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The UK’s leading equine health & well-being magazine
February/March 09 £2.95
Call for probe into race horse breeding By Louise Cordell AN MP has called for a government investigation into the race horse breeding industry amid claims that thousands are slaughtered every year because they don’t make the grade. Mike Hancock has already won support from 29 other politicians after he tabled a motion in the House of Commons calling for an end to the over-production of thoroughbreds. He has now asked the government to introduce a cap on the number of thoroughbreds a breeder is allowed to produce for the race industry. He said: “I think what happens to many of these horses is spiteful and horrible - and for what reason? A dead horse isn’t worth anything at all. “It is a tragedy that so many that don’t make the grade for racing suffer neglect or are slaughtered. “A country that prides itself on its historical connection with horses should be horrified.” Mike has cited research from welfare group Animal Aid which claims 18,000 foals are born into the British and Irish
racing industries each year, yet only around 40 per cent go on to race. The report claims that most horses who do not make the grade are slaughtered for meat. But the British Horseracing Authority has hit back – saying there is no evidence to back up the claims. A spokesman added: “Animal Aid offer vague statements of numbers without any evidence to back them up nor do they ever get challenged to do so. “They want an end to ‘overproduction’ but cannot bring themselves to acknowledge that it is predominantly, though not entirely, an Irish problem because if they did they couldn’t attack us. “Even if there was an issue with overproduction they would balk at what the realistic solution would be, which would be for breeders to put down the broodmares producing the excessive stock never likely to make a racehorse.” Andrew Tyler, director of Animal Aid, added: “The time has come for racing to account for itself and for its excesses to be curbed. The racing industry has created a breeding and racing regime that treats the thoroughbred as a mere expendable commodity.”
Equestrian entr epr eneurs will be in with a chance to audition for Dragons’ Den at this year’s BETA Inter national show. Resear c h e r s f r o m t h e B B C T wo pr ogramme will be attending the trade exhibition to find people w i t h e x c i t i n g n e w p r oducts and market r eady business plans. Dragons’ Den has pr eviously attended BETA I n t e r national, but for the first time this year, the
pr oduction team plans to conduct on-camera auditions with filming taking place during the exhibition. Suitable candidates will then be in with a str ong chance of appearing in the seventh series of Dragons’ Den – and potentially securing investment of mor e than £50,000 fr om t h e s h o w ’ s panel of rich businessmen and women including Duncan B a n n a t y n e , p i c t u r ed above.