Granting of horsemen’s licences under fire

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34128, 14 April 1976, Page 8

Granting of horsemen’s licences under fire

The necessity for extensive changes in the methods of granting horsemen’s licences by |the Trotting Conference has been emphasised in the last few months, when quite a large proportion of races has been marked by a lack of judgment on the part of some participants. The New Zealand Horse-] men’s Association has for; some years expressed dissatisfaction with the apparent ease with which applicants can secure licences to drive in races. The conference has not set guidelines for the granting of licences, and this has been (patently obvious this season. I Over the years the conference has usuallj’ declined applications to drive in totalisator races made by persons

G. K. YULE)

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! over the age of 45. But ex-1 ' ceptions have been made. Anomalies appear, too, in; the granting of probationary s 1 licences. j The conference has ! adopted the attitude that no person older than 24 should i obtain a probationary i licence. . | i This has been done in an; endeavour to encourage | ; young persons who enter! stables on leaving school. ! Some young men have not! entered stables until they; have reached the age of 20 lor more for various reasons.! Then, after a period as a | stablehand, they have sought and usually obtained; a matinee and trials licence.: But if they are 25 years of age or older they are usuallyrefused a probationary licence and granted an open licence. Certainly there must be an age limit for the granting of probationary licences, but if lit is good enough to licence

i persons aged 45 or more, 1 then it must be reasonable to assume that in certain circumstances a person of 25 or >26 should be able to secure a probationary licence. Greater control The Horsemen’s Association has for years sought for greater proficiency before licences to drive at totalisator meetings are granted. Too often a final decision rests on the whims of members of the licensing committee of the conference. The horsemen have sought a change in the composition of the licensing committee, which at present is a subcommittee of the executive. They have suggested that the committee comprise one member of the executive, a stipendiary steward and a senior licence-holder, nominated by the association. They also insist that applicants pass a practical test before being granted a licence.

The association has also suggested that restrictions be placed on licence holders, limiting them to driving in certain classes of races until they have had a set number of winning drives. Generally, it is agreed that the standard of horsemanship has declined in the last few years, due mainly to the ease with which licences have been obtained.

But many offenders have held licences for years and have driven infrequently, a factor possibly responsible for the lack of judgment they have shown in their racesThe position could no

doubt be helped tremendously by the stipendiary stewards who have the power to withdraw licences on the ground of incompetence. However, it is impossible to recall when this action was last taken. The question of licensing is expected to be a major one at the annual meeting of the conference in July, but it seems unlikely that many changes will be applicable at the start of the 1976-77 season.