An Irish business which sponsored a recent horse racing event has vowed never to sponsor racing again after a horse fell during the race and died.
Following the horse’s death, the business owner told ICABS: “I had already made up my mind not to sponsor again as I agree that it was very upsetting and unnecessary that any animal should have to die for any type of sport”.
In our appeal, we highlighted the Irish horses who suffer and die at tracks around Ireland and the UK and the thousands sent to slaughter each year.
At least 100 are known to have died during or after races around Ireland in 2021, plus 44 so far this year. Sickening Horse Racing Ireland statistics, obtained by Paul Murphy TD, show that a total of 1,166 horses have lost their lives at races in Ireland since 2012. 870 of these fatalities occurred at racecourses and 296 at foxhunt-organised point-to-point races.
These figures do not include the horses killed in training or the thousands who do not make the grade and are destroyed behind-the-scenes.
Dail Questions from Deputy Murphy have revealed that 13,484 thoroughbred horses have been slaughtered at Department of Agriculture-approved slaughterhouses in Ireland since 2016.
Thousands more Irish horses have been exported to the UK for slaughter – as highlighted in the shocking BBC documentary “The Dark Side of Horse Racing” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlpQhJFd5Bo
ACTION ALERT
Urge other companies to stop sponsoring horse racing, including car dealer Colm Quinn BMW (Tel: 090 6465888 / Email: colm@colmquinnbmw.ie; customerservices@bmw.ie)
“Colm Quinn BMW” is being asked to stop sponsoring horse racing after horses died in its 2021 and 2022 Punchestown races. At Punchestown on 30 April 2022, 10-year-old French horse Class Conti fell and was “fatally injured” in the “Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase”. During the race, two other horses fell and five others were pulled up, including one who weakened and had a nasal discharge. Last year at the same racecourse, 10-year-old Irish horse Monbeg Notorious suffered a broken leg in the “Colm Quinn BMW Group Handicap Chase” on 1st May 2021 and was destroyed. See race footage at https://twitter.com/banbloodsports/status/1388632457805770761
Don’t bet on horse racing or greyhound racing or attend racing events.
Urge the government to stop supporting racing. Since 2001, the Irish Government has granted €1,240 million (€1.24 Billion) to horse racing.
Contact Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and demand an end to state funding to these two gambling activities which cause much suffering and death to animals. Tell them to redirect the funds to the many deserving charities, health/homeless/environmental groups, sports clubs, animal rescue centres, etc crying out for funding.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie; micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1–618 4350 or +353 (0)21-432 0088
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar
Telephone: +353 (0)1-640 3133
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Paschal Donohoe TD
Minister for Finance
Email: paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie; minister@finance.gov.ie
Tel: 01 604 5626
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaschalDonohoe/
Tweet to @Paschald