Victorian Racing Tribunal cuts jockey Kate Walters’ ban for abusing steward at Nhill
An “admirably conciliatory” approach from a steward played a part in the Victorian Racing Tribunal cutting a month from jockey Kate Walters’ suspension for abusing a steward on Boxing Day.
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Jockey Kate Walters has had a month cut from her suspension for abusing a steward at Nhill on Boxing Day.
Stewards banned Walters for three months for improper or insulting behaviour towards a steward after an incident at last month’s meeting.
Walters appealed the severity of the penalty at a Victorian Racing Tribunal hearing.
The incident occurred when a Racing Victoria steward queried Walters in the scales area about the performance of her mount after a Benchmark 58 race.
Walters was charged after allegedly telling the steward: “If you weren’t so fat, you’d be able to ride a horse” among other abusive comments in the exchange.
Walters also told the steward: “If you lose some weight, get a ticket, start riding, and you’ll learn something” and “may or may not have used the word ‘bitch’,” during the tirade.
Walters initially pleaded not guilty to using the ‘f’ and ‘c’ expletives in the exchange but changed her position in the appeal hearing.
The stewards argued Walters’ initial penalty was lenient given the fact she had two other prior offences of a similar nature on her record, one of which cost her a four-week penalty.
Walters’ legal counsel Matthew Stirling, who also successfully represented Jamie Kah in her recent case, told the VRT the jockey had some personal tragedies in her life and looked after her mother, who is a paraplegic, and her 10-year-old daughter.
Stirling pointed out Walters had subsequently apologised to the steward for the incident to which the steward graciously responded, “let’s put this behind us and move on”.
The VRT described Walters offence as “nasty and vitriolic abuse” directed at the steward in the hearing of others.
The VRT judgement noted “the admirably conciliatory approach” from the steward also formed part of the decision to suspend one month of Walters’ penalty for two years.
Walters will be able to return to riding on March 5.
Originally published as Victorian Racing Tribunal cuts jockey Kate Walters’ ban for abusing steward at Nhill
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