The Jockeys Association of India (JAI) has now sought to raise a new issue by demanding that the mount fee, which is at present Rs 750, be hiked to Rs 2,000, a whopping increase of 170 per cent! The Karnataka Racehorse Owners Association (KROA) has rejected the demand as being outrageous and illogical and harmful to the sport. There has been an impasse and the jockeys have decided to go ahead with their strike from
Wednesday morning. The jockeys will not be riding track work and in races till such time, they get a
``concrete assurance'' from the KROA. The turf club is now forced to draw contingency plans to run races. The KROA and the Karnataka Trainers Association (KTA) has decided to go ahead with racing, with the available jockeys (rebels and retainers) and the horde of apprentices who were licensed last year.
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The contention of JAI is that the mount fee has not been revised for the last five years and the bottom line jockeys have not been able to sustain themselves. They argue that their demand for hike is legitimate. The KROA Secretary Ashok Raghavan says that even if they were to consider a hike, the main thrust of the jockeys argument that the lower end of the jockeys need to benefit, will not happen at all. It will only serve to enhance the income of those who are already in the higher bracket. The jockeys cannot say that there has been no hike in the last five years because the earnings of the jockeys has gone by 57.5 per cent due to periodic increase in stake money. The jockeys earn 7.5 per cent of stake money if their horses finish among the first five. Elsewhere, the jockeys get a commission only if they figure among the first three.
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File Photo: Pesi Shroff
& Sinclair Marshall (From right)
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In the meanwhile, the JAI has also rejected the offer of Western India Racehorse Owners Association, which had recommend, a hike of around 20 per cent, topping it at Rs 1,000 and are adamant that they will not settle for anything less than what they have demanded.
``While thanking the Western India Racehorse Owners Association for their offer, we have asked them to reconsider the same and grant a higher
increase,'' said Sinclair Marshall, President of JAI.
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What user says...
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Its really high time that we realize the plight of all professionals in our
country. There is utmost discontent amongst all Jockeys due to the extreme low
professional fee structure. Its for the association to realize that paying a
professional today i.e. in the year 2003 Rs.750/- per ride is extremely low. It
is very sad to hear that the increment in the fee structure for the jockeys
has been as low as rs.500 in the last 27 years.!!!!!!!!!
By Ar.B.R.I
italia_arch@hotmail.com
6/30/2003
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Sharan, The article you have written is very good. I hope
the jockeys and especially Mr. Shroff realizes that jockeys are there because
owners are there and if there are no owners there wont be any job left for
jockeys. I would suggest to Mr. Shroff and to other senior jockeys who are
earning well to contribute 10 percent of there commissions earned to the
jockeys welfare fund so as to help the jockeys who are not getting brides or
who are not as good as them. I am sure the 10 percent wont pinch them as they
have already made plenty of money. And as you rightly said in your article the
major chunk of the increase if any will be taken away by the rich jockeys. not
even rs.1/-should increase for jockeys. what Mr. Raghavan is telling right. no
owners no racing-jockey.
Bt Chandra
chandu_560003@yahoo.com
6/29/2003
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I totally agree with the jockeys who are always at the receiving end. 90 of
the time when a jockey is punished for not letting a horse run on its merits
is because of direct instructions from the owner and / or the trainer
themselves. The syces get periodic increase in their remuneration. They even
get leave pay, bonus, uniform money, traveling allowance etc per year. Where
as a jockey has to bear the cost of his entire working kit, and racing kit.
NOBODY provides them their kits which is very costly, just the track working
kit would cost upwards of Rs. 15,000/- and a basic racing kit anything upwards
of Rs. 30,000/- now how can he remain in this profession for which he so dedicating
wakes up each morning and exercises the horses in th hope of riding it in the
races for how much? Rs. 750/-.We should not even be arguing their case as an
increment of Rs. 20/- per year is pathetic. Imagine haggling over this. And
look at the apathy of the so called Racing officials / Administrators, who say
that it is not their problem. SAD! if this is the state of affairs, my only
wish now is if the Government intervenes and wakes up the People at the Helm
of affairs at BTC, Probably push for an immediate evacuation of the premises.
Which would put the Racing on the whole in a tizzy. When the syces go on a
strike, and it is always expected and noticed as they choose the derby
weekend, which would definitely get them noticed, and their demands met albeit
partially. But the appalling situation of the Jockeys plight is that no Turf
Authority has come forward to Solve the problem. For now it does not look good
as all sides are just keeping to themselves. The Turf Authorities are watching, The
BTC is happy conducting races with apprentices they so lovingly / abundantly
licensed recently. The KROA have their noses up. Well the Jocks too. STATUS
QUO. But please remember, who suffers in the end, the racing patron, And
RACING as a whole.
