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No one wants to see a horse die while enjoying a day at the races. So why is the insanity that is jumps racing allowed to continue?
Racing Victoria is counting on the death of less than six horses this year to ensure the future of jumps racing remains safe. There are few other ‘sports’ in which the fatality per season is one, let alone 10 (which was the case in the 2009 jumps-racing season).
For jumps racing to continue, effectively the death of five horses this season will be deemed acceptable, it is only if six die that the sport will have to cease. This is a sport that is little more than legalised animal cruelty.
In New South Wales, jumps racing has been made a criminal offence, yet Victoria and South Australia continue to allow this appalling ‘sport’ to continue. The horrific images of horses breaking their necks or smashing into the jumps with their legs are evidence enough of the cruelty of the sport.
With the highest death rate since 1994, and a fall rate more than twice of previous years, what further proof does Racing Victoria need to stop jumps racing?
People have argued that the loss of jumps-racing will negatively affect the economy. The truth is, compared to flat racing; jumps-racing is worth just 0.71% of the racing turnover.
The majority of the money comes from flat racing. Jumps races at Warrnambool Racing Carnival account for approximately six races out of 30 throughout the event.
A very insignificant number compared to the number of horses that typically are injured or die during the carnival.
On May 7 2009, three horses died in the space of 24-hours, justifying something that is cruel on the basis of jobs loss is meaningless and ignorant.
Racing Victoria have bowed to economic pressure to the detriment of horse welfare.
The horses in jumps-racing events are forced to run up to two times the distance of flat races, carry heavier jockeys and hurdle large obstacles. With the combination of these elements, it is little wonder there are so many fatalities.
In some cases horses have had to be euthanized in the middle of the track in front of large crowds of people. Just imagine taking your family out for a day at the races only to be confronted with the horrific sight of a dying horse, or a severely injured jockey.
Despite exhaustive reviews over the last several years, and additional safety measures implemented, the injury rates to both horses and jockeys continued to increase.
Safety modifications unfortunately increased the danger – fewer jumps made the races faster and lower hurdles meant the horses did not slow down, as they would for a higher jump.
It is obvious that they only way to prevent these innocent animals from dying such a torturous death is to stop competitive jumps-racing completely.
Use the money to enhance flat racing, train better horses, win more races and stop animal cruelty. As a society we need to move away from glorifying sports that encourage animal cruelty.
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