R Tauranga 5 February 2026 – R5 – Pamela Gerard

BACKGROUND

Deputy Chief Stipendiary Steward Mr B Jones filed Information No. A19680 alleging Licensed Trainer, Ms P Gerard failed to declare a Rider for ZERRE (Race 5) by the required time.

Rule 537 provides that:

The Trainer or Owner or lessee (as the case may be) or the Agent of the Trainer, Owner, or lessee (as the case may be) for a horse accepted or deemed to have been accepted for a Race shall:

(a) declare to NZTR the name of the Rider of that horse by the time and date specified by NZTR for declaration of Riders for that Race.

Ms Gerard admitted the charge and chose not to be present at the hearing.

EVIDENCE

Mr Jones confirmed that Ms Gerard declared Rider Ms S Collett as Rider of ZERRE at 7.25am on race morning, which is outside the required declaration of Rider time.

DECISION

The charge is admitted therefore, it is deemed to be proved

SUBMISSIONS TO PENALTY:

Mr Jones said that this Rule is usually dealt with under the Minor Infringement Schedule, but as this is the Trainer’s third breach of the Rule, it required a hearing.  The most recent penalty was $100 on the 18th January 2026 and the first penalty within the 120 day reset period was for $50 on the 20th December 2025.  Mr Jones requested an uplift from $150 to $200, to reflect the frequency of the offending.

REASONS FOR PENALTY:

After consideration of the circumstances, including the admission of the breach, the Adjudicative Committee deemed that this matter should be dealt with by way of a fine and considered a fine of $150 was appropriate.

CONCLUSION:

Ms P Gerard was fined $150.