Help End Jumps Racing Carnage

Jumps racing is a cruel and dangerous 'sport' in which horses are forced to jump metre-high fences at high speed. It's 10 - 20 times more dangerous to horses than flat racing, and many of the injuries sustained during jumps races can be horrific. As a result, 13 horses died on the track last year (Victoria), and already in only the first part of the 2009 season 7 horses have died (5 in Victoria and 2 in South Australia).

During the Warrnambool racing carnival in May three horses - Pride of Westbury, Hassle and Clearview Bay - died after sustaining horrific injuries during jumps races.

Racing Victoria temporarily suspended jumps racing after the deaths at Warrnambool, but has now allowed the season to resume. New conditions imposed include closer scrutiny by stewards at trials, instructions to jockeys to pull tired horse out of races, and the removal of just the last jump in each race. The RVL Board (which represents the racing industry) will conduct a further review at the end of the 2009 jumps racing season. It is important that we now appeal to the Victorian and South Australian Governments to ban this cruel sport.

Please write to Minister Rob Hulls (VIC) and Minister Michael Wright (SA) and let them know that the community will no longer tolerate the Government endorsing this cruel sport.

Take Action!

Subject: (please enter a subject line) Dear Decision Maker, (please edit the letter below, or send as-is) I am appalled that the racing industry leaders have failed in their duty to protect jumps racing horses, and therefore appeal to you to ban jumps racing. The horrific images of horses breaking their necks at the Warrnambool carnival will never be forgotten. Placing horses at such risk of death and injury is not acceptable. None of the excuses put forward by the jumps racing industry for the continuation of this cruel 'sport' are acceptable -- and claims that horses will be shot, or go to the knackery has only given the community greater insight into how ruthless and uncaring the jumps racing fraternity are. Please act on behalf of the concerned community and ban jumps racing. Sincerely, Your Name

We will send this letter to:

• Rob Hulls, VIC Minister for Racing
• Michael Wright, SA Racing Minister

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