not be used in a way that causes injury to a horse.
(g) The reins may be shaken but not used to strike the horse.
(h) The rider may strike the horse with the whip a maximum of two (2) times before the quarter pole and three (3) times in the last quarter mile.
(i) Additional strike(s) are permitted, but only if they are clearly and unequivocally for safety or corrective purposes and the use is reasonable and proportionate