The Guyana Cup Post position draw, earlier this week, has brought a lot of insight into next Sunday’s event. But for many within the Horse racing fraternity, the event also provided the opportunity to learn of how the Guyana Horse Racing Authority plans to bolster and develop the sport.
The members of the authority were announced earlier in July by Sport Minister, Charles Ramson Jr., divulging that Dr. Steven Cheefoon will act as Chairman.
Dr. Cheefoon, on Monday last, shared some insight on what will comprise the Horse Racing Authority’s work.
“It’s my first official speech as Chairman and I’d like to promise each and every single one of you that this Horse Racing Authority would be one that ensures that fairness and transparency is paramount,” the recently appointed Horse Racing authority Chairman shared, “Every single horse owner, trainer, groom, this is what we’ve all been waiting for, this is it that gives you your licensing, this is what gives you the potential to travel overseas, the potential to be internationally recognized.”
“It’s now up to all of us, to put our heads together and make this sport something that the persons on the outside can look and say ‘let’s go to Guyana in August’. ‘Why are you going in August? We’re going for the Guyana Cup’. That’s what we want to hear every single Caribbean country and the wider Americas say next year and the years to come,” he added.
With betting being a major part of the Sport, Dr. Cheefoon also shared plans for this aspect.
Dr. Cheefoon told the gathering, “That’s one of the things we want to focus on as an authority. We want to focus on how we bet and the gambling laws regarding that. It’s all going to be put in place and you’re all going to see how beautiful this sport can be.”
As such, the chairman went on to sum up the authority’s mandate.
“The mandate is to be internationally recognized, the mandate is to have a sport where we have good veterinary practices, the mandate is to have a sport where we have jockeys that are catered for, the mandate is to have a sport where and again, only the Guyana Cup has a medical booth and an ambulance that goes around with the races, we need every race to run in a similar manner and that’s why we have this authority,” he explained.
Dr. Cheefoon also had words of praise for the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry and by extension Government for putting the Horse Racing Legislation and Authority in place.
Cheefoon expressed, “I’d like to, first off, thank the Minister and Government of Guyana because this is the first time ever, in the history of this country, that the Government has seen the importance and have paid a special interest to help us get this legislation passed. And to have fairness, integrity, transparency and accountability paramount in the sport of kings in this country.”
The Guyana Horse Racing Authority Bill 2024 was passed in the National Assembly back in 2025, paving the way for the establishment of the authority.
The Guyana Horse Racing Authority also includes Adrian Anamayah, Dr Nardeo Bassoodeo, Amernauth Kiritpal, Zahir Khan, Poonai Bhrigroog, and Councillor Mohamed Naeem Kamal (Port Mourant Turf Club-racetrack Support and Administration).
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