JUMPS RACING ACTION IN AUSTRALIA

The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses writes:

Our group is in its third year of campaigning for the banning of jumps racing and this year, we are closer than ever.

 After 3 reviews in 8 years, the safety changes implemented are not working, and will never work, because of the inherent danger of jumping and racing. With the statistics for 2009 so far the worst on record, jumps racing has been in the forefront of mainstream media. With 12 deaths already this year, we have managed to ensure their deaths have not been in vain and have received extensive media coverage. Now it is time to drive the message home that we will not give up until jumps racing is banned.

 
A Rally is going to be held on August 30 at Sandown Racecourse near Melbourne on the last feature jumps race day for the season to show the Victorian Government that most people want jumps racing banned. We’re aiming to have more than 200 people in attendance. This will be the Grand Finale of the jumps racing season, and hopefully the Grand Finale of jumps racing forever!

This issue is so important because it’s not just about the treatment of horses, but is a reflection on how society treats animals. We must send a strong message that animal cruelty will not be tolerated in any form.

 Some background information:

• 12 horses have died on the race track in jumps racing and trials this year.
• The current state of jumps racing presents the worst statistics on record since record keeping began 35 years ago.
• So far this year, there have been 60 races, resulting in 35 falls and 10 deaths in Victoria. 2 more horses died in South Australia.
• ¾ of the horses that raced in 2008 have not reappeared on the racetrack in 2009 and are presumed dead.
 

With the highest death rate since 1994 and a fall rate twice as high as 2008, the safety changes have failed the horses yet again.

Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses