(1) The starter is responsible for the following duties:

(a) Approve and submit a list of all horses which have never started to ensure that the horse is familiar with, and capable of, breaking from the starting gate;

(b) Ensure all participants have an equal opportunity to a fair start;

(d) Provide a sufficient number of assistant starters for each race;

(e) Assign the starting gate stall positions to assistant starters and notify the assistant starters of their respective stall positions, or assign a foreman to act in his behalf, before post time for each race;

(f) Assess and make recommendations to the board of stewards on the ability of each person applying for an initial jockey or exercise riders license in breaking from the gate and working a horse in the company of other horses;

(g) Load horses into the gate in any order necessary to ensure a safe and fair start;

(h) Recommend to the stewards horses that should be scratched because a horse at the starting gate is refusing to load or is unruly;

(i) Maintain a record of the horses schooling and their behavior at and in the starting gate under their supervision.

(2) The starter will place and remove horses on the starter's list for poor or unruly behavior in the starting gate. Horses placed on the starter's list will be refused entry until the horse has been satisfactorily schooled in the starting gate. Schooling will be under the direct supervision of the starter or his designee.

(3) The starter has complete authority over the starting gate, the starting of horses, and the authority to give orders, which are not in conflict with these rules.

(4) The starter will appoint all assistant starters. Assistant starters must first demonstrate they are adequately trained to safely handle horses in the starting gate. In emergencies the starter may appoint qualified licensed individuals to act as substitute assistant starters.

All assistant starters, and anyone appointed by the starter to act as a substitute assistant starter, must wear a securely fastened safety vests and helmets, which meet the standards in WAC 260-12-180 (1) and (2), at all times when performing their duties.

(5) Assistant starters may not:

(a) Handle or take charge of any horse in the starting gate without the expressed permission of the starter;

(b) Impede the start of a race;

(d) Use a device, unless approved by the stewards, to assist in the loading of a horse into the starting gate;

(e) Ear a horse with anything other than a hand;

(f) Slap, boot or otherwise dispatch a horse from the starting gate;

(g) Strike or use abusive language to a jockey; or

(h) Accept or solicit any gratuity or payment other than his/her regular salary, directly or indirectly, for services in starting a race.

(6) The starter and assistant starters will report all unauthorized activities to the stewards.

PDFWAC 260-24-580

Starter and assistant starters.