Starter

1. The starter shall: a. Have complete jurisdiction over the starting gate, the starting of horses, and the authority to give orders not in conflict with the rules as may be required to ensure all participants an equal opportunity to a fair start; b. Appoint and supervise assistant starters who have demonstrated they are adequately trained to safely handle horses in the starting gate. In emergency situations, the starter may appoint qualified individuals to act as substitute assistant starters; c. Ensure that at least one assistant starter is available for each horse in a race; d. Assign the starting gate stall positions to assistant starters and notify the assistant starters of their respective stall positions not more than ten minutes before post time for the race; e. Assess the ability of each person applying for a jockey's license in breaking from the starting gate and working a horse in the company of other horses, and shall make the assessment known to the stewards; f. Load horses into the gate in any order deemed necessary to ensure a safe and fair start; and g. Immediately report to the stewards any false starts, impeded starts, or unfair starts. 2. The assistant starters may not: a. Handle or take charge of any horse in the starting gate without the expressed permission of the starter; b. Impede the start of a race; c. Apply a whip or other device, with the exception of steward-approved twitches, to assist in loading a horse into the starting gate; d. Slap, boot, or otherwise dispatch a horse from the starting gate; e. Strike or use abusive language to a jockey; or f. Accept or solicit any gratuity or payment other than the assistant starter's regular salary, directly or indirectly, for services in starting a race.