038-7 Wyo. Code R. §§ 7-4 - Jockeys

(a) Each jockey must obtain a license from the Commission.

(b) No person under sixteen (16) years of age shall be granted a jockey's license.

(c) A person who has never ridden as a jockey shall not be granted a license as a jockey. (See Sec. 6 for apprentice jockey.)

(d) No jockey licensed in Wyoming shall be the owner or part owner of any horse racing in Wyoming.

(e) A jockey who is under contract shall not ride in any race without the consent an owner he is contracted with.

(f) Each Jockey who is under contract shall file a copy of each contract with the Commission and the Racing Secretary.

(g) All jockeys shall faithfully fulfill all engagements in respect to racing. Inability to fulfill engagements must be reported to and receive the approval of the Stewards.

(i) Any jockey having given a call personally or through his agent, who fails to fulfill the engagement may not accept another mount or be assigned to another mount in that race by the Stewards.

(h) A jockey may not ride in any race against a starter of his contract employer unless his mount and his contract employer's starter are both in the hands of the same trainer.

(i) When riding in a race a jockey must be neat in appearance. All riders must be dressed in clean jockey costume, cap and jacket of silk; white breeches of satin or waterproof material; and top boots. Jockeys must wear approved safety helmets in all races. Helmet weight shall not be included in the jockey's weight.

(j) A jockey must wear a safety vest when riding in any official race. The safety vest shall weigh no more than two pounds and be designed to provide shock absorbing protection to the upper body of at least a rating of five, as defined by the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA).

(k) A jockey shall wear a number on his right arm (also on his left arm if the judges stand is in the infield) and the arm number and the saddle cloth number shall correspond to the number of the horse in the official program.

(l) Every jockey who is engaged to ride in a race shall report to the Jockey Quarters not less than one hour before post time for the first race. He shall then report his engagements and overweight to the clerk of scales. He shall not leave the Jockey Room except to view the races from a point approved by the Stewards or to ride in a race until all of his engagements of the day have been fulfilled. The Stewards may permit jockeys engaged for later races to report at a later hour.

(m) All jockeys must pass a physical examination once a year before the commencement of a meeting. The Stewards may require that any jockey be re-examined and may refuse to allow any jockey to ride until he successfully passes the examination. If a jockey has previously passed an examination prior to his appearance at a track in this state, he must present a physical fitness card signed by the examining doctor that shows the date upon which the examination was made.

(n) A jockey shall not make a bet on any race.

(o) A jockey shall not accept the promise or token of any bet with respect to the race in which he is riding, except through or from the owner or trainer of the horse he rides and then only on that horse.

(p) Jockey riding fees must be paid to the Horsemen's Bookkeeper not later than thirty (30) minutes prior to post time of the first race on the day of the race.

(i) When purses of intermediate amounts are paid the fees for the next lowest purse figures shall be paid.

(ii) If any owner or trainer engaged two or more jockeys for the same race, he shall pay the losing fee for each engaged jockey not riding in the race as well as the proper fee to the jockey who does ride.

(iii) Engagement slips shall be used and shall determine all priorities. Signatures must be affixed by the owner or trainer and the jockey or his agent.

(iv) Jockey's fee shall be considered earned when the jockey weighs out for that race. The fee shall not be considered earned if the jockey voluntarily does not finish the race, except where injury to the horse or rider is involved.

(q) In a dead heat the jockeys involved shall divide equally the total sum of the fees they earned. The owners of the horses involved shall pay their equal share.

(r) A jockey who is under suspension will not be permitted to fulfill any engagements including stakes races.

(s) A jockey under suspension in any other state will not be permitted to ride in Wyoming during the suspension.

(t) The suspension of a jockey for an offense not involving fraud shall begin on the second day after the ruling unless otherwise ordered by the Stewards. A suspension for fraud shall begin immediately after the ruling.

(u) A jockey who is temporarily suspended may be permitted to exercise or gallop horses during the morning hours and to lodge on the grounds of the Permittee at night.

(v) Every jockey may have one agent and no more. All engagements to ride, other than those for his contract employer shall be made by himself or his agent; the one making the engagements shall be held responsible for the proper maintenance of the engagement book.

(w) No jockey shall have an attendant (valet) other than those provided by the Permittee. The attendants may be paid from an assessment collected from the jockeys.

(x) Employers retaining the same jockey have precedence according to priority of the retainers as specified in the contracts.

(y) Each jockey or his agent is responsible to be present at the draw and/or at scratch time to take care of his business. A jockey is obligated to ride the horses that he is named on unless he refuses the rides by scratch time.

(z) A jockey may not possess or use any electrical or mechanical device during any race. The owner and trainer may be penalized for a jockey violation of this rule.

Notes

038-7 Wyo. Code R. §§ 7-4

Amended, Eff. 4/24/2017. Amended, Eff. 6/23/2023 (EMERGENCY). Amended, Eff. 1/3/2024.