The HISA crop rules will NEVER impact the pari-mutuel payouts for a race. The rules in the HISA handbook, which I've read cover to cover, several times, make it clear that regardless of the severity of the riding drop violation placings for payoffs WILL NOT be changed.
During the first few weeks the Stewards in Ohio mistakenly took a horse down from a pari-mutuel placing. The following Thursday that matter was discussed on a Nationwide HISA Stewards zoom call and the rule clarified so that could never happen again.
As with anything new there will be growing pains and misunderstanding. HISA has admitted that some of the rules were written in an unclear fashion.
After consulting with boots on the ground Stewards at tracks around the country. Many of those rules have been modified and improved.
I've heard HISA is considering hiring a Chief Steward, not unlike Darrell McHargue in Ca, to serve as a liaison between HISA and the tracks Stewards to ensure proper implementation of the rules.
Recently HISA has started taking applications from anyone who wishes to be a member of a new Horseman's Advisory Board.
horsemenadvisory@hisaus.org is the email address should anyone be interested in being included.
I would expect having a few horse PLAYERS would be strongly considered and beneficial to this board. I submitted an application myself and urge some of you, ANDY ASARO, THE LITTLE GUY, DILANESP et al to consider asking for inclusion.
Here's the BOTTOM LINE about HISA. Like it or not. It was enacted by CONGRESS. Meaning it's NOT going away.
It is 100% the future of our game.
IMO there are many positives to the new rules. The biggest and best being when fully up and running the rules IN ALL STATES will be the same. I think you'd be hard pressed to find even one horseman who doesn't think that's a good thing.
There are many other new protocols that I believe can be beneficial to our sport.
Let's try to be open minded and try to make the best of what we all have to work with. Is it perfect? No of course not. Are there some changes to be made. Yes of course. But as I just said. HISA IS THE FUTURE!!
Let's try to make the best of it.
