2016-10-12
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) — Every jumps racing season horses are injured or die. Whatever its proponents say, jumps racing is inherently dangerous. Horses are not designed for jumping at speed over hurdles and steeples over long distances. Three horses died at the start of this year's season: Cliff's Dream, Tuscan Fire and Fieldmaster. It is unknown how many were injured and will not be seen again. The most recent jumps racing death was that of Arwoc, who died as a result of injuries sustained in the final jumps event of this season.
Despite numerous reviews and promises to clean up jumps racing, horrific injuries to and deaths of horses and injuries to jockeys continue to occur and are an inevitable outcome of jumps racing. There have been 27 horse deaths in jumps racing events since Racing Victoria backed out of its decision to end this cruel activity in 2009, and in South Australia there have been 13 deaths. Only Victoria and South Australia still permit jumps racing. The South Australian Jockey Club has spoken against jumps racing. The South Australian government is conducting an inquiry into it, and the select committee is due to report on 30 November this year.
The Greens and animal welfare groups, in particular the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses, will continue to call for an end to jumps racing, which most people in Victoria want to see. The government has recently released its draft animal welfare plan, but while it continues to allow animals to be killed and injured in jumps racing, greyhound racing and the annual duck shooting season, it is not serious about animal welfare.