Memo of Understanding

Memorandum of Understanding between the BHRC and TROTBritain
(as proposed by TROTBritain 30 July 2001) Note from BHRC Council of 11 September

  • 1. TROTBritain recognises the BHRC as the governing body of harness racing (pacing and trotting) in this country and all its members who are actively involved in the sport do so as fee-paying licence holders of the BHRC, subject to its rules.
     
  • 2. The BHRC, in cognisance of the facts that trotting is (i) very much a minority activity in this country, but (ii) the only harness racing discipline permitted in continental Europe, accepts and endorses the existence of TROTBritain as an independent and autonomous Society dedicated to the advancement of British trotting both at home and abroad.
     
  • 3. TROTBritain accepts that the BHRC, as governing body,  is the British member of the International Trotting Association.
     
  • 4. The BHRC accepts that TROTBritain is the British representative on the European Trotting Union and TROTBritain agrees to (i) provide feedback to the BHRC on matters discussed and decided in the UET and (ii) communicate any BHRC concerns relating to the UET as an organisation (as distinct from matters involving individual member countries of the UET) to that body.
     
  • 5. The BHRC accepts that the membership of TROTBritain, publicly displayed on its website, constitutes the vast majority (over 80%) of those persons actively involved in trotting racing or breeding in this country and that it therefore has a mandate to represent their interests and views.
     
  • 6. The BHRC accepts that it is entirely consistent with, and indeed essential for, its objective of promoting harness racing to accept and implement the advice of TROTBritain on all matters of policy relating exclusively to trotting. This includes such things as the timing and conditions for the classic trotting races and the disposition of the Prakas fund.
     
  • TROTBritain accepts that the BHRC has the duty to ensure that there is no unfair discrimination between licence holders in the two harness racing disciplines, but the BHRC accepts that difference, as such, does not in itself constitute unfair discrimination. Where the advice of TROTBritain on trotting matters is rejected, in whole or in part, an explanation for this will be provided by the BHRC specifying the way in which the proposal impacts negatively on the future of harness racing in general or the way in which it is unfairly discriminatory between the disciplines.