Spat over poultry threatens future of SA horse racing

The future of horse racing in South Africa is being threatened by an international agricultural trade deal wrangle.

Horse export protocols were being used as “a pawn” in a battle between South Africa and the European Union (EU) over poultry exports and imports, said Adrian Todd, MD of SA Equine Health and Protocols (SAEHP), a non-profit company responsible for equine welfare on behalf of government.

Racing will not come to an immediate halt following the shock decision to stop issuing permits for horses to be transported around the country. But the outlook for 2021 is very uncertain and the prestigious L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and Sun Met race meetings in January could be badly affected if horses from other regions cannot travel to Cape Town.

The racing world was rocked this week by news that no new permits would be issued from 1 December following a “temporary suspension” of the SAEHP.

It has since emerged that some trainers have valid horse-travel permits for the next two to four weeks, allowing the racing schedule to continue for the time being.

The issuing, updating and monthly validation of multiple movement permits has reverted to the state, but it is common knowledge that the Department of Agriculture does not have the capacity to do the job.

Leading trainer Mike de Kock summed up the situation: “Obviously at this stage the state will have to issue permits which could take goodness knows how long – if at all.”

The SAEHP could, according to Todd, resume its duties should the EU reschedule a much-anticipated export protocol audit, which was originally scheduled for April, but was indefinitely postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The export protocols, including rigorous quarantine measures, are aimed at combating the spread of African Horse Sickness (AHS) to other parts of the world.

An audited clean bill of health for the protocols should see long-standing, onerous barriers to horse exports removed – putting the country on a level playing field with other thoroughbred-producing countries and throwing a lifeline to struggling breeders.

Leading trainer Justin Snaith commented on Tuesday: “The importance of the EU audit taking place must not be underestimated.

“The amount of jobs hanging in the balance is enormous and disturbing. The export of thoroughbreds is essential to the sustainability of the sport of horse racing.”

Recent research has shown that more than 177,000 South Africans are supported by the racing and breeding industries.

Todd said he hoped the SAEHP shut-down would highlight the plight of the horse industry.

“Neither government is willing to commit to a new date for the audit,” said Todd. “These trade negotiations could take six to eight months to conclude, but the equine industry simply doesn’t have that amount of time.

“The situation has become critical. The number of breeders in South Africa has declined steeply recently and, unless something changes soon, we won’t be able to sustain racing in this country. We won’t be able to produce enough horses to hold race meetings,” explained Todd.

He hoped SAEHP’s shut-down would prompt all interested parties to reassess the situation. He was in close contact with government officials and hoped “our plight will be heard”.

The SAEHP had been a “very successful” public-private partnership, with the organisation assuming responsibility for equine health throughout the country and relieving the government of administrative and financial burdens, explained Todd.

The racing industry has funded SAEHP operations but a lack of clarity and progress on a way forward means that this cannot continue.

Snaith revealed that all horses in his care had permits to travel to Western Cape racecourses from his base at Philippi until the end of December.

Paul Peter, trainer of last Saturday’s Summer Cup winner Summer Pudding, said the star filly had a valid travel permit for two weeks. The stable’s original plan had been to take her to Cape Town for a tilt at the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes in January, but this would be discussed again in the light of the new developments.

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