By Vajpayee
indgov@usa.com
6/28/2003
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We at the Association would like to clarify that the facts have been hugely
distorted by vested interests, some who are even part of this website. PRESS
STATEMENT (June 27, 2003)The Jockeys Association of India (JAI) would like to
clarify a few points with regard to their demand for an increase in the
jockeys mount fees.The mount fee has risen from Rs.200/- in 1976-77 to
Rs.750/- in the year 2000, a figure at which it presently remains. This works
out to an Rs.550/- or Rs. 20 per year increase over a period of 27
years.
The JAI believes that their members are grossly underpaid for performing a
skilled and dangerous job that has seen 10 of its members lose their lives and
a further 52 permanently disabled in race related accidents since 1996.This
issue has been discussed with the various Turf Authorities and Racehorse
Owners Associations over a long period of time. When this issue was raised at
the joint Turf Authorities Of India meeting at Hyderabad on 24th February
2003, the matter was deferred to the next Race Club Chairmen’s meeting. At
the meeting of Race Club Chairmen at Mumbai on 24th March 2003, the Chairman
Turf Authorities of India, advised the JAI to seek audiences with the various
Owner’s Associations to discuss the raise in mount fees.
As such the JAI approached all relevant Owner’s Association of which the
Karnataka Racehorse Owner’s Association is one. Infact the Karnataka
Racehorse Owners Association was approached on this issue as far back as
August 2002. The statement by the Secretary Royal Western India Turf Club in
The Hindu dated 27 June 2003 that the Karnataka Racehorse Owners Association
is not the relevant body to decide on a raise in mount fees is not reflective
of the facts.While the Western India Racehorse Owner’s Association has come
back to the JAI with an increase in the mount fees to Rs.1000/-, which has
been rejected by the JAI, the KROA has refused to address the issue till
date.
By Unknown
6/28/2003
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REGARDING THE PRESENT ISSUE, WHILE ONE FEELS FOR THE JOCKEYS, THE CONDITION
OF THE OWNERS ALSO HAS TO BE TAKEN IN TO ACCOUNT OF.MOST OF THE OWNERS ARE AT
THE MERCY OF THE TRAINER- JOCKEYS COMBINATION TO GET THEIR WARDS FINISHING IN
THE TOP THREE LET ALONE WINNING. CURIOUSLY THIS ISSUE HAS A COMICAL TOUCH. ALL
THE BIG OWNERS MAY NOT MIND PAYING UP OR ALL THE TOP OR BUSY JOCKEYS MAY NOT
MIND A HIKE OR NO HIKE WHATEVER. THE MAIN PROBLEM IS BETWEEN SMALLER OWNERS
By Anonymous
6/26/2003
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It`s an intrigue so common with Indian racing! Nobody is
bothered about small owners, small jockeys, small trainers and least - the
small punters. The inevitable confrontations, therefore, will be a part of the
game. Obviously, maintaining a racehorse is no longer a small affair. And such
additional burden will force racing to get confined more with people with big
clout. Net result - more contrived racing and less competition. Further down -
lower collection, less revenue and doomsday for racing. Obviously one can`t
assure a minimum fees for a doctor. Those who try to lessen their patients by
hiking their fees are often trapped as they find patients still flock to their
chambers. On the other side of the coin, a reduction in fees can hardly assure
a spurt in demand. Even a possible middle path to subsidize a base fee by
cutting the earnings of top flight jockeys will be incorrect, as the span at
the top for a top flight jockey is not very long. In days of market-driven
economy such mount fees need be dispensed with. In lieu, all registered jockey
can be paid an allowance for subsistence by the licensing clubs. In this
process, encouraging the jockeys to try and finish in money will ensure more
competitiveness. Also this will weed out unworthy jockeys from racing
scene.All said and done, contrary to what Sinclair or Pesi would like to
champion, many of the jockeys licensed in this country are not worthy to get
race rides. For this group the necessity comes for giving horses a run by
dubious connections who cannot afford the risk of suspensions of their leading
jockeys. It will be more appreciated that the JAI becomes vocal against this
exploitation. But resorting to striking will hardly gain any sympathy of
racing public when a season is in full flight and approaching the Derby time.
By Anonymous
6/26/2003
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Appropos the article by Mr. Sharan Kumar about the Jockeys
Association of India resorting to a strike if their demand for a raise in the
Mount Fee from Rs. 750 to Rs. 2000 is not acceded to.
I am in complete agreement with the JAI that the
mount fee must be raised to Rs. 2000 so that the plight of lesser jockeys is
ameliorated.
But looking at the present system where the top
jockeys get most of the mounts, race after race, hence if the mount fee is
raised then only the top jockeys will benefit leaving the lesser jockeys in
the cold, as before.
