Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC), the regulatory body of horse racing, is planning to introduce random drug testing for riders on race days, a move aimed at ensuring the safety and integrity of the sport.

The proposal to implement random jockey testing on race days is thought to be in its early stages of development. The planned roll-out is intended to include extensive consultations with all stakeholders before being presented to the JRC board of commissioners for review and final approval.

Currently, jockeys are required to undergo drug testing before obtaining their riding licence and upon renewing it.

To support this initiative, the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) was brought in at Caymanas Park on Friday, June 21, 2024 to sensitise the riders currently attending the 2024 JRC Jockeys’ Training Programme on the dangers of drug abuse and the importance of drug-free racing.

Paul Ramsay, an internationally qualified steward, stated that the initiative with the NCDA to sensitise jockeys’ school pupils is important in raising awareness.

“The purpose of this exercise is to sensitise the students of the JRC Jockeys’ Training Programme of the adversities of drugs and the improper use of substances,” Ramsay told the Jamaica Observer’s The Supreme Racing Guide.

“It is also to let them understand that the commission will be implementing the random drug testing of jockeys on race days,” Ramsay added.

Ramsay, a former jockey, said that the commission is mandated to ensure that all jockeys are drug-free, highlighting the critical importance of rider and horse safety, and the need for jockeys to make conscious decisions during races.

“It is very important because the commission is on a mandate now to get the jockeys drug-free. We realise that the safety of the riders and others is very important. They have to make critical decisions on a race day,” he said.

Lyrris Williams, NCDA substance abuse counsellor for the eastern region, emphasised the importance of sensitising staff and management in the horse racing industry about substance misuse. She said that this poses a direct threat to animals in close contact with individuals using drugs, with scenarios such as animals ingesting substances accidentally.

“There are grooms, there are jockeys, and there are persons who exercise as everybody comes in contact with animals. And the thing about substance is you can be using it and going around the animal and interacting with that animal.

Williams highlighted the risks of substance use, including impaired judgement, accidents, and harm to both humans and animals.

“You can be riding a horse or a bike and what all these substances do, it means you’re not going to be as sharp, so you can get hurt, you can, the animal can get hurt, there can be so many accidents, so many things,” she warned.

She stressed the importance of wellness and productivity, noting that healthy individuals are better equipped to care for animals and perform their jobs effectively.

Williams encouraged the industry to prioritise protection for both jockeys and horses, recognising that horses cannot protect themselves and that it is the responsibility of their human caregivers to ensure their safety.

“We have to figure out a way to do it, so we have to stop it at the source,” she urged. “It is bad for the animals as well. And we are the protectors, so if we’re not protecting ourselves properly, then how are we meant to take care of these lovely animals that do so much for us?” she said.