All of the proposals passed.  Proposals 1-4 were unanimous, Proposal 5 had an abstain and one no vote, Proposal 6 had one no vote.

 

PROPOSAL #1

 

Addition to Policy & Procedures:

 

The Officers and Board of the WRA take the necessary steps to enable a merger with NAWRA. These steps will not include changes to the Constitution, By-Laws or Racing Rules without an election.

 

Reason:

 

There have always been some members of both organizations that wanted a

merger of the two. Talks have begun and further authorization is desired to

complete the merger. This time seems to be right. The WRA will be stronger after a merger. How can the merger happen without some changes to the rules?

 

CLUB NAME: _________________CLUB VOTE:  _________________

                                                                                    Write or type in FOR or AGAINST.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROPOSAL #2

Addition to Policy & Procedures:

On merger of the NAWRA and WRA the name of the two merged organizations will be the Whippet Racing Association (WRA).

 

 

 

CLUB NAME: _________________CLUB VOTE:  _________________

                                                                                    Write or type in FOR or AGAINST.

 

PROPOSAL #3

Addition to Policy & Procedures:

 

If changes to the Constitution, By-Laws or Racing Rules are required that

cannot be addressed within the normal Rule Change proposal process, Special Elections at different times are authorized.

 

There will be least 30 days from the publication of the change to the date

of the election. Voting will occur as outlined in section 3.03 of the Bylaws.

Passage will require affirmation by 2/3 of the Responding Member Clubs.

 

Reason:

 

The WRA and NAWRA are discussing merging. Steps will be necessary for

that to happen and all cannot be addressed in a timely manner within the

normal election process. It is important to define that the voting will occur in accordance with previous rules.

 

 

CLUB NAME: _________________CLUB VOTE:  _________________

                                                                                    Write or type in FOR or AGAINST.

 

PROPOSAL #4

Change Article III, Section 3.03 of the Bylaws

Section 3.03 Voting

 

Voting shall be by mail on ballots, by e-mail by ballots or a web-polling site

which is set up to allow voting only by the appropriate members set up by,

or overseen by the secretary.  Each of the Club Representatives shall respond

in the appropriate manner to the ballot. Election of the Officers by the Club

Representatives shall be by secret ballot.

 

Reason:

 

This is proposed to account for the current means of casting ballots which,

over time, has become electronically/digitally driven.

 

 

CLUB NAME: _________________CLUB VOTE:  _________________

                                                                                    Write or type in FOR or AGAINST

PROPOSAL #5

Propose adding a new section to WRA Rule Book, Section 3.2.2 Measuring.

 

Insert the following section after Section 3.2.2.3 Procedure.

 

3.2.2.4 Exempt Status from Measuring

 

A Whippet will be granted an exempt status from measuring if it is 2 years

of age or more and has participated in 30 race meets.  An owner of another dog entered and successfully measured in the meet can challenge the

measurement.   A fee of $50 is required for a challenge. The dog in question

will be allowed to measure twice by the measuring committee for that meet.

If the dog measures in, the club and owner each get $25 from the challenge. 

If the dog fails to measure, the owner that challenged the measurement is refunded $50.  Whippets meeting the necessary qualifications are noted in the Grading Guide.  Also exempt from measurement are Whippets that raced and measured the previous day at back-to-back WRA meets held at the same venue.

 

Reason:

 

As discussions are underway to merge the two straight racing organizations, WRA and NAWRA, several sticking points in the rules arise. As NAWRA has used the Exempt Status from Measuring for many years, we feel that the addition of this section will help bridge one of the differences between the two organizations. Many people have wanted a measuring exemption for some time.  Importing a successful method should work here too.

 

 

CLUB NAME: _________________CLUB VOTE:  _________________

                                                                                    Write or type in FOR or AGAINST.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROPOSAL #6

Propose adding an option to the first program set up to utilize the ranking rather than the grade. This will enable the option to fill all races in accordance with the Set-up Chart for the first program.

