THE WIZARD WAITS ON AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, January 5, 2022

Star jockey Willie Pike’s future as a rider appears to be very much in his own hands or, if you want to put it another way, he can’t blame others for the predicament he finds himself in at this time.

It should be noted at the outset that none of the debate surrounding Pike’s current stand-off with racing and government authorities in Western Australia over the need to be double vaccinated and to officially disclose that fact in any way detracts from his upstanding character (his generosity is well known) or his uncanny, superior wizardry in the saddle.

In both of those regards Pike’s legacy, which is important to him, is safely in the bank and stands as a credit to the man … as does his stellar role in promoting Western Australian racing through his endeavours and his high-end achievements for season upon season.

The fact remains though that, be it a high-profile person or a nondescript worker, whatever views individuals have on vaccination pushes and Covid protocols … and they are fully entitled to follow through with their own beliefs … each person must bear in mind that their decisions will dictate certain outcomes for them moving forward.

There are no favours here. You know that level playing field that people sometimes like to refer to … well, in theory at least, this is it.

When a situation is mandated, like having to be fully vaccinated to walk onto a racecourse on a race-day, rightly or wrongly, that becomes the order of the day. That had already been the case in leading racing precincts prior to Western Australia’s added Covid protocol arrangement for Perth Cup day.

There is nothing personal in that call as it covers the entire spread of racing workers, direct and indirect participants and enthusiasts, several of whom might not like the idea but who still abide by that ruling so they can continue their profession and participation or enjoy their past-time without interruption.

Pike, reportedly, can still ride at certain meetings where there is restricted attendance, that is until the details of the State Government’s Transitional Plan is confirmed, rules of which would apply from the date of the border reopening on February 5 … so Pike will be waiting on those details to see just where he stands post February 5.
And just remember how well racing personnel have done over the last year, keeping racing going by keeping Covid at bay.

How did they do that?

By following Covid protocols … showing a discipline and dedication to the cause which allowed trainers to keep producing runners and jockeys (like Pike) to continue to be able to ride.

Now, with a line being drawn through lockdowns and the country opening up once again, those protocols have switched to centre on double vaccination … and Willie Pike is not happy. In fact, it has been suggested that the current Covid mandates could force Pike into a premature retirement.

In spite of speculation about Pike’s exact views on the subject, an interview with Freedom Media WA on Saturday on the day of the Perth Cup meeting where Pike, not being able to show he was double vaccinated, was unable to ride, was the first time Pike had addressed the matter in the media.

Pike said he gave mainstream media a miss because ‘the mainstream media has a way of twisting words and leading up to this I didn’t want to comment. I wanted to get my story straight, but they went and posted things anyway. I thought that was a bit out of line. I wanted my story and my reasons to be told factually.’

Pike had hand-picked the Freedom Media WA outlet to get his story across the way he wanted it to be told … but, even then, the result wasn’t quite the perfect ride that he that he had hoped as a couple of controversial points were not going to go away … no matter who was presenting them.

So, as Pike wanted his story presented in his own words, here are some focal points of his argument from his own lips.

Pike, speaking to Freedom Media WA, said, “I really don’t want to leave it, but under the circumstances right now with the rules and different things in place, it’s getting harder and harder to go out and do my daily job.”

Pike said, “if you walked up to people right now and asked then why did they have it (the vaccination) they would say ‘because otherwise I couldn’t work … otherwise I couldn’t travel’. It doesn’t sound like you are participating then, does it? It sounds like you are cornered.” (Sorry … the point being …?)

Pike said, it was very difficult for him to miss the Perth Cup, suggesting it was a “quite tragic” situation for him and “pretty hurtful.”

Pike said, “at one point there they were touting a digital passport to see if you can get into restaurants and whatnot. That is how the future is going to be they say. I don’t see how that can be acceptable. You want to go to a restaurant and have a nice meal, why should you have to worry about giving out all your details … personal and private information in that way.”

Pike said, ‘for me as an athlete as well, health implications definitely have a play in it. The vaccine has come around very quickly. How did it get here so quickly? I just have questions. It doesn’t feel like we have had time to digest it and take it all on board in an intelligent way.”

So, there you have it … the prime reasons for Pike’s current position in Pike’s own words.

You can judge the merits of his stance for yourself.

Again, though, everyone is entitled to their own opinion … and everybody has their own choice to make … but, again, decisions dictate outcomes.

It would indeed be a sad day if the conflict that Pike has with the mandated situation does short-circuit his already illustrious career but, as is rightly the case, the old cliché that no individual is bigger than the sport applies … even to somebody who has as high profile a standing as Pike does in the Western Australian racing arena.

While it is possible to sympathise with people like Pike who have genuine, strong beliefs that have become disruptive to life as they know it … ultimately, in this particular instance, it is all about protecting an industry that employs thousands and thousands of people, bringing food to the table for so many families.

Hypothetically, even if the Covid racing protocols are an overkill, that is a better route to follow than any alternatives that carry more risk to the industry at large.

Perhaps Pike should give a Novak Djokovic a call and find out what possible medical condition you can put forward to gain a medical exemption while still being fit enough to travel large distances and participate for hours on end, sometimes in punishing physical conditions, at an elite sporting level.

No, you are right. This matter is no joke.

That is why it has to be handled so strictly.