The Pony Racing Authority Board
The PRA Board, at the discretion of the British Horseracing Authority, have power at their discretion to authorise Pony Racing fixtures and fees, to cancel such fixtures
and to make any alterations to them from time to time that they consider necessary.
The The PRA Board have power, at their discretion;
(i) To authorise acceptance of Entries or to instruct that they are to be refused.
(ii) To authorise the publication of Pony Racing Regulations and to make any alterations to them from time to time that they consider necessary.
(iii) To make enquiry into and deal with any matter relating to all PRA approved Pony Racing. For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that this power includes the
power to enquire into and adjudicate upon conduct that has already been considered by Stewards and Officials of Pony Races, no matter what has been the decision or action
of such Stewards and Officials.
(iv) To exercise any other powers conferred upon them by these Regulations and to take any such action as they consider necessary for the purpose of carrying out or putting
into effect these Regulations.
(i) When any person subject to the Pony Racing Regulations has, in the opinion of the Stewards, Organisers or Officials committed any breach thereof or is guilty of an
offence or is otherwise liable to a penalty under the Pony Racing Regulations The PRA Board have power at their discretion to impose upon such person any one or more of the
following penalties in addition to any other sanction or penalty provided for under these Regulations, namely
(a) Impose a fine not exceeding £1000
(b) Declare them a Disqualified Person from PRA events
(c) Disqualify a pony
(d) Disqualify or discipline a Rider, including a warning on future conduct and issuing a caution
(e) Deduct up to 10 points per incident from any Pony
(ii) The PRA Board has power if good cause is shown or when any person has committed any breach of the Pony Racing Regulations to withdraw or suspend their participation,
to caution them as to their future conduct in races or to ask Riders to attend a course at the British Racing School or Northern Racing College. Failure to comply may
result in them being prevented from future participation.
(iii) The PRA Board have power to exclude or cause or order to be excluded for any period or for an indefinite period from any premises on the day used for PRA
approved Pony Racing any person whether or not subject to the Pony Racing Regulations whose conduct they in their absolute discretion consider to be such as to make the
presence of such person undesirable in the interests of racing even though such person is not and has not been declared a Disqualified Person by the British Horseracing
Authority.
(iv) The PRA Board may at their discretion consider any video-recording, transcript, notes of evidence, statements or other material.
Stewards & Officials of Meetings
(i) The host racecourse shall appoint at least one Steward to watch each Pony Race with the Clerk of the Course and PRA Steward. An official
representative from the British Racing School or Northern Racing College shall attend each Start.
(ii) The organiser along with the Area
Representative shall arrange for a minimum of two Stewards to act during Pony Races.
The Stewards and Officials have full power:
(i) To alter placings in accordance with Regulation 79.
(ii) To ensure when in attendance that Pony Racing is run in accordance with these Regulations at the meeting and, in exceptional circumstances, to vary the arrangements
concerning the running of any Pony Race at the meeting as they think fit and to give all necessary instructions for that purpose. In the event of this happening a written
report must be forwarded to The Pony Racing Authority or Point-to-Point Authority informing them of the changes made on the day and the reasons.
(iii) At any time to order an examination by such person or persons as they think fit of any Pony entered for a race or which has run in a race. Where such examination
includes the taking of samples for subsequent analysis the samples may be of any body fluid, tissue, excreta, hair or skin scrapings or of all or any of the same at the
discretion of the person conducting the examination and may involve the removal of implants.
(iv) To order the withdrawal from a race any Pony that has been declared to run where they have reason to be concerned about the medical or physical condition of the Pony
provided that they shall have first sought and obtained the opinion of a Veterinary Surgeon at the meeting who shall have recommended a withdrawal on such grounds.
(v) To order any Pony to be routinely checked for its microchip or Passport to confirm its identity.
(vi) When they consider that through any cause a Pony is or will be unable to Start without there being an unacceptable delay to the start of the race they shall at once
notify the Clerk of the Scales and the Starter that the pony is withdrawn.
(vii) To immediately disqualify any Rider that has taken the wrong course.
(viii) To immediately disqualify any Rider that either carries the incorrect weight or weighs in incorrectly.
When an Enquiry is called by The PRA Steward / Organiser or Racecourse Stewards only the following shall be permitted to attend the Enquiry - the Rider, one
parent/legal guardian and one individual responsible for the Pony - in addition to the Organisers and Stewards of the meeting.
Where, following a Enquiry held under Regulation 72, in the opinion of the Stewards or Officials any person subject to these Regulations has committed breach
thereof The PRA Steward or Organiser has the power at their discretion to;
(i) Issue a warning and formal letter of warning
(ii) Disqualify a Pony
(iii) Impose a deduction of points
(iv) Impose a fine
(v) Refer the matter to The PRA Board
Clerk of the scales
The Clerk of the Scales shall
(i) Weigh the Riders in accordance with the Pony Racing Regulations.
