Category: General

The HISA ADMC program was approved by the FTC the morning on March 27th and went into effect that afternoon.

The National HBPA filed a motion seeking a nationwide preliminary injunction against the HISA ADMC program the afternoon of March 27th.

The motion was filed in Texas and the judge has already approved the schedule proposed by the National HBPA in the motion. HISA’s response is due by Wednesday, March 29th with the HBPA’s response due Thursday, March 30th and the HBPA asking the court for the injunction to begin Saturday, April 1st.

Below you can find the slides presented by Dr. Mary Scollay, HIWU chief of Science, at yesterday’s horsemen meeting at Mahoning Valley.

HIWU Horsemens Educational Presentation

The RMTC has released the following document with suggested withdrawal time guidance for various medications under HISA’s proposed ADMC regulations.

2023-03.20 RMTC Withdrawal Guidance of ADMC (1)

Public comments to the FTC on the HISA proposed medication rules are due by 11:59 pm next Thursday, February 9th.

Below is the link to submit your comments;

www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/01/26/2023-00957/hisa-anti-doping-and-medication-control-rule

Below you will find a sample submission to the FTC which you can simply copy and paste or make any changes you see fit to before submitting.

“As a horseman currently racing in Ohio. I am submitting comments asking the FTC
NOT to approve the proposed HISA Anti-Doping and Medication Control Rules. On
December 12, 2022, the FTC disapproved an almost identical version of this Rule
based on the fact the rules were not consistent with the Act which calls for the
establishment of uniformity in horse racing. The disapproval states clearly that
uniformity cannot be achieved until “the legal uncertainty regarding the Act’s
constitutionality comes to be resolved.” The Fifth Circuit recently declined to
revisit their opinion when asked to do so by the Authority and you, the FTC;
therefore, there is no doubt the legal uncertainty remains unresolved. The FTC
decision to disapprove the proposed ADMC Rules in December remains the correct
one now.

In addition to the continued uncertainty in the court system over the
constitutionality of this law, the proposed rules themselves have unworkable
issues which must be addressed. These rules were drafted without input from
horsemen or the practicing veterinarians who will have to live by them on a
daily basis should they be enacted. I’ve attached the National HBPA and NAARV
submission to the FTC which lay out numerous concerns horsemen nationwide have
with these proposed rules.

Without question, the vast majority of horsemen and horsewomen who are being
forced to race under the HISA regulations, DO NOT support HISA.”

Below is the National HBPA and NAARV joint submission to the FTC regarding these proposed rules which lay out the countless concerns horsemen nationwide have regarding these rule proposals. This file can be saved and attached to your FTC submisson.

2023 NHBPA_FTC ADMC Comments Posted 2.3.22

The FTC is accepting public comments on HISA’s proposed medication rules through February 9th, 2023.
The proposed regulations can be found at hisaus.org/regulations

Comments can be submitted to www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/01/26/2023-00957/hisa-anti-doping-and-medication-control-rule

We will have comments which you can submit or add to available here later in the week.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday, November 18th, 2022 issued a ruling declaring HISA to be unconstitutional in a case in which the National HBPA had brought suit against HISA.

We are still sorting through all of the legal ramifications of this ruling. For the time being the Ohio State Racing Commission has said that HISA’s current regulations will stay in effect in the state until they receive clarification from the Ohio Attorney General’s office.

We will keep our members posted as we receive more information on this vital issue.

Below is the order from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals;

5th Circuit Court of Appeals 11.18.22 Order

Please see the attached bulletin from HISA on vaccinations which will be required beginning January 1, 2023.

HISA OperationsBulletin_NOV112022

The Ohio HBPA is hiring a field office manager to work during the racing season at both Thistledown and Mahoning Valley Race Course. If you are interested please email your resume to [email protected]

Due September 14.

2022 FALL MVRC Stall Application

The following changes to the lasix rule will begin on October 1st, 2022 at all Ohio tracks; race day lasix administration will only be allowed on track no later than four hours prior to the scheduled post time for the horse’s race. The administration of Amicar will no longer be permissible on race day.