Media Release 11 May 2009
Cruelty complaint lodged over jumps race death
Animals Australia alleges jumps racing death breaches Vic Animal cruelty laws
Animals Australia has today lodged a formal complaint of cruelty to the RSPCA over the death of Clearview
Bay who died at Warrnambool during the running of the Grand Annual Steeple race on Thursday 7 May.
The 9 year old horse was the fifth to die in Victorian jumps races this season and died after falling and breaking
his neck at the 30th hurdle in the 5.5 km, 33-fence race. His death immediately preceded a suspension by
Racing Victoria of all jumps racing pending a final decision this week.
The Animals Australia complaint names Clearview Bay’s jockey, trainer and owners and allege cruelty and
aggravated cruelty under Section 9 and 10 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (POCTA).
In part, the POCTA states in Section 9 (1) (c) that it is a cruelty offence if .. A person does or omits to do an act with
the result that unreasonable pain or suffering is caused, or is likely to be caused, to an animal.
Glenys Oogjes, Executive Director of Animals Australia states;
“The jumps racing industry and their trainers are not above the law. They are entering horses into jumps races in
the full knowledge that horses have been routinely falling, being injured and as a result being destroyed.
“The entering of Clearview Bay in the arduous Grand National Steeple is a clear example of the mindset of the
jumps racing industry where the high risks for horses are considered acceptable. That he was not pulled up as he
tired and was out of contention towards the end of the race is unforgivable.
“Racing Victoria must now permanently ban jumps racing. If they fail to do so this week, then the Brumby
Government must act and ban it, or be a party to an industry that is flying in the face of the laws passed to protect
animals”, Ms Oogjes concluded.
Statistics: The death of Clearview Bay further contributes to the damning statistic that for every 24 horses that have
commenced a jumps race this year, one has died. There have also already been 22 falls in jumps races this season
- approximately one fall per four races run. In the Grand Annual Steeple race in which Clearview Bay fell and died,
only 8 horses finished from the 14 that commenced the race. Measures introduced after enquiries in 2002, 2005
and 2008 have not made the ‘sport’ safer for jumps horses.
Note: Animals Australia lodged two previous complaints in 2008 over the deaths of jumps horses Spanish
Symbol and Crying Storm. The RSPCA Inspectorate has completed its investigations and the files are with the
RSPCA Executive.
Media contact: Glenys Oogjes 0414 312 552
Animals Australia Office 03 9329 6333
Animals Australia Inc. 37 O’Connell Street, North Melbourne 3051
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