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SA minister calls for ban on 'barbaric' horse jumps after 'senseless death' SA minister calls for ban on 'barbaric' horse jumps after 'senseless death'
(about 3 hours later)
The South Australian government has called on the state’s horseracing authority to ban jumps racing after a horse was euthanised because of a leg injury suffered in a fall in the Adelaide Hills.The South Australian government has called on the state’s horseracing authority to ban jumps racing after a horse was euthanised because of a leg injury suffered in a fall in the Adelaide Hills.
Five-year-old Wheeler Fortune was put down after he fell during the Somerled Hurdle race in Oakbank in front of hundreds of spectators on Saturday.Five-year-old Wheeler Fortune was put down after he fell during the Somerled Hurdle race in Oakbank in front of hundreds of spectators on Saturday.
The South Australian racing minister, Leon Bignell, has pressured Thoroughbred Racing SA to respond to the incident, labelling jumps racing “cruel and “barbaric”. The state’s racing minister, Leon Bignell, pressed Thoroughbred Racing SA to respond to the incident, labelling jumps racing “cruel and “barbaric”.
But the controlling body said jumps racing was an “integral part” of the sport, and would continue.
“On Saturday we saw yet another horse die a senseless death at the hands of jumps racing,” Bignell said in a statement on Monday. “Racing horses over jumps poses an unacceptable risk to both horses and riders. It’s cruel, it’s barbaric and it doesn’t belong in the 21st century.”“On Saturday we saw yet another horse die a senseless death at the hands of jumps racing,” Bignell said in a statement on Monday. “Racing horses over jumps poses an unacceptable risk to both horses and riders. It’s cruel, it’s barbaric and it doesn’t belong in the 21st century.”
Bignell said many racing clubs and members don’t want jumps events anymore but the sport’s controlling body, Thoroughbred Racing SA, is still forcing clubs to host them. Bignell said many racing clubs and members did not want jumps events any more but Thoroughbred Racing SA was still forcing clubs to host them.
“It is time for the organisation to act and ban jumps racing,” he said.“It is time for the organisation to act and ban jumps racing,” he said.
Wheeler Fortune fell at the last hurdle of the race and was euthanised on the track, while another horse also fell.Wheeler Fortune fell at the last hurdle of the race and was euthanised on the track, while another horse also fell.
The RSPCA said forcing horses to gallop long distances while jumping over obstacles is a “recipe for this kind of tragedy”. The RSPCA said forcing horses to gallop long distances while jumping over obstacles was a “recipe for this kind of tragedy”.
“It will keep occurring as long as we continue to allow it,” the RSPCA SA’s Dr Rebecca Eyers said on Saturday.“It will keep occurring as long as we continue to allow it,” the RSPCA SA’s Dr Rebecca Eyers said on Saturday.
The SA government said it had limited control over the management of thoroughbred racing because the former Liberal government corporatised the industry in 2001. The SA government said it had limited control over the management of thoroughbred racing because the former Liberal government corporatised the industry in 2001. It said the decision to continue with jumps events rested with Thoroughbred Racing SA.
It said the decision to continue with jumps events rests with Thoroughbred Racing SA.
South Australia and Victoria are the only states in the nation that have not banned the sport. A total of 79 horses have died in Australian jumps races since 2006, with 17 deaths in SA since 2009.South Australia and Victoria are the only states in the nation that have not banned the sport. A total of 79 horses have died in Australian jumps races since 2006, with 17 deaths in SA since 2009.
Dozens of protesters gathered at Oakbank racecourse on Monday to join the call to end jumps racing.
Protestors at @OakbankRaces Easter Monday races @theTiser pic.twitter.com/rDhik8lkR5
But Thoroughbred Racing SA stood its ground, saying jumps meets were doing fine and would continue in SA.
“It’s an integral part of our industry,” chair Frances Nelson said on Monday. “This carnival alone, over two days of Easter, puts $13m into the local economy.
“And I can’t understand why our minister wants to destroy it.”
Nelson said about 65,000 attended the Easter racing carnival at Oakbank each year. Without the jumps events, the state’s best-attended meeting would “wither”, she said.
“I know from surveys, over many years, that people come here for the jumps,” she said. “They come from interstate for the jumps. They come from overseas for that purpose.”
Nelson said she was distressed by the fall on Saturday but these incidents were part of horse racing.
“I’m a horse lover. I hate to see it happen. But it happens in every equine sport, regrettably,” she said.