(ii) Cause to be displayed on the screen or number board or have announced alterations to the following information published in the official racecard,
(a) Declared Ponies
(b) Colours
(iii) Furnish the Starter with a list of runners.
(iv) Should a Pony be withdrawn, at once cause to be stated an announcement over the public address system that the pony is withdrawn which indicates whether such Pony has
come under Starter’s Orders. They shall also immediately report to the Stewards and/or Officials where the pony is withdrawn by order of the Starter.
(v) In all cases weigh in the Riders.
(vi) Should an Objection be lodged or an enquiry be called for, at once order an appropriate announcement over the public address system.
Starter and Starting
(i)The Starter shall obtain a list of runners for each Pony Race from the Clerk of the Scales.
(ii) (a) Every Pony shall be at the Start ready to start at the appointed time. Failure to do so will, save in exceptional circumstances, result in the withdrawal of that
Pony by a PRA or Racecourse Official.
(iii) Any Rider in the opinion of the Starter, PRA Steward or Organisers that causes a delay to the Start or acts with improper conduct at the Start will have 10
points deducted from them and the Pony they were riding on the day
(b) Ponies may not be led to the start.
(c) Express permission from the Organisers must be sought on the day by the parents of children who do wish them to go down to the Start unaccompanied.
The organisers will then make suitable arrangements.
(d) Ponies, if led, mist Startat the back of the field and will be required to be at the Start at the appointed time.
(iv) An Official representative shall attend the Start and assist the Starter.
(v)All Riders who arrive at the Start must immediately place themselves under the control of the Starter where girths will be checked by an Official and tightened as
necessary.
(vi) The Ponies must be started by the the Starter, or the authorised substitute, and all races shall be started by Flag.
(vii) After the Starter has called out the names of the runners he shall give all orders necessary for securing as fair start as far as possible, in a line, but they may be
started at such a reasonable distance behind the Start as the Starter thinks necessary.
(viii) The Starter has full power to remove an unruly pony and, should they do so, must place it at such distance to one side of or behind the other runners that it cannot
gain any advantage itself or cause danger to, or prejudice the chances of the other ponies and Riders engaged in the race. Should an unruly pony cause undue delay it may be
“left”.
(ix) Should the Starter consider that through any cause a Pony is or will be unable to start at the appointed time or so soon thereafter as the Starter is ready to start
the race they shall at once notify the Clerk of the Scales that the pony is withdrawn.
(x) Misconduct by a Rider at the start is an offence under the Pony Racing Regulations and the Starter shall report to the Stewards and Officials any Rider and/or
attendant whom they consider to have been guilty of misconduct at the start or who has refused to obey the commands of the Starter. For the avoidance of doubt misconduct
includes a Rider attempting to line up or take a position for the start before being instructed to do so by the Starter. Note: It is emphasised that the example
described above is not an exhaustive definition of misconduct as other circumstances may result in the Starter reporting a Rider or their connections.
(xi) (a) Should the Starter consider that a fair start has not been effected they shall declare it a false start. The Starter may also declare a false start when a Pony has
broken away before the race has been declared “Off”. Whenever a false start has been declared the Starter shall order the Riders by means of the recall flag, to return to
the Starting Post.
(b) Unless at least one Rider returns to the Starter after the recall flag has been raised for a false start the race shall be void.
(c) Should only one Rider return to the Starter and satisfy him as to his having obeyed the recall flag, the Pony shall be considered as having walked over for the race.
Should more than one return, the race shall be started again as soon as the course is clear.
(d) Following the recall flag Ponies which complete the course shall not be considered as having obeyed the recall flag and shall be withdrawn by the Starter.
(e) Should the Starter declare a false start and the recall flag not be raised, the race shall be void, unless all the Ponies pull up before completing the course.
(xii) The Starter’s decision on all matters covered by Regulation 76(i)-(xi) (a) – (e) shall be final.
(i) It is the Owner's responsibility to properly school their Ponies for the start
(ii) No owner, parent / legal guardian or Pony attendant will be allowed upon the Course at the Start, without the prior permission of the Starter. Misconduct at the start
is an offence under the Pony Racing Regulations and the Starter shall report to the Stewards and Officials any person whom they consider to have been guilty of misconduct
at the start or who has refused to obey the commands of the Starter. A deduction of points to their associated Pony and Rider may also be imposed.
(iii) The signal for the start is the lowering of the flag. The person responsible for giving the signal is the Starter, and a Rider guilty of an attempt to anticipate the
signal will be guilty of an offence.