Wanganui Jockey Club has announced their jumps race day scheduled for this Sunday had to be cancelled. The event, which
would have marked the end of the 2020 jumps season, cited lack of entries as the reason, with a total of only fourteen
recieved across the four races.
Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) spokesperson Frances Baker stated "Although we were looking forward to
taking a team from Wellington to Whanganui to raise awareness about the cruelty of jumps racing, we are ecstatic to
learn we will no longer need to. Horses will now be spared the arduous task of being forced to jump obstacles at high
speeds and a life or two may even be saved from the decision".
"At least five horses have been killed directly from jumps racing this season. These are just the ones we have heard
about. Many more of the injured simply vanish" Ms Baker said.
"There is clearly a declining interest in jumps races, even from within the industry itself. It is the perfect time for
the government to step in and ban the cruel so called 'sport' as has been done in NSW, Australia" she said.
"If jumps racing returns next year, CPR will be launching a strong campaign to ban it, and use the awful activity as a
clear example of an industry and government that does not at all care about horses, as they claim to, by allowing it to
continue" Ms Baker said.
RIP those that have died so far in this year's jumps racing season;
Bad Boy Brown - video here - 1:32
Perry Mason - video here - 4:53
Al Haram – video here - not an obvious injury but carnage for many horses across the race
Lucky Escape – video here - 1:54
Wagner – video here - 2:59
13 total incidents were due to jumps racing (limb injuries, fractures, bleeding present in noses, lameness)
Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses is calling on the new government to ban jumps racing immediately. It is
inherently dangerous and inhumane.