In December of 2016, the New York State Gaming Commission adopted a regulation requiring four hours of continuing education annually for all Thoroughbred trainers and assistant trainers licensed by the state of New York. There is a waiver available for trainers who are not stabled in New York and do not race regularly in the state. The rule reads as follows:

NYCRR § 4002.8. Qualifications for License, “In order to maintain a current license, trainers and assistant trainers must complete at least four hours per calendar year of continuing education courses approved by the commission. Trainers and assistant trainers who are not domiciled in New York and have 12 or fewer starts during the previous 12 months may request a waiver of this requirement from the State steward.”

To assist New York’s horsemen in complying with the rule, NYTHA hosts a minimum of four hours of Continuing Education Seminars each year. We will post details of upcoming events as they become available. 

Links to on-line courses that are eligible for CE credit are listed below.

The Jockey Club Online Courses: The Commission has approved 11 separate continuing education modules available on The Jockey Club Advanced Horsemanship Program website: http://courses.Grayson-jockeyclub.org/course-index.

Once completed, the licensee will be asked to designate a racing jurisdiction to be notified. The licensee should direct The Jockey Club to advise the New York State Gaming Commission of completion of the training course.

NYS Gaming Commission Continuing Education Seminars on YouTube: The Commission has created four individual hour-long continuing education seminars available for free on YouTube:

• “Findings of the NYS Thoroughbred Post-Mortem Examination Program” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQSiRPfoUeA&t=29s
• “Risk & Protective Factors–How Can We Use Them to Prevent Injury?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8d63u_MvBA
• “Fetlock CT To Assess Proximal Sesamoid Bone Fracture Risk” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B72gbyVHki8
• “Challenges Specific to the Saratoga Meet” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lJW7WLO1PU&t=6s
• Record of Participation Certificate:
  https://www.gaming.ny.gov/pdf/Record%20of%20Participation%20(video)form.pdf

If you have any questions, please contact New York State Gaming Commission Equine Medical Director Scott E. Palmer, V.M.D., Dipl. A.B.V.P., Eq. Practice, at 518-441-7916 or by email at Scott.Palmer@gaming.ny.gov.