Following a period of suspension and disqualification for drugs of abuse, Byron Hornhardt and Ken Rogers indicated their intention to be re-licenced.
The Board of Harness Racing SA issued both Byron Hornhardt and Ken Rogers with a notice which required them to attend before the board and ‘show cause’ as to why they should be re-licenced. The rules allow the Controlling Body to refuse an application for a licence without assigning any reason.
At this ‘show cause’ hearing, the Board re-inforced to both Byron Hornhardt and Ken Rogers that HRSA grants the privilege of a licence to individuals committed to adherence to the rules and lifting the industrys profile and that licencees that engage in conduct unbecoming to their status could bring them or harness racing into disrepute.
The Board questioned Byron Hornhardt and Ken Rogers as to whether they were fit and proper persons to be licenced taking into account their history, behaviour, ability to operate within the rules, honesty and personal circumstances.
After taking into account their conduct that has occurred in the past, the Board looked to the future as to whether there is likely to be a repetition of the subject conduct. The Board took into account that both Byron Hornhardt and Ken Rogers had:
- successfully undertaken drug and alcohol counselling
- provided clear urine samples in recent weeks
- shown they were remorseful; and
- understood the consequences of providing a sample in the future that contained drugs of abuse
As a result the Board of HRSA resolved to re-licence both Byron Hornhardt and Ken Rogers on the understanding they would be subject to an increased level of scrutiny and would continue to have targeted and random sampling for drugs of abuse.
Barbara Scott
Chair of Stewards
