As of April 2024
- a)The Jockeys to ride in the JRA races must enter and stay in the Jockey’s Quarter at the racecourse designated by the JRA by 9:00 PM on the previous day of that race meeting day. (For the Japan Cup, the Jockeys must stay at accommodation facilities designated by the JRA from 9:00 PM on the previous day of the race.) This is done to uphold the integrity of racing.
- b)A Jockey must ride in a race carrying the officially announced weight. The safety vest is mandatory and 1.0 kg allowance will be applicable. For example, if the announced weight is 57.0 kg, the Jockey has to ride the horse at the weight of 58.0 kg.
- c)A Jockey must ride in a race with the safety vest and helmet approved by the Steward of the Meeting.
- d)A Jockey must wear one described in the Guideline Standards of Riding Equipment, International Agreement on Breeding, Racing and Wagering.
・Safety Vests
- JRA Standard (DESCENTE)
- European Standard EN13158:2000 Level 1~
- Australian Standard ARB 1998
- British Standard Satra Jockey Vest Standard Document M6 issue 3
- USA Standard ASTM F2681–08, ASTM F1937
・Skull cap (Safety helmet)
- JRA Standard (ARAI)
- European Standard EN1384:1996~, PAS015:1994~, VG1 01.040 2014-12, UTAC/CRITT 04/2015,
89/186/CEE, 89/686/CEE
- Australian Standard AS/NZS 3838 2003~
- USA Standard ASTM F11 63-01~, SNELL 2001~ - e)A Jockey must not wear the pants which the logo of the advertising purpose printed. Only your own name or national flag is allowed to print.
- f)Only whips that meet the following requirements may be used in a race.
- A whip which is 77 cm (approximately 30 inches) or longer is prohibited from being used in Races.
- Only padded whips whose pad is covered by shock absorbing material can be used in Races.
- The Pad must be longer than 17cm and its width is no fewer than 2cm nor more than 4cm.
- The surface of the pad must be smooth with no protrusion.
- The padded segment must not contain any additions. - g)A jockey who is to ride in a race must undergo weighing out at the weighing room during the time between 70 minutes before the post time of the first race to be held at the racecourse concerned on the day when the race concerned is to be held and 50 minutes before the post time of the race (saddling time of the race) in which the jockey is to ride in. In the weighing room, there is an adjustment scale to check the weight of the saddle. After preparing the saddle set to be used in the race, the weight must be pre-checked at the adjustment scale and then weighed at the scale of the clerk. The scales in the weighing room and in the paddock show the equivalent of a safety vest, with 1.0 kg deducted from the start.
- h)The jockey's weight must be weighed when taking the weighing out. In addition, the jockey's weight must be checked at the paddock (or weighing room) prior to riding in each race. If the jockey's weight exceeds the weight announced at the previous weighing, the jockey will be sanctioned and may be changed to a different jockey.
- i)A jockey, after entering the track, must walk his/her horse at a walking gait and pass in front of the steward’s stand (goal board). In the case of a race on a turf course, the horses shall warm up at the outside of the course to protect the turf.
- j)A jockey should immediately assemble his/her horses as the red flag is waved at the starting point approximately 4 minutes prior to the start of the race.
- k)The jockeys of the horses up to the 7th order of arrival and also the jockey of a horse especially designated by the steward, must undergo weighing in immediately after the race concerned is finished. In the case where the placing is determined by photograph, the weighing in may be ordered for 8 or more jockeys. All jockeys should remain in the weighing room until the race will be official.
- l)The types of sanctions that JRA may impose on a jockey include: prohibition or suspension from involvement in horse racing in Japan, suspension, fine, and reprimand.
- m)Urine samples may be collected from randomly selected jockeys and tested for doping for prohibited substances (stimulants, marijuana, narcotics, psychotropic drugs, beta 2 agonists, beta blockers, and diuretics). A breath test may also be administered for alcohol testing.
