Jumps racing to be banned outright in SA under new legislation

Jumps racing was controversially dumped from the Oakbank Easter Carnival – now it’s destined to never return after a ban led by the Greens.

Jumps racing can never return to Oakbank because the sport will be outlawed by the state government.

Labor will support the Greens amendment to animal welfare legislation that bans jumps racing in South Australia, but does not prohibit training here for jumps races in Victoria, where it is still legal.

Deputy Premier Dr Susan Close said the government backed the decision by Racing SA to cease jumps racing and gave certainty to industry and the public that jumps racing would not return.

Oakbank Racing Club dumped jumps racing last year after Racing SA dropped it from its schedule, and ran its first jumps-free race in April.

That event was particularly poorly attended, with some saying it demonstrated that jumps racing at Oakbank was traditionally the main attraction and should return.

But Dr Close said numbers were down because punters were avoiding large gatherings during the Covid pandemic.

“By deciding to support this piece of legislation, what we’re doing is backing in the majority and creating certainty,” she said. “That means that racing in South Australia can plan ahead.”

Dr Close said the industry had determined that jumps racing had “simply become uneconomic” because people had “serious concern” for the welfare of horses.

The last jumps race at the Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival, April 3, 2021. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Racehorse Thomond Park stumbles and falls after a jump during the Great Eastern Steeple race at Oakbank in 2012. Picture: BanJumpsRacing.com

The number of horses racing in South Australian jumps racing had fallen to fewer than five per race, she said – while thoroughbred flats racing was up at nearly 10 per race.

“We’ve also seen the prizes being offered aren’t covering the costs of the training,” Dr Close said.

“There’s a reason there’s only 10 jumps racers (horses) left in SA, compared with 2500 thoroughbred races – the time for this industry has now elapsed.

“Much of the reason for people no long wishing to attend jumps racing is serious concerns of animal welfare impact of jumps racing.

“In Victoria in 2022 we saw three times the injuries for jumps races over flats races – that’s unacceptable for most members of the public, and is a big reason why jumps racing has become uneconomic.”

Jockey Simon Ryan runs from racehorse Riviera Red after a fall, while Malcolm Viant on Fireburst prepares for evasive action during an Oakbank jumps race in 1995. This photograph won Advertiser photographer Martin Jacka a Walkley Award.

Other than in Victoria, jumps racing is either banned or doesn’t run in any Australian state.

Greens MLC Tammy Franks said she was “really pleased” that jumps racing would finally be banned in SA.

“This ban in legislative form is similar to that in New South Wales, where once the industry stopped holding the races, the parliament banned the practice to give certainty to the industry, but also affirm that this is animal cruelty,” she said.

Ms Franks dismissed the idea that attendance at Oakbank plummeted this year because there was no jumps racing.

“That was the return from Covid, have a look at the past 10 years of Oakbank, it was bleeding punters,” she said.

“The picnic race will have a much brighter future without jumps racing at it. People will come back, those people who didn’t want to see the green screens that come up because a horse was being killed while they were having their champagne and wearing their frocks, may well come back to Oakbank now.”

Jockey Simon Ryan and racehorse Riviera Red go their separate ways as Malcolm Viant on Fireburst prepares to take evasive action during the Oakbank Maiden Hurdle on 22 March 1995. This photographer won The Advertiser photographer Martin Jacka a Walkley Award in the category of best features photograph in a newspaper.

Oakbank Racing Club chairwoman Arabella Branson said some people were “determined to hang onto the past”.

“But our members and community are more interested in building a new and exciting future for Oakbank,” she said.

“They made that clear when they returned our committee with an emphatic majority last month, and we now look forward to delivering on our vision for a vibrant Easter Carnival to complement our other days of racing throughout the year.”

Opposition racing spokesman Vincent Tarzia said it was not necessary to involve the parliament.

“We do not support the legislative ban of jumps racing in South Australia because the industry is self-regulated and has already successfully discontinued those types of events.”