Detling point-to-point organisers face BHA disciplinary panel

The organising committee of the West Street Tickham point-to-point, at which two horses died after running loose on to a road (news, 26 March), has been asked to attend a disciplinary panel hearing of the sport’s governing body, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).

The horses — All For A Reason, trained by Sue Harbour, and Harbour Boy, trained by Philip Hall — were reported to have fallen during the second division of the maiden race at the West Street Tickham meeting at Detling in Kent on Saturday, 14 March.

They both ran on to the A249, where one of the horses was involved in a collision with a car.

Both animals were put down by a vet at the scene. The subsequent BHA investigation was completed last month.

A BHA spokesman said: “The disciplinary panel will hold an inquiry to consider whether or not the West Street Tickham point-to-point committee breached regulation 61(iv)(f) of the regulations for point-to-point steeplechases in the light of paragraph 6.7 of the instructions for point-to-point steeplechases headed ‘Loose Horses’ in that, while the second division of the open maiden race was running, the gate on to Bimbury Lane was open and unmanned, resulting in two horses leaving the venue.”

The organising committee declined to comment to H&H.

No date has yet been set for the hearing.

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (4 June, ’09)

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