[Greens-Media] Greens to Take Action on Jumps Racing

[Franks, Office]

The Greens have announced they will be introducing a motion into State parliament to refer jumps racing in South Australia to the state's Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (AWAC) following the tragi-comic farce at Warrnambool today where only two of the eight starters finished the course in the Flying Horse Bar & Brewery Grand Annual Steeplechase earlier today.



"Only two horses completed the five and a half kilometre course, with two horses falling, another two 'losing their rider' and another two 'brought down'. The horse Banna Strand was lucky to escape serious injury after losing its rider before jumping a side fence into a crowd of spectators. Three people were hospitalised as a result and the horse had to be chased down a public road by police".



Greens Animal Welfare spokesperson Tammy Franks says the event is a salutary warning of things to come for SA with another 13 days of racing this season.



"The RSPCA and other animal welfare groups like Animals Australia and the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses have long insisted that jumps racing is dangerous for both horses and jockeys," Ms Franks said. "Now we've seen spectators injured as well in an incident that could have had catastrophic consequences".



"The Greens will be bringing a motion to the Upper House for the AWAC to investigate jumps racing with particular emphasis on the safety and welfare of the horses involved" she stated.



"The Greens are hopeful that the AWAC will in turn send a strong message to the new Racing Minister Tom Kenyon that time should be called on the racing industry's practice of putting profits first and animal welfare second by ending this cruel and anachronistic practice".



"South Australia and Victoria remain the only states where jumps racing is still allowed," she concluded.


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