Racing strives to protect its ‘social licence’

Horse racing’s “social licence” to exist is under threat, says Wilfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, chairman of the Asian Racing Federation (ARF).

The racing industry worldwide must face up to challenges posed by militant groups who campaign to have the game abolished, due to alleged cruelty and/or fear of gambling’s dangers, Engelbrecht-Bresges told the ARF’s biannual conference in Japan last week.

Conference delegates from member nations – including South African luminaries such as 4Racing’s Fundi Sithebe and Cape Racing’s Greg Bortz – hardly needed reminding of the existential threat. Speaker after speaker emphasised the need for horse welfare and aftercare, responsible gambling initiatives, and protecting the integrity of the sport.

Care and comfort after racing

A whole separate talk shop, the International Forum for the Aftercare of the Racehorse, was held a day earlier at the conference venue in Sapporo. This addressed obvious and widespread public concern about the “second half” of a thoroughbred’s life.

Japanese officials revealed that they had set-up an “equine pension fund”, with horse owners being compelled to pay into a substantial new fund to provide care and comfort for horses after racing.

A panel of famous jockeys discussed their responsibilities to the industry in terms of whip use.

Australian marketing and media expert Vicky Leonard gave a talked-about address that emphasised the need for open communication and to have relevant facts to hand to combat racing’s detractors.

Her campaign and website Kick Up For Racing is a fact-based resource to correct falsehoods easily spread about racing on social media and beyond.

“If an industry isn’t talking it is assumed it has something to hide,” said Leonard, divulging that the most read article on the website is “What happens to the slow horses?”

Engelbrecht-Bresges highlighted the importance of using science and technology to decrease horse breakdown rates.

Wild horses

“We are, in some countries, at a very critical juncture. There are more extreme groups who attack the sport and the key focus which we as a sport have to address and minimise is the catastrophic breakdown of horses and exercised-induced sudden death,” he said.

While the talking went on in Japan, a reader’s letter appeared in the US racing publication Paulick Report challenging the idea that horses are better off in the wild than on a track.

Owner and breeder John Veitch quoted Smithsonian research, published in peer-reviewed journal Science, showing wild horse bands in Nevada had a higher fatality rate over a three-year study period than thoroughbreds in race training.

Veitch also said the fatality rate on North American racetracks had dropped 34% since 2009, to the point where, in 2023, the survival rate of a thoroughbred in a race was 99.87%.

Of course, such statistics will surely be challenged.