WEDNESDAY December 18, 2024, marked the culmination of decades of consultation and drafting as the realisation of a crucial piece of legislation that is set to take Horse Racing locally to the next level was tabled in the National Assembly.
The bill piloted by Minister of sport, Charles Ramson, had its first reading in the national assembly at its last sitting and Guyana Chronicle caught up with a few stakeholders regarding the document.
Long time trainer, promoter and horse owner, Fazal Habibulla, said, “Horse racing was the premier sporting event in Guyana when staged at Durban Park, Georgetown. Unfortunately, it was discontinued but this [document] has paved the way for the expansion of other tracks, and love for the sport increased.”

He said the impact will be grand, adding, “Horse racing was already regulated. We had the Guyana Horseracing Authority (GHA), and this legislation could be seen as the price of progress. Horse racing worldwide is evolving. Guyana is no different, only we have some catching up to do.”
Habibulla explained, “We were staging the sport unregulated. Despite this, horsemen were clamoring for it being legislated. There were several reasons, but like, in any entity – Stakeholders are hard to please. Horseracing is no different. As this is a team sport. It starts with the breeder of the horse, then the owner, the groom, and the jockey – who literally has the final say as he rides the horse.”

Habibulla who owns the Rising Sun turf club added “This will develop sports tourism, as Guyana Cup is an example of the number of foreigners who return to be part of this event which is biggest sporting event in August after CPL in Guyana. We are aware of the challenges, but we have very experienced personnel assisting us.”

Owner of the Guyana Cup, President’s Cup and Showdown of Champions’ winner Olympic Kremlin, Javid Ali, said that it represents a significant moment for the industry, as it can address critical issues like regulation, safety, transparency, and the sport’s long-term sustainability.
“It will also make the sport more competitive, internationally. Guyana being aligned with international standards, it will make the sport more competitive because people from like Trinidad, Brazil, Jamaica, Barbados, can bring horses now and horses can move from Guyana. One of the issues we had with taking the Olympic Kremlin to Jamaica for December 7th this year, we didn’t have legislation or an agreement for the movement of the horses, so those things hamper the horse not going, so going [forward] it going to be easier.”
Chairman of the Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Horse Racing Committee and owner of Jumbo Jet Racing Stable, Nasrudeen Mohamed Jr., said it will take the sport to the next level.

“This legislation tabling now is a dream come through for the horse-racing industry. We definitely worked hard to try to push and get as much information to have it presented; it’s finally presented and this is an entire game changer for the industry, for racing, breeding. It will allow for a lot more interest into the sport, international bodies who are interested in the sport, international sponsors. Racing legal is something we have wanted for a while.”

He said stables would be able to import horses for races and then return them to their country of origin, making the sport more competitive.
In January the sport minister said that intense work had gone into the drafting of a robust legislation for the sport which he has personally shepherded and it should be completed before the 2024 Guyana Cup.

The Guyana Cup has since past but the bill has now been taken to the National Assembly after a three-year process.

The legislation is intended to set up a functioning and recognised Guyana Horse Racing Authority, which will regulate the sport and the major stables, officials, jockeys and handlers.
In 2014 a similar legalisation was drafted but never materialised.

Some of the key elements of bill will include provisions to deal with violators, increasing the membership of the Authority, implementing term limits and licensing for owners, jockeys and trainers.