GBGB Impartiality Committee Blog Latest Open Race Details
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Vol 13 / No 6 26 March 2021 Fortnightly by Subscription GBGB Impartiality Committee Blog Latest Open Race Details King Louis (Leamaneigh Turbo - Queen Asia) wins the BGBF Breeders Stakes at Nottingham in 29.63s for owners the K.S.S. Syndicate and trainer Liz McNair. Details of upcoming BGBF events Photo: Steve Nash for British Bred greyhounds can be found at www.britishgreyhoundbreedersforum.co.uk and in future GBGB Calendars. FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS - WWW.GBGB.ORG.UK Follow GBGB on Twitter @greyhoundboard @gbgbstaff and Instagram and Facebook CATEGORY ONE FINALS Date Distance/type Track Event Wed 31 Mar 480m Puppies Newcastle Arena Racing Company Northern Puppy Derby Sun 04 Apr 480m Hurdle Central Park 2021 Cearnsport Springbok Tue 13 Apr 270m Flat Towcester TRC Health + Hygiene Northamptonshire Sprint Tue 20 Apr 500m Flat Towcester RPGTV Juvenile Thu 22 Apr 480m Flat Perry Barr Arena Racing Company Laurels Sun 09 May 480m Hurdle Central Park RPGTV Grand National Tue 18 May 500m Maidens Towcester KAB Maiden Derby Wed 19 May 480m Flat Newcastle Arena Racing Company Northern Flat Sat 22 May 900m Flat Monmore Green Ladbrokes TV Trophy Sat 29 May 659m Flat Yarmouth The George Ing St Leger Sat 26 Jun 714m Flat Crayford Ladbrokes Kent St Leger Sat 10 Jul 500m Flat Towcester English Derby Sat 24 Jul 500m Puppies Towcester 5% Tote Juvenile Classic Sat 31 Jul 695m Flat Brighton & Hove Coral Regency Sat 31 Jul 515m Flat Brighton & Hove Coral Sussex Cup Sat 21 Aug 630m Flat Monmore Green Ladbrokes Summer Stayers Classic Sat 21 Aug 480m Flat Monmore Green Ladbrokes Gold Cup Sat 28 Aug 942m Flat Towcester 5% Tote Towcester Marathon Mon 30 Aug 500m Puppies Nottingham Arena Racing Company Puppy Classic Mon 30 Aug 500m Flat Nottingham Arena Racing Company Select Stakes Sat 11 Sep Tri-Distance Sheffield 3 Steps to Victory Thu 16 Sep 462m Flat Yarmouth 75th East Anglian Greyhound Derby Sat 18 Sep 500m Bitches Towcester 5% Tote Empress Stakes Sun 19 Sep 480m Produce Swindon 74th British Bred 2-Y-O Produce Stakes Fri 24 Sep 400m Puppies Romford Romford Puppy Cup Thu 30 Sep 710m Flat Perry Barr Arena Racing Company St Leger Thu 30 Sep 480m Flat Perry Barr Arena Racing Company Birmingham Cup Sat 16 Oct 500m British Pups Towcester BGBF Puppy Cup Fri 22 Oct 575m Flat Romford Coral Champion Stakes Sat 23 Oct 942m Flat Towcester 1st Containers Marathon Trophy Sun 24 Oct 476m Bitches Swindon English Oaks Sat 30 Oct 500m Flat Sheffield Steel City Cup Sat 13 Nov 712m Flat Towcester 5% Tote Hunt Cup Tue 16 Nov 450m Flat Sunderland Arena Racing Company Classic Sat 27 Nov 540m Flat Crayford 2021 Ladbrokes Gold Collar Sat 27 Nov 874m Flat Crayford Ladbrokes Cesarewitch Mon 29 Nov 500m Flat Nottingham Arena Racing Company Eclipse Sat 18 Dec 500m Puppies Towcester Puppy Derby Sat 18 Dec 515m Flat Brighton & Hove Coral Olympic Sat 18 Dec 500m British Sheffield BGBF British Bred Derby Wed 29 Dec 480m Flat Newcastle Arena Racing Company All England Cup GBGB IMPARTIALITY COMMITTEE BLOG: ENSURING TRACK LICENSING IS CONSISTENT AND OBJECTIVE The GBGB Board are supported by a number of committees and sub-committees. One has a particularly important role when it comes to impartiality. The Impartiality Committee helps to safeguard the fairness of GBGB’s track licensing work and is a key requirement of our UKAS accreditation. To have UKAS accreditation means that we are recognised for upholding internationally agreed standards for our inspection and licensing processes – joining established and well-respected regulators across many sectors. The key function of the Impartiality Committee is to oversee the work of GBGB’s certification body – the team of staff responsible for certifying or in other words ‘licensing’, tracks for racing – and ensure that it is consistent and objective. The committee can have up to five members including the Chair, who is also an independent director of the Greyhound Regulatory Board (GRB). What’s crucial is that it is made up of those with relevant expertise and specialist skills but with no current direct links to tracks or licensed personnel. Current members of the committee bring to bear decades of experience in animal welfare as well as in regulation. Peter Laurie is a former CEO of the Greyhound Trust and now the Interim Chief Executive at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, whilst Dr Madeleine Campbell is a highly qualified veterinary surgeon who is a Professor of Veterinary Ethics at the University of Nottingham. Alongside Peter and Madeleine sits Robert Quest and Chair Michael Elks. Robert brings a wealth of regulatory and licensing knowledge as the Assistant Director of the City of London Corporation Animal Health and Welfare Team. Likewise, Michael’s background as a former solicitor and compliance officer helps the committee to ensure internal standards remain high. The committee meets four times a year to receive updates from GBGB staff on track licensing activities and any other work which might impact impartiality. The committee is also in regular contact with a range of stakeholders so that it can answer any questions about GBGB licensing processes, take on board ongoing feedback and encourage regular communication between GBGB and stakeholder groups in this area. In UKAS’ recent report, assessors praised the work of the Impartiality Committee saying that the ‘very detailed’ minutes from their 2020 meetings ‘clearly demonstrate that the impartiality committee is performing its designated functions.’ Michael Elks, Chair of GBGB’s Impartiality Committee, said: “Most people don’t realise how important the role of our committee really is or get to see all of the work we do behind-the-scenes. As an independent grouping, we ensure that the GBGB certification body are undertaking the appropriate inspections and reviews and that there is a fair and stringent approval system in place for track licensing, carried out by a competent and fully-trained team of GBGB staff.” CALENDAR 1 IMPORTANT NOTICES Complaints The Greyhound Board of Great Britain will receive complaints in confidence from anyone concerned about a possible breach of the Rules of Racing. Send emails to [email protected] or call the GBGB office on 020 7822 0900. Alternatively, write to: The Greyhound Board of Great Britain Ltd, Genesis House, 17 Godliman Street, London EC4V 5BD Welfare Hotline If you are concerned about the welfare of any registered racing greyhounds, please call our confidential Welfare Hotline on 020 7822 0917. The line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You will be prompted to leave a voicemail message giving as much information as you can so that our team can investigate your concerns fully and ensure appropriate action is taken. The Disciplinary Committee wish to advise those appearing before them as “the affected person” that the Disciplinary Committee has the discretion to take account of any previous breaches of the rule(s) of racing which they consider are relevant to a case being heard before them irrespective of the date of commission of the breach. DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE INQUIRIES closed light and ventilation would In another kennel in the top unit have been further restricted. Ms Blackett observed a greyhound The Disciplinary Committee of the There was a further unit housing one identified by Mr Walton as O’MALLEY GBGB were in attendance at a greyhound. This was said to be an STAR. This greyhound was lame on meeting held on 16 March 2021:- “isolation unit.” Ms Blackett observed the left forelimb and suffering from advanced dental disease. Mr Walton Mr K Salmon (in the chair) dark and cramped conditions, with stated that the greyhound was Mr R O’Donovan one bare breeze block wall. She receiving no treatment for lameness. Mr H Starte concluded that this was not suitable The DC found that on the evidence 1 MR STUART WALTON accommodation for a greyhound and was certainly not suitable as an both these greyhounds should have Background “isolation unit”, which required non- received veterinary care well before On 21 August 2019 greyhound trainer porous and easily cleanable internal Ms Blackett’s visit. The committee Mr Stuart Walton (as he then was) surfaces and adequate lighting, further noted that the failure to was served with an improvement temperature control and ventilation. provide pain relief to greyhounds notice following a kennel inspection The Disciplinary Committee (DC) with evident orthopaedic problems by Area Stipendiary Steward Lorraine noted that the defects in Mr Walton’s (e.g. lameness, osteoarthritis) was Sams, which required Mr Walton kennelling arrangements might a recurrent theme throughout Ms to address the size of the kennel exacerbate health problems suffered Blackett’s subsequent visits. units in which his greyhounds were by greyhounds in his care, for On 9 January, the day after housed. example inadequate bedding might Ms Blackett’s visit, Mr Walton On 8 January 2020 Area Stipendiary render a greyhound with osteo- informed her that he had taken Steward Tiffany Blackett, a arthritis less comfortable, even where three greyhounds BODELL EARL, qualified veterinary surgeon with 25 they were not of themselves the O’MALLEY STAR, and ATTYKITT years’ experience, carried out an cause of those health problems. FIRE to see the track vet at Perry unannounced visit to the kennels In the top unit Ms Blackett observed Barr stadium, Dr Michelle Tromans. of Mr Stuart Walton to carry out a the retired greyhound BODELL EARL. On 14 January 2020 Mr Walton’s routine kennel inspection. No work She noted obvious saliva staining licence was suspended for 14 days had yet commenced pursuant to the on either side of his mouth. This for failing to maintain his kennels in improvement notice, but Mr Walton greyhound was markedly thin, with accordance with rules 212 and 213 stated that he was going to enlarge prominent pelvic and lumbar spinal and for failing to seek veterinary the kennel units as per the notice.