Established through the Horse Racing Licence Act, 2015, the Horse Racing Appeal Panel (HRAP) is an adjudicative body that is mandated to consider appeals of decisions made under the Rules of Racing.
The HRAP was established as an institutionally independent and impartial adjudicative body that operates at arm’s length from the AGCO. Members are appointed to the HRAP by the AGCO Board of Directors. The HRAP is also provided operational and administrative support by the HRAP Secretariat, which is a unit within the Corporate Affairs, Strategic Policy and Planning Division of the AGCO. The HRAP Secretariat is operated as a standalone unit and is separate from other parts of the AGCO organization to support the institutional independence of the HRAP. Although the HRAP Chair and Panel members are appointed by the AGCO Board of Directors, the AGCO has no oversight role or involvement in adjudicative matters overseen by the Panel and has no authority or jurisdiction to intervene in individual cases.
HRAP members are appointed by the AGCO Board of Directors based on experience and qualifications and through a competitive, merit-based process. There is broad representation from the various sectors of the industry on the Panel, with various members possessing a background or experience in law, veterinary medicine and pharmacology, governance and administrative justice.
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Stanley Sadinsky CHAIR First Appointed: April 1, 2016 Term Expires: March 31, 2025 |
Brian Newton MEMBER First Appointed: April 1, 2016 Term Expires: March 31, 2023 |
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Sandra Meyrick VICE-CHAIR First Appointed: April 1, 2016 Term Expires: March 31, 2023 |
Bruce Murray MEMBER First Appointed: April 1, 2016 Term Expires: March 31, 2023 |
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John Charalambous MEMBER First Appointed: April 1, 2016 Term Expires: March 31, 2023 |
Eric Anthony Clear (Tony) Williams MEMBER First Appointed: July 22, 2020 Term Expires: July 21, 2023 |
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Dr. John Hayes MEMBER First Appointed: April 1, 2016 Term Expires: March 31, 2023 |
In March 2022, Stanley Sadinsky was appointed for an additional three-year term as HRAP Chair.
The year presented further challenges to the horse racing industry owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and temporary shutdowns of racing. Throughout the year, the HRAP’s focus remained on ensuring a fair and accessible adjudicative process for all participants while continuing to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our frontline staff, stakeholders and the public.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance with the Rules of Racing (Rule 3.8), the HRAP adjourned all in-person hearings in March 2020 and turned to electronic hearings beginning in July 2020. Throughout 2021–22, hearings continued to be offered through an electronic format. These hearings are accessible through a secure Zoom platform and facilitated by the HRAP Secretariat. Virtual training is available through the Secretariat to all participants in the electronic hearing process.
The HRAP received a total of 32 Notices of Appeal and heard a total of 36 virtual hearings over the course of 60 hearing days for the fiscal year. In doing so, it eliminated its entire backlog of cases. In the “A” hearings stream, which are usually complex cases with significant consequences, regular pre-hearing conferences have helped shorten the process. With regard to the less complex “B” hearings, the average time from appeal filing to hearing was 48.5 days (down from 96 days in 2019–20).
Table 37—Notices of Appeal
|
Number of Notices of Appeal filed with HRAP in 2020–21 |
Number of Notices of Appeal filed with HRAP in 2021–22 |
|---|---|
|
59 |
32 |
Table 38—Appeals by type of infraction
|
|
2020–21 |
2021–22 |
|---|---|---|
|
Interference |
14 |
10 |
|
Human Alcohol or Drug |
0 |
0 |
|
Equine Drug or Medication |
20 |
7 |
|
Urging |
12 |
4 |
|
Other Racing Violation |
13 |
11 |
Table 39—Motions
| Number of Motions |
|---|
| 43 |
|
Stay Motions |
Orders |
Other Types of Motions |
|---|---|---|
|
16 |
19 |
8 |
Table 40—Hearings
|
Electronic Hearings |
Extra Multi-hearing Days |
Total Hearing Days |
|---|---|---|
|
36 |
24 |
60 |
|
Appeal Hearings |
Stay Hearings |
Motion Hearings |
|---|---|---|
|
26 |
4 |
6 |