Glamorous police jockeys receive huge suspension for assaulting another cyclist after the pair clashed during the race

A jockey from Queensland, Australia, has been suspended for assaulting a fellow jockey during a post-race dispute.

Tessa Townsend grabbed apprentice jockey Savannah McCann by the neck and pushed her against a gate after the third race at Longreach on Monday.

She has been suspended from riding a bicycle for six months and fined $2,000 for the altercation.

The pair had been running close together during the race and Townsend grabbed and pushed McCann against the door of the jockeys’ room during a heated dispute.

McCann was withdrawn from the day’s remaining races following a concussion test. Townsend was retired after the fifth race.

“Stewards investigated an altercation between trainees S McCann and T Townsend after the third race,” the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission stewards’ report said.

‘Following race three, apprentice Townsend engaged in inappropriate conduct by becoming involved in a physical altercation with apprentice S McCann by grabbing her by the chest or neck and pushing her against the door of the jockeys’ room.

“Mrs. Townsend was found guilty of the charge and fined $2,000, of which $1,000 of the penalty was wholly suspended for two years, provided no conduct violations occurred during that period.”

Three months of the six-month suspension will be suspended for two years, until no further violations occur.

Although there were witnesses to the incident, Townsend pleaded not guilty.

“Townsend behaved in a manner detrimental to the image of racing in the area outside the steward’s room by forcibly striking trainee S McCann on the back of the head in public view, resulting in him Industry participants will take a course of action to separate the two parties.

“In assessing both sanctions, the commissioners considered that the riders pleaded not guilty, a clear history of 16 years of involvement in the industry, the need for the sanctions to serve as a specific and general deterrent, Ms Townsend derives her income solely from horse riding, this type of behavior cannot be tolerated and the requirements placed on delegates to consider the Human Rights Act 2019 and the effect of any potential sanctions.