Racing Officials Accreditation Program

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has named Jockeys' Guild veteran Jeff Johnston its Rider Safety and Welfare Manager, effective Mar. 17. Johnston will work with jockeys and other riders to ensure compliance with the Racetrack Safety Program, support continuing education programs, provide uniform first responder training, work with providers to improve safety equipment, and increase communication with local medical facilities. Johnston will also closely support the new jockey mental wellness initiative HISA announced this week in partnership with the Jockeys' Guild and will work alongside Dr. Peter Hester, HISA's...

The Racing Officials Accreditation Program (ROAP), which accredits and provides continuing education to all racing officials, stewards, and judges in racing, will hold its annual accreditation school for stewards and judges at California's Los Alamitos Race Course from Sept. 11-18. The course, which includes 60 hours of schooling, provides classroom instruction as well as time shadowing officials. Curriculum covers both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing, as well as harness racing. The accreditation school is open to all applicants who meet and complete the registration requirements by Aug. 12. In addition,...

The Racing Officials Accreditation Program's (ROAP) board of directors elected its 2022-2023 officers during its Dec. 6 board meeting, held at the Global Symposium on Racing in Tucson, Arizona. Dr. Jennifer Durenberger, The Jockey Club Steward for NYRA, was elected ROAP chairperson; Frank Lamb, a ROAP-accredited steward was elected ROAP vice chairperson; Wendy Davis, former director at the University of Arizona RTIP was re-elected ROAP secretary; and Kristin Werner, senior counsel at The Jockey Club, was re-elected ROAP treasurer. "I am thrilled to take the reins of this organization at...

The Racing Officials Accreditation Program (ROAP) staged its first live-online, 16-hour continuing education course (CE) Dec. 14 -15. The event, hosted by the University of Louisville, was attended by racing stewards, judges and officials from 17 states, Abu Dhabi, Canada, and Trinidad/Tobago and covered topics ranging from media and crisis communication training to racehorse aftercare awareness to the Horse Racing Safety & Integrity Act 2020. CE courses are designed to bring officials together to discuss both the cutting-edge industry issues as well as those faced on a daily basis. All...

The deadline for the 2019 Pete Pedersen Awards has been extended to Sept. 15, it was announced by the Racing Officials Accreditation Program (ROAP). The Pete Pedersen Award is presented annually to stewards who have made important contributions to the Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing industries. The award is named in honor of the longtime outstanding steward and noted journalist Pete Pedersen. The recipients will be recognized Tuesday, Dec. 10, at the annual awards luncheon at the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program's Global Symposium on Racing and Gaming...