Williamson suspension stands

Southland driver Nathan Williamson won't be driving at Oamaru on Sunday.

He was suspended for four racedays from Friday 8th September until Thursday 28th September after Stipendary Stewards charged him with excessive use of the whip on Tas Man Bromac when he won at Winton earlier this month.

Williamson says he was surprised to be called into the Stipendary Stewards room two races later to hear the charge.

He flew to Christchurch on Tuesday to appeal the ruling and was told today that the penalty stood. When spoken to he hadn't read the full transcript of the appeal decision.

Williamson says he's extremely disappointed with the decision. The suspension has certain been hotly debated in harness racing circles, and he says he's been overwhelmed by the number of texts and calls he's had in support.

"I've had hundreds of calls about it. I've spoken to Rob Lawson who is the head of the New Zealand Drivers Association and had an email from Gordon Lee the local head of the Association. He (Lee) thought that I should appeal it. He's also written to the stipes."

Williamson who operates the largest racing team in Southland says the suspension has been costly.  

"It cost me $600 to fly to Christchurch, $250 for the appeal and the cost of getting additional staff in while I was away. Something like this is a $4,000 hit for me. It's extremely frustrating but at the end of the day they're (Stipes) doing their job. The general feeling is that a suspension is harder than a fine because people just pay the fine and move on." 

He says that after yesterday's hearing he has a better understanding of what the Stewards want. But he says the appeal was more about the length of the suspension.

"They want you to break your actions up. Use the whip, then run the whip through the tails, flick the horse's backend, hit the dust sheet or shaft. I understand that. I was appealing the penalty only, not the decision."

When this story was going on-line he hadn't decided on a replacement driver.

"I'm a Southland man so I'd like to use a Southland driver if I could but I'll have to speak to the owners. I'll probably get the same driver for both of them (Tas Man Bromac and Poppymalda)."

Williamson had thoughts of taking Poppymalda to Addington for the Ordeal Cup and Tas Man Bromac was a possibility to start up there as well.

"If I hadn't been suspended I would have taken them both through to Addington. Then I thought, if I appeal the penalty I could just take her (Poppymalda) to Oamaru and drive her there. That's why she didn't go to the Ordeal Cup and she is in (at Oamaru) on Sunday."

Williamson says the suspension has put both horses behind in their schedules but he knows he just has to move on from today's decision and continue to direct his training operation. 

Bruce Stewart

Southland Harness Racing