Racing industry ‘broken hearted’ as ABC report shows brutal slaughtering of horses
Five-time Melbourne Cup winning trainer Lee Freedman said he was left “broken-hearted” by shocking footage aired on the ABC, as leading trainers said the racing industry must outlaw the practice.
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Australia’s leading trainers have condemned the gruesome deaths of former racehorses at a Queensland abattoir, saying the racing industry must ensure the brutal practice is outlawed.
Five-time Melbourne Cup winning trainer Lee Freedman said he was left “broken-hearted” by shocking footage aired on the ABC’s 7.30 Report on Thursday night.
Another leading trainer, Danny O’Brien, called for racing authorities to ban all thoroughbreds from abattoir sales.
Warning: Graphic content and vision
“They’ve laid the groundwork with the tracking of thoroughbreds but maybe the rule has to be as stringent as thoroughbreds are banned from abattoirs,” said O’Brien, who trains leading Caulfield Cup hope Vow And Declare.
“The industry funds are there. I’d like to think the industry would get better.
“Why not have someone at each of these places to stop horses with thoroughbred brands going to these places? There’s a lot of great stories in rehoming,” he said.
The disturbing vision emerged ahead of one of the biggest days in Australian racing history, with the $5 million Caulfield Cup and the $14 million The Everest in Sydney being run tomorrow.
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The Herald Sun understands a ban on thoroughbreds at abattoirs has not been adopted nationally due to concerns that some horses could suffer further by being transported long distances to unregulated operations.
Authorities cite foreign examples, including the US, where attempts to avoid such a ban have caused greater welfare issues.
Champion trainer David Hayes described the brutality revealed in the footage as horrendous, cruel and barbaric, saying more must be done to ensure the welfare of horses beyond their racing careers.
“It was distressing,” Hayes said.
“No one in the industry would be happy with what was shown. The industry needs to sharpen its pencil. There’s room for improvement.”
Lindsay Park horse training facility had a strong rehoming program, he said, with horses retrained so they could be sold as riding horses.
He said most problems came “five, 10 years down the track, (when) we don’t know where the horses end up”.
The Mathew Ellerton-Simon Zahra team have a similar program, with Zahra saying trainers always endeavoured to find good homes for their retiring horses.
Lee Freedman, who now trains in Singapore, was shocked by the footage. “I am broken-hearted … if we don’t make real changes the court of public opinion will bury racing,” he tweeted.
Racing Australia figures have stated just 1 per cent of thoroughbreds are sent to their death at abattoirs.
But the ABC report claimed more than 300 racehorses — representing $5 million in prize money — were killed in three weeks at one Queensland facility alone.
In graphic footages, many of the horses were shown being abused by abattoir workers — whipped, kicked and punched, with electric prods also used.
One of the thoroughbreds captured on video at the abattoir was War Ends, who won 10 races and almost $400,000.
War Ends was shown being repeatedly abused by an abattoir worker, who verbally abused the animal before ending its life — then kicking its head as it lay dead on the slaughterhouse floor.
Racing Victoria’s chief executive Giles Thompson said equine welfare was one of the key planks of the racing industry, and it was a priority to ensure that every healthy thoroughbred leaving the industry would be looked after.
“Abattoirs and knackeries are regulated by state governments. We expect them to ensure animal welfare standards are maintained and compliance is strictly enforced,” he said.
Racing Victoria had a three-year equine welfare strategic plan that included an audit of Victorian racehorses who had not raced in the past 18 months but were not listed as being retired, he said. As part of that, Racing Victoria has established a dedicated equine welfare unit.
I am broken hearted at the ABC report. If we don’t make real changes the court of public opinion will bury racing.
— Lee Freedman (@freedman_lee) October 17, 2019
I think I’ll have nightmares forever after seeing these poor defenceless horses be tormented in these abattoirs. How can these people working there sleep at night, and how can @abc730 film these horses and leave them there once they’ve got there footage. I feel so sick. https://t.co/SXJqJ7JR62
— Jamie lee kah (@jamieleekah07) October 18, 2019
As distressing as the @abc730 report was..and it was sickening..I'd rather know about it than not know. Everyone who loves horses should know that there is a minority of sick, cruel people who should be expunged from all horse pursuits. Lots has been achieved but more is required
— Richard Freedman (@R1CHARDFREEDMAN) October 17, 2019
Had a non racing client in this morning and he saw the footage. His 80 years old and started crying in my salon as he desribed what he saw and asked is this what i do with my horses once they stop racing. It’s heartbreaking . https://t.co/W9MTkuxCOP
— Tony Ferraro (@tonyferraro3) October 18, 2019
Warwick Farm trainer David Pfieffer said he had trained two of the horses who featured in the ABC report — Tahitian Black and Next Of Kin — but said he had found them good homes at the end of their racing days.
“Tahitian Black was retired over three years ago and spent two years in a paddock owned by my foreperson before being rehomed as a show horse in the Gulgong area,” he said.
“Next Of Kin went to Vanderville Farm and was looked after by Nikki Rodgers who is very well known in equestrian circles. The horse was then rehomed to embark on a dressage career.
“Pfieffer Racing, without fail, finds decent homes for all of our retired racehorses — a fact we are proud of.”
‘WE NEED NATIONAL TRACING REGISTER’
Victorian Racing Minister Martin Pakula has urged the federal government to swiftly introduce a national horse-tracking register, as he called on agricultural authorities in Queensland to investigate the slaughter of former racehorses at an abattoir.
A Senate inquiry is examining the feasibility of registering all horses in Australia and tracking their movements throughout their lives.
Currently, racehorses are only tracked to their initial home after retirement.
“The Queensland abattoir footage on TV was shocking, and no doubt agriculture authorities in that state will be investigating as a matter of urgency,” Mr Pakula said.
“The overwhelming majority of retired racehorses are rehomed, but it’s not possible for racing authorities to track the movement of those horses long after they have retired from racing — often they have been rehomed multiple times.
“That’s why the establishment of a national horse traceability register is important.
“Racing Australia has made it clear to the Commonwealth, via a Senate inquiry, that it backs a traceability register for all horses in Australia — and Victoria supports them in calling for that reform.”
Racing Australia’s chief executive, Barry O’Farrell, said the Senate inquiry had been going on for several months, but hoped this week’s footage of the cruelty at the Queensland abattoir would expedite the process.
“It would provide federal and state animal welfare authorities access to ownership and location information for these thoroughbreds,” he said.
“Thoroughbred horses represent approximately 10 per cent of the national equine population. While racing authorities keep track of the owners and locations of thoroughbreds during their careers, that is not true for most horses across Australia.
“A national horse register would fill this gap, allow federal and state authorities access to ownership and location information and help improve welfare outcomes.”
As a trainer l have no idea were the 1% of prize money is spent l know it goes into equine welfare but we don’t get told in what areas the funding is spent obviously the abattoirs need to overhauled that was horrific viewing l just feel sick #weneedtodomore
— Pat Cannon (@Patcannonracing) October 17, 2019
Mr O’Farrell said Racing Victoria was one of the country’s leaders on the equine welfare front.
“They have bought back (integrity executive) Jamie Stier, who is regarded as an expert in the area, and their monitoring of places like Echuca (sales) is second to none,” he said.
“They have fantastic intelligence-gathering in relation to those issues, but more importantly, they have some of the best off-the-track rehoming programs, which encourages horses to go into the equestrian fields.
“This is why the failure of the Queensland state government to ensure that abattoirs in Queensland are behaving properly — which has now become a reflection on the industry — is so unfair to a state like Victoria.
“Victoria goes out of its way to try and do the right thing by horses,” said Mr O’Farrell.