For a practical solution to this vexatious problem, I
would like to suggest as follows:
The Mount Fees should be calculated on a monthly
basis, i.e.
1) That all Jockeys who ride upto 10 mounts per month be paid @ Rs.
2000 per mount;
2) That all Jockeys be paid Rs. 750/- (plus 20 per cent as
suggested by RWITC) from the eleventh (11th) mount
onwards per month.
I hope this is an equitable scale benefitting all classes of jockeys.
Further, it is rather intriguing and untenable when the Secretary of BTC says
that the Mount Fee issue is "strictly between the Karnataka Racehorse
Owners and the Jockeys." The BTC in general and its Secretary in
particular have a vital role to play in such crucial matters. Only the
Club/Secretary can be impartial and fair if involved in such a matter
where the very game of horse racing is in question. By just trying to
brush aside lightly such a crucial aspect, the Secretary has once again shown
how the Club's Officials always try to shirk their responsibilities and try to
remain indifferent, callous and impassioned thus compounding and complicating
the matter further.
By Cyrus Joseph Daniel
joecyrus@rediffmail.com
6/26/2003
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Compensate the lower jockeys how ridiculous is that, in
which sport does one come across anything so ridiculous. Its like saying sorry
this cricketer is not good enough to make it in the big leagues so we must
look after him even though he is only talented enough to make it in Gully
cricket tournaments. Or in F1 racing we can say how sad Minardi always runs
last their driver must be compensated so that he can be equal to Schumacher.
This is a sport of EXCELLENCE and only those that EXCEL must be rewarded, this
is a Capitalist game not a Socialist one so the Jockeys need a reality check.
By mike
mikemechanic6@hotmail.com
6/25/2003
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Pesi is right,those who cannot effort should not stay.what
jockey`s are paid is very less.Pesi being the experienced JOCKEY,he knows
better than anybody the risk involved.I think their should be a rise in their
MOUNTS.
By Satish
satisimha@rediffmail.com
6/25/2003
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This is one time I must agree with the Jockeys. I have a
number of friends who are/were jockeys and I have seen their financial status,
which, to say the least, is appalling. Outstation jockeys pair up and stay as
PGs in dingy quarters. Given this fact, there is a clear cut distinction
between the better riders than the beginners. It is unfair to say that the
better jockeys make much more money than the others, simply because the
new-comers are not given enough practice in real races. Small wonder that such
lads are bought out by unscrupulous elements. What needs to be looked at is
the colossal amount of money earned by the Employees of any Race Course-I am
talking of the higher echelon here. A stewards meal allowance is more than a jockey's
mount allowance. Trim down these frills, divert this money collected from the
Public and the horse owners towards the benefit of the riders. Reserve races
for jockeys who have not had more than two outings and devise similar schemes
to help out the underpaid, under-nourished and unknown youngsters. The owners
should also take the Officials of the RC to task and demand an impartial
six-monthly audit of RC income and outgo. Believe me, you will be shocked! The
upper echelon creams off huge sums for no work. What work does a Steward do, pray? I
have seen six Anglo Indian jockeys sharing accommodation just to cut down on
their overheads. Hit the grossly overpaid Board Members, not the owners. Get
the facts out and publicize them. I would be more than happy to contribute to
a fund that is aimed SOLELY at exposing the unbelievable amount of money given
to leeches.
By, Moitra
noelmoitra@now-india.com
6/25/2003
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Sharan,The article you have written is very good. I hope
the jockeys and especially Mr. Shroff realizes that jockeys are there because
owners are there and if there are no owners there wont be any job left for
jockeys. I would suggest to Mr. Shroff and to other senior jockeys who are
earning well to contribute 10 percent of there commissions earned to the
jockeys welfare fund so as to help the jockeys who are not getting brides or
who are not as good as them. I am sure the 10 percent wont pinch them as they
have already made plenty of money. And as you rightly said in your article the
major chunk of the increase if any will be taken away by the rich
jockeys.
By, Unknown
6/25/2003
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This is not for karnataka and Mumbai to decide. there are
other racing centres. Centres like Delhi will close down if this happens and
then they will be unemployed jockeys.
By, Dr P Bery
pbery@vsnl.com
6/24/2003
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Solution--based on official income ,high earning jockeys
can be generous in taking 50 of their income and surrendering balance in
favour of less competent jockeys pool for equitable distribution--secondly, those
who do not have at least 2winners in a year should be asked to retire and turf
clubs should not grant or renew licenses for such less competent jockeys--lastly, turf
clubs must reserve all class -B races only for such lesser competent jockeys,
so that they can improve their earned and confidence level. please place the
above before all concerned.
By, N R Rao
raovn5@rediffmail.com
6/24/2003
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