Media Release
26
July 2008
Jumps racing carnage continues
Animals Australia has called on Racing Minister Rob Hulls to immediately halt jumps racing in Victoria after a
further horse was killed today. The death toll from the current jumps racing season rose to 11 after Spanish
Symbol was put down after falling in the Hiskens Steeple at Moonee Valley.
‘The falls and the deaths are foreseeable, they are inevitable, and jumps racing must now be labelled
institutionalised cruelty’, stated Glenys Oogjes, Executive Director of Animals Australia.
‘Apart from the high death rate, horses are falling and being injured at an alarming rate. There have been at
least 26 falls this season despite the new-style ‘soft top’ jumps.”
‘Minister Hulls must stop the racing season now. Every race that is allowed to commence puts horses at great
risk of suffering and death’, concluded Ms Oogjes.
Background:
Jumps racing is up to 20 times more dangerous than flat racing.
Previous reviews held in 2002 and 2005 and subsequent changes to the hurdles, have not worked.
The 2008 current death toll – 11 horses to date, is higher than each year since 2002.
Jumps racing now occurs only in Victoria and South Australia.
NSW banned jumps racing in 1995 and Tasmania ceased all jumps racing in 2007.
2008 horse racing jumps season deaths:-
Silver Bonanza killed 11/3/08 at Warnambool,
Victory Sweep killed 8/4/08 at Pakenham
Shades of Dane killed 12/4/08 at Hamilton
Poker Face killed 1/5/08, at Warnambool
Force Nine killed 4/5/08, at Sandown
Rhythm Stick killed 1/6/08, at Casterton
Crying Storm, killed 14/6/08, at Sandown
Turbo Charged, killed 22/6/08, at Casterton
Charted and Eveready, both killed 28/6/08 in the
Grand National Hurdle at Flemington
Spanish Symbol, killed 26/7/08 in the Hiskens
Steeple at Moonee Valley
For media comment:
Glenys Oogjes Executive Director, Animals Australia Mob: 0414 312 552
Animals Australia Office 03 9329 6333
Animals Australia Inc. 37 O’Connell Street, North Melbourne 3051
NEWS 
