As part of the IHRB’s plans for the return of point-to-point racing on September 19, the sport’s governing body has announced a number of important changes in regards to the registering of hunter certificates which has resulted from the current Covid-19 pandemic.
With protocols currently being compiled for hunt committees and the safe running of their fixtures, handlers have been informed of a very important change to the submission of horse passports, which is being made in response of the current public health situation.
Handlers will continue to obtain their Hunters Certificate (pink and white copies) in the normal manner from their local Hunt, and once fully complete and signed, both copies will be sent as normal to the Offices of the I.N.H.S.C., at The Curragh.
However, with immediate effect, handlers will no longer have to send the horse’s passport to accompany the Hunters Certificate.
Instead, the relevant pages – cover and vaccination page(s) – of the passport will be submitted via an online system which will be located on ihrb.ie.
At the height of the pandemic earlier this year, passport submissions for racing under rules was also moved online, however those handlers who are also licensed trainers should be aware that point-to-point passports will be uploaded to the IHRB website itself and not via the Weatherbys App as is currently the case with racing under rules.
Complete details of this new system will be issued to handlers once they register as a Point to Point Handler for the coming season, with permit renewals having already been issued.
A “How To” guide for the new system will be published in the coming weeks, but handlers are requested to ensure that the flu-vaccination status is up to date for all horses that they intend applying for a Hunter Certificate with to ensure no delay ahead of the season’s opening fixtures at Ballingarry and Oldcastle.
