Breeders Aghast at New Rules

AUSTRALIAN racing’s governing body, Racing Australia, has made few friends in the breeding industry with its decision to introduce new rules for registration of thoroughbred foals.

The announcement might have been made on a wintry July 6, but the heat that rose from the dismay of Australian breeders made for a balmy response.

The new registration means that thoroughbred foals and their owners will come under the Australian Rules of Racing.

Breeders, almost en masse, have fought such a registration, with their main argument being that they are primary producers and therefore should not be bound by rules that govern the racing industry.

“The bloke who owns the cow isn’t responsible for what happens on the supermarket shelves,” is how one breeder put it.

There is strong talk from the national and state breeding associations to consider a legal challenge to any new rules, citing that there is no precedent for Racing Australia to have control over a primary industry.

Racing Australia’s Chief Executive Peter McGauran claims the reforms “will strengthen ownership transparency and traceability leading to improved integrity and animal welfare in the thoroughbred industry.”

On the other hand the  breeders lobby has described the rules as “cumbersome, badly drafted, costly and intrusive”.

McGauran said it was important that there be control for owners over the lifespan of the thoroughbred.

“At the moment, authorities have no knowledge of the owners, nor any responsibility or authority until they’re registered as racehorses at two years,” he said.

“That’s unacceptable, as there are some 3,000 thoroughbreds born each year that weren’t registered as racehorses.”

“We do need to account for them so we can rebut the animal-rights extremists and satisfy the general community that thoroughbreds are cared for and their location is known.” Peter McGauran said.

Breeders are dismayed that the rules have gone through after months of consultation and with their concerns ignored.

One of their arguments is that the control of the primary producers is simply a “cash grab” by racing’s ruling body.

The governance of foals from 30 days of age also means that Racing Australia through its national integrity departments, can subject breeders’ properties to random inspections.

Basil Nolan, president of  Thoroughbred Breeders Australia, has been vocal in his argument against any interference by Racing Australia, and claims the proposed rule changes may needlessly increase the administrative burden on studs and lead to higher costs.

In an interesting twist the Chairman of  Racing Australia John Messara who is probably Australia’s best known thoroughbred breeder and principal of Arrowfield Stud where he stands the champion stallion Redoute’s Choice along with rising stars Snitzel and Not A Single Doubt said at a meeting with breeders in May “breeders have nothing to fear if they are doing nothing wrong.“

Peter Orton, from Vinery Stud, said it was incongruous that breeders don’t have a place on the board of  Racing Australia, but now will be answerable to it, while another breeder, Hamish Esplin, who is also a solicitor, said any challenge by a breeder to a prosecution by RA stewards could cost at least $100,000.

At the end of the meeting, none of the 90 breeders in attendance , apart from Messara, supported the Racing Australia proposal.

However, many trainers, bloodstock agents and yearling sale buyers support the intervention by Racing Australia.

Hall of Fame trainer Lee Freedman said it was long overdue that the ownership of a weanling or yearling is fully disclosed to prospective buyers at a sale.

Every yearling should have a passport of its complete veterinary history for inspection at the time of sale – everything from corrective surgery to treatment for illness,” he said. “People are spending hundreds and thousands on yearlings with no knowledge of the horse’s history, it’s time for a change.”

Until now, once a mare has finished her racing career and sold as a broodmare, a transfer of ownership with the racing body doesn’t exist.

The mare’s registration certificate remains with her during her breeding life, but the only indication of a change of ownership is when the birth of any foal is notified to the Stud Book.

Interestingly, advocates for change were quick to jump on the fact that the new rules will help to prevent happening to the horse industry what has happened to the greyhound racing industry in New South Wales.

The day after the announcement of the new rules, the NSW state government made a shock announcement to shut down greyhound racing in July 2017 following an extensive report in the wake of last year’s discovery of widespread live-baiting and extensive “wastage” deaths of uncompetitive greyhounds in Australia.

The thoroughbred breeding industry may consider itself at arm’s length from the racing industry, but in these interesting times a cohesive joint response to welfare concerns can only be a good thing.