 

Insert the following verbiage into Section 5.3 as noted:

 

5.3 Selection of Post Positions

 

(BOLD wording is new. Italicized wording is moved from Section 5.3.1)

 

The first complete program is arranged to run Whippets of comparable speed together, based upon their past performances. In the second, third, and fourth programs, racers are placed in races according to points scored in the previous program or programs.

 

There are two options for the first program set up. The Host Club will decide which option they will use and this choice will be noted on the race schedule and in the Host Club’s announcement. The option choice will also be stated on the WRA website. A Host Club may change which option is used providing that change is announced 14 days in advance of the meet in the methods prescribed above.

 

 

Under either Option 1 or Option 2, Whippets that are entered for the first time in the Adult Division, are designated as "FTE," (first time entered), and are classed as grade D Whippets in that first race meet, with the following exceptions:

 

1) Any Whippet having a racing grade from the Continental Whippet Alliance (CWA), or the North American Whippet Racing Association (NAWRA), or the National Oval Track Racing Association (NOTRA), or the Canadian Amateur Racing Association (CARA) will retain that grade when FTE in a WRA race meet.

 

2) Any Whippet that the Race Secretary has personal knowledge of, either from having seen it race as a puppy, or in training races, may be started, with the approval of the owner, at any grade other than grade A. Decision must be based upon personal knowledge, information acquired from others may not be used.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.3.1 First Program

 

 OPTION #1

(No change in wording from current Rule Book. Just “OPTION #1” added)

 

The first step in selecting post positions in the first complete race program is to determine the total number of entrants in that program, adult, or puppy). Then group the Whippets in the first adult program according to grade. If there is more than one race in any grade, then the Whippets of that grade will be seeded by alternating, according to point averages, between the races in that grade. If there is more than one race in any grade, then the Whippets of that grade will be divided as evenly as possible between the races, with the higher race containing the highest number of dogs. The whippets will be seeded by alternating, according to point averages, between the races in each grade. For puppies, use random draw. Whenever possible, when two (2) or more Whippets have the same numerical point average, they are arranged in ascending order within the group by the score of each Whippet on its last complete race meet. When this information is not readily available, the Race Secretary may use personal knowledge or a random draw to determine placement.

 

The actual selection of post positions in the first complete race program is then accomplished by randomly drawing the names of the individual Whippet racers for each race. The first name drawn for each race will get box #1, the second name will get box #2 and so on down through all races in the first complete program. If an owner has two or three entries that carry close averages, they will probably be running in the same race, but that’s just the way it is. In the D races, First Time Entered (FTE) Whippets of same ownership should be separated, if possible.

 

OPTION #2

 

In the first program, Whippets shall be seeded in the order of national ranking. All boxes must be filled in accordance with the Set-up Chart. First Time Entered Whippets will be dispersed through the Grade D entrants as the Race Secretary deems appropriate. Post positions in all programs shall be determined by random draw. If there are 5 dogs in a race, box #3 shall remain empty. If there are 4 dogs in a race, boxes #2 and #5 shall remain empty. If there are 3 dogs in a race, boxes #2, #4 and #6 shall remain empty. If Whippets owned by the same owner, or which are kenneled together, are scheduled to be in the same race because of their averages, they shall not be placed in adjacent starting boxes unless there is no alternative. , First Time Entered (FTE) Whippets of same ownership should be separated, if possible. There will be two high point races in the first program if there are 48 or more starters. If two high point races are required, dogs must be seeded alternately, by ranking, between the two high point races.

 

 

 

 

Reason:

 

As discussions are underway to merge the two straight racing organizations, WRA and NAWRA, several sticking points in the rules arise. We thought that by offering an option to use the Graded Option (as is done in WRA) or the National Ranking Option (as is done in NAWRA), this might help bridge one of the big differences between the two organizations.

 

CLUB NAME: _________________CLUB VOTE:  _________________                                                                                   Write or type in FOR or AGAINST.