Mon, March 23, 2026
The British Horseracing Authority is seeking individuals to join British Racing’s independent Judicial Panel
The British Horseracing Authority is seeking individuals to join British Racing’s independent Judicial Panel which hears all cases or appeals referred to it in connection with the Rules of Racing, including racecourse appeals, integrity, safeguarding, conduct, welfare, licensing, and anti-doping matters.
- Roles: 1) Legal Panel Chairs and 2) Specialist Panel Members
- Time Commitment: up to 20 days per annum
- Term: Appointment shall be for a fixed term (normally 3 years) as determined by the Judicial Panel Chair, with the possibility of renewal.
- Remuneration: Paid
- Location: Hybrid (remote and in-person hearings)
- Legal Panel Chair Pool (approximately 2 members) - Professionally qualified barristers or solicitors with relevant experience of judicial or quasi-judicial panels. These members shall chair cases referred to the Disciplinary Panel or Licensing Committee and may act as a lay member of the Appeal Board.
- Specialist Panel Member Pool (approximately 5 members) - Individuals appointed to provide additional knowledge, experience, and expertise in specialist fields relevant to the cases referred to the Judicial Panel. Two Specialist Panel Members sit alongside the Legal Panel Chair or Appeal Board Chair to hear cases or appeals as part of a three-person panel. Applications are welcomed and encouraged from individuals whose experience covers any of the following areas:
- Practical racing experience e.g., jockeys, trainers, owners, racing staff, stewards and other raceday officials. Jockeys, stewards and other raceday officials must be retired from these positions. Other current participants will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Equine (e.g., veterinary surgeons, equine welfare experts, pharmacologists and analytical chemists)
- Safeguarding (e.g., safeguarding practitioners from other sports, social care workers, police)
- Sports betting
Key Responsibilities
All members of the Judicial Panel are required to:
- Sit as a member of individual tribunals to hear cases under the Rules of Racing, either at first instance or on appeal.
- Use their knowledge, skills, and experience in considering and determining cases, including devoting sufficient time to reading and considering the papers provided in advance of any hearing, and playing an active part in hearings to assess and challenge evidence.
- Following a hearing, to review and contribute to the written decision, drafted by the chair, and any other related documentation required of the individual tribunal in each case.
- Undertake appropriate induction on appointment/reappointment and participate in on-going training as indicated by the Judicial Panel Chair (normally held three times per year).
- Act in an independent and impartial manner as between the BHA and its participants.
- Have sufficient IT literacy to take part in virtual hearings and training, communicate by email, access and read hearing documentation online, draft and review written reasons and engage in other electronic communications (e.g., surveys and questionnaires) as necessary.
Eligibility Criteria
Current Stewards’ Panel Chairs are not eligible for appointment to any pool of the Judicial Panel, while previous employees and directors of the BHA must have ceased employment for at least three years. Existing members of the Judicial Panel may seek re-appointment, subject to only being permitted to hold office for a maximum of 6 years consecutively, save for in exceptional circumstances.
How to Apply
For further details on the Judicial Panel roles, please refer to the role description here.
If you feel that you have the relevant skills and experience, please apply by providing a CV, together with a covering letter (of no more than two A4 pages) detailing:
- why you are interested in the role;
- your relevant knowledge, skills, and experience by reference to the competencies (as outlined in the role description); and
- indicating which of the three pools you wish to be considered for.
All applications should be submitted to recruitment@britishhorseracing.com.
The closing date for applications is Friday 24 April 2026.
