(There will be some changes to the registration process for hunter certificates ahead of the new season which kicks-off at Toomebridge on Saturday 7th October 2017).
The registration process of Handlers Permits and Hunter Certificates is set to change ahead of the upcoming 2017/18 point-to-point season which should be carefully noted by handlers and owners.
These changes follow the passing of the Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016 which has dictated that all registration payments in relation to point-to-points, including, the renewal of handler’s permits and the registration of hunter certificates, will be collected by HRI and then be sent to the Turf Club.
Handlers permits, hunter certificates, passports and any related documents required for these registration purposes will still be sent to the Turf Club, however the payments to register these documents, must now be processed by HRI.
In a letter sent to all point-to-point handlers this week, Josh Byrne, Registrar of the I.N.H.S Committee detailed these changes for handlers:
“In light of these legislation changes, it will be necessary to open a HRI account, if you do not already have one, before you commence the registration process. You will be required to lodge sufficient funds to the account to cover any future registration charges. If there are insufficient funds in the account, this will delay the registration of a handler’s permit or hunter certificate. Likewise, if the HRI account number is not included on the form, or incorrect, it will not be processed and will delay registration.
“It must also be stressed that payments made to the Turf Club, in any format, cannot be processed and will be returned, and will delay the registration of a Handlers Permit or Hunters Certificate. Registration forms can still be sent to the Turf Club via the internal mail bag from race meetings or point-to-point meetings, but no payments can be sent via this method in future.”
As the changes are introduced this year, handlers will not be able to renew their Handlers Permit online for the upcoming season, whilst hunter certificates may only be signed by the handler, with the fee then being deducted from their account.
The registration for point-to-point owners remains unchanged.
