AXA Insurance is no longer sponsoring horse racing at Kilbeggan Racecourse, it has emerged.
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports had been appealing to the company for the past three years to end the sponsorship, given the injuries and deaths at the racecourse as well as the slaughter of thousands of thoroughbred horses around Ireland.
In correspondence to AXA's CEO last year, we stated: “Figures obtained by Paul Murphy TD show that from 2012 to the end of 2022, 1,060 horses have lost their lives at racecourses around Ireland. This includes 107 deaths last year. They were killed by lethal injection or shot in the head. Many more are killed at slaughterhouses. Shocking figures reveal that since 2016, over 13,000 thoroughbred horses were slaughtered in Ireland. Thousands more have been exported to the UK for slaughter – as revealed in the disturbing BBC documentary “The Dark Side of Horse Racing” which showed horses being shot in the head. Due to all the suffering and death, we hope AXA will show compassion and finally end your support for racing.”
ICABS has welcomed the news that AXA's sponsorship of racing at Kilbeggan Racecourse has now ended.
A company spokesperson told us that “our sponsorship term of the event in question naturally came to an end in 2023” and that “to state that it was specifically due to the matters you raise would be inaccurate.”
Among the matters raised in our appeals to AXA were:
The killing of 10-year-old French horse Pont Aval who fell in the €94,000 “AXA Farm Insurance Midlands National Handicap Chase” race at Kilbeggan Racecourse on 14 July 2023.
The whipping of horses in AXA-sponsored races.
The killing of 10-year-old horse Yanworth who suffered a broken pelvis in the €75,000 3-mile “AXA Farm Insurance Midlands National Handicap Chase” at Kilbeggan Racecourse on 10 July 2020.
A horse who was “found to be lame” after the €100,000 “AXA Farm Insurance Midlands National Handicap Chase” at Kilbeggan Racecourse on 8 July 2022.
In its recent statement, AXA pointed out: “We undertake a detailed due diligence process when assessing all sponsorship opportunities. This due diligence spans a number of economic, social, and business parameters. We will continue to use this tried and tested approach to reviewing any and all future sponsorship opportunities before determining their suitability.”
Given the suffering and death of horses at racecourses, the slaughter of thousands of racehorses who do not make the grade and RTE Investigates' horrific revelations about cruelty and killing in a horse slaughterhouse (where most of the horses killed were thoroughbreds), no business should support horse racing. Please join us in contacting companies and urging them to end their sponsorship.
ACTION ALERT
Help end the cruelty and killing – stay away from racecourses and never bet on horse racing
Why you should say NO to horse racing – download and distribute the leaflet https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2023/08/05/new-leaflet-why-you-should-say-no-to-horse-racing
Join us in urging companies to stop sponsoring horse racing
Guinness Ireland
Email: customer.service@diageo.com; Consumerinfo.ireland@diageo.com
SuperValu Ireland
Email: group@musgrave.ie
Tel +353 (0) 21 4522100
https://twitter.com/Musgraveplc
The SuperValu Ireland Ladies Day meeting took place at Roscommon Racecourse on 8th of July 2024. Organisers thanked Supervalu for “making this event possible”. On the day, 5-year-old horse Morning Soldier was pulled up in the “SuperValu Co. Roscommon Ladies Day Novice Hurdle” race and was later confirmed dead.
The Connacht Hotel
Email: marketing@theconnacht.ie
Tel: +353 91 381200
EMS Copiers
Email: info@emscopiers.ie; sales@emscopiers.ie
Tel: 01 6205501.
Colm Quinn BMW
Email: sales@colmquinnbmw.ie
Tel: 090 646 5888
https://twitter.com/ColmQuinn_bmw
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Colm-Quinn-BMW/117749908310381
Bulmers Irish Cider (also known as Magners Original Irish Cider)
Email: info@bulmers.ie; company.secretary@candcgroup.ie
https://www.facebook.com/bulmersoriginalirishcider
https://twitter.com/bulmersireland
In 2022, Bulmers was announced as “the Official Entertainment Partner of Horse Racing Ireland’s Racecourses”, with a Bulmers spokesperson stating: “We are delighted to be expanding and re-energising our long-standing relationship with Horse Racing Ireland and are looking forward to the next three years working to grow the spectator experience at horse racing”
Westmeath County Council/Belvedere House and Gardens
Sponsors racing at Kilbeggan Racecourse
Email: chiefexecutive@Westmeathcoco.ie; info@belvedere-house.ie
https://x.com/westmeathcoco
https://x.com/BelvedereHouse
Kilmurray's Homevalue Hardware
Mullingar Business Park
Tel: 044 934 2955
Email: info@kilmurrayprecast.ie
Kilmurray's Homevalue Hardware sponsored the €100,000 “Kilmurray's Homevalue Hardware Mullingar Midlands National Handicap Chase” race at Kilbeggan Racecourse on 12 July 2024.
Watch "RTE Investigates: Horses - Making a Killing" (full documentary) https://youtube.com/watch?v=ymm0xh3gp7o