Louisiana To Require Negative Hair Test In 2022

Hair testing for horses participating in Quarter Horse futurities to be run in Louisiana will begin at Delta Downs in 2022.

Those races include:

• Lassie Futurity-RG2 (DED)
• Laddie Futurity-RG2 (DED)
• Old South Futurity (DED)
• Firecracker Futurity-G2 (DED)
• Lee Berwick Futurity-RG1 (DED)
• LQHBA Sale Futurity-RG1 (FG)
• Louisiana Million Futurity-RG1 (EVD)
• Evangeline Downs Futurity-G3 (EVD)

Hair testing will begin at the Delta Downs Quarter Horse meet in the Spring of 2022.

In accordance with the LQHBA Hair Testing Policy adopted by the LQHBA Board of Directors on July 7, 2021, and as an additional condition for participation in any LQHBA or Licensed Association Futurities, all horses MAY BE subject to substance testing by the LQHBA. Any prohibited medication positives may result in loss of eligibility to participate in trials or finals as determined by LQHBA.

Refusal by an owner or trainer of an otherwise eligible horse of pre-race examination or the LQHBA Hair Testing Policy prior to or following a race shall be ineligible to enter the race.

Additionally, and in such event, all eligibility payments to LQHBA or Horsemen’s Bookkeeper shall be forfeited, ipso facto and without a placing in default, notice of default shall be waived. Prior to entry, the Owners of accredited Louisiana quarter horses or any horse in licensed Association Futurities will be required to comply with the following LQHBA Hair Testing Policy:

1. LQHBA HAIR TESTING POLICY: As a condition for participation in any LQHBA or Licensed Association Futurities, all horses will be subject to Hair Testing by the LQHBA. Additionally, the owners of the top 20 qualifiers for any LQHBA or Licensed Association Futurities based on the trial times, agree that they MAY be required to provide a negative hair test for prohibited substances after the trials and before the Final Race for such Futurity as administered by the LQHBA. A positive report for any prohibited substance will result in loss of eligibility to participate in trials or finals as determined by LQHBA.
2. By submitting a signed form for this race, the undersigned, by or on behalf of the owner of the nominated horse, the owner’s agents and representatives, and the owner’s heirs and assigns (including any future owner of the nominated horse) agrees to be subject to and abide by the results of the initial (commonly referred to as the “LQHBA Hair Testing Policy”) hair testing of the nominated horse and voluntarily and irrevocable waives and/or agrees to the following:
   1. Any and all rights to have a secondary or split sample tested pursuant to LQHBA Hair Testing Policy,
   2. Any and all rights to a hearing (whether formal, informal, by written submission or in-person) to contest the results of the initial test or the resulting denial of entry in the race, whether a qualifying race or final race pursuant to LQHBA Hair Testing Policy,
   3. Any and all rights to dispute or contest, for any reason or cause, the results of the initial test or the resulting denial of entry in the race, whether a qualifying race or final race.
   4. Any and all rights to dispute or challenge the results of the initial LQHBA Hair Test or resulting denial of entry in the race, whether a qualifying race or final race, directly or indirectly, before any court or other tribunal; and
   5. By their entry into the race, all participants irrevocably waive any right, claim or cause of action they might have against LQHBA, its officers and directors, members or its employees arising from or related to the hair testing which is the subject of this LQHBA Hair Testing Policy.
   6. Any report or results of a LQHBA Hair Test shall be for the exclusive use by the LQHBA and for no other purpose. The LQHBA Hair Test shall not be binding upon any other judicial or regulatory authority including the Louisiana State Racing Commission.

Notification of LQHBA certification arising from LQHBA Hair Test shall be reported to the host track officials and notification of results shall be sent to the owner and trainer of the nominated horse. LQHBA shall send a list to the racing office of the host racetrack for the specific race(s) to notify them of horses that are eligible to enter races based on the results of hair tests.

Finals: The fastest 20 qualifiers for the 2022 LQHBA and/or Association Futurities, Louisiana Million on trial times may be required to comply with collection of LQHBA Hair Test which will be collected after the trials and prior to the entry for the Final Race. Any horse which receives a positive for a banned substance on the LQHBA Hair Test shall be ineligible for participation in the Final Race regardless of the qualifying time. The fastest qualifiers will be required to remain on the grounds and stabled in the barn area of the racetrack after the Trials and until the running of the FINALS.

For more information on hair testing contact the LQHBA office at (318) 487-9506 . Additional detailed information regarding collection and testing will be added to the LQHBA website shortly.