National Horseracing Authority
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| Predecessor |
|
|---|---|
| Type | Sport governing body |
| Purpose | Horse racing |
| Headquarters | Turf Club Street, Turffontein 2191 |
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Region served
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South Africa |
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Chairman
|
Ken Truter |
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Chief Executive Officer
|
Lyndon Barends |
| Affiliations | International Federation of Horseracing Authorities |
| Website | www |
The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa, formerly the Jockey Club of Southern Africa, is the Southern African equivalent of the American and British Jockey Clubs. The name change came into effect on 19 January 2004. The organisation is established by an act of parliament in South Africa, and regulates the thoroughbred horse racing industry in South Africa.
The organisation's motto is "maintaining the integrity of the sport of horse racing", and its primary source of funding is Phumelela and Gold Circle, two South African horse racing companies.
The main purpose of The National Horseracing Authority was summarised by George Pfaff, the Club's secretary in 1959. He wrote:
The name "The Jockey Club" is somewhat misleading and often causes some confusion because it is not an association for the jockeys, who courageously, urge their mounts towards the finish. In the 18th century, "jockey" referred to anybody who managed, or had anything to do with, horses. It was in 1882 that a group of 10 influential racing men got together in the Phoenix Hotel in Port Elizabeth to form an organisation, "so that all disputes in connection with various turf clubs might be referred thereto, and its decision became law". The organisation became known as The Jockey Club, named after its counterpart in the United Kingdom that had been established some 100 years earlier.
Racing is not only controlled on a national level but also on a regional level and, in order to exercise proper control, South Africa is divided into four racing districts with Zimbabwe constituting the fifth. In all, there are 670 members who are responsible for electing the 11 Head Executive Stewards who head the Jockey Club structure.
The existence of the Jockey Club and the multi-faceted control it exercises over the racing industry, coupled with the fact that it is recognised internationally, heralds an exciting and ethical future for the industry in South Africa.
Horse racing, like any other sport, is governed by a comprehensive set of rules. These rules are designed to deal with all aspects of racing from insuring that the horses are properly cared for to serious malpractices like doping. In order to police these rules, the Jockey Club employs a number of Stipendiary Stewards, or "Stipes" for short. The Stipes are present at every race meeting and use sophisticated video equipment to help them pick up any incident that might need investigating.
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Wikipedia