The first horse, Springwell Bay has died at this year’s Cheltenham Festival after falling at a fence while racing and sustaining a fatal injury.
Springwell Bay: killed at Cheltenham
It brings the death total at the Cheltenham Festival to 77 horses since the turn of the century with Animal Aid figures showing a horse dying at every single festival since 2000.
Announcing the sad news on ITV Racing, presenter Ed Chamberlin said: “There will be a sad postscript to the race I’m afraid because I have been handed a note to say that Springwell Bay, who took a nasty fall and was immediately tended to by the veterinary professionals, sadly sustained a fatal injury. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the connections of Springwell Bay. That is a sad finish to the race that was won by Caldwell Potter.”
Of course, these condolences are less for the horse, and more for the people making money off it.
National animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports has been calling on the public to boycott the Cheltenham Festival in protest at its shocking safety record and the 76 horses that have died racing there since 2000.
At least one horse has died at every single festival that has been held since the turn of the century and campaigners fear this year will be no different, with gambling profits being put before horse welfare.
The League is calling on people to not attend the festival, bet on it or watch the ITV coverage and the advertising set to run alongside it.
It has also lost faith in the British Horse Racing Authority and is calling for an independent regulatory body with horse welfare as it number one priority along with a ban on the use of the whip for ‘encouragement’.
Therefore, Springwell Bay’s death was sadly predictable.
No more
Emma Slawinski, chief executive at the League Against Cruel Sports, has expressed her concerns at the terrible news:
The profits of gambling companies and people’s entertainment are being put before the well-being of the horses.
We are calling on people to boycott the festival by staying away, by refusing to bet on it, and by avoiding the TV coverage and advertising, which glosses over the cruelty of what is taking place.”
The British Horse Racing Authority needs to be replaced by an independent regulatory body that has horse welfare as its number one priority and that moves to ban the cruel use of the whip.
Emma added:
We said in advance that it was almost inevitable we will see more horses being sacrificed during this year’s festival, losing their lives while people in the stands, unaware of the cruelty they are supporting, check their betting slips and phones. And now Springwell Bay lies dead.
Featured image via the Canary
