Horse racing has “declined in the Irish public consciousness”

Kampanya güncellemesiIrish Government: Stop giving millions of euros to horse racingHorse racing has “declined in the Irish public consciousness”

Irish Council Against Blood SportsMullingar, İrlanda

12 Ara 2024

The Racing Post is reporting this week that interest in horse racing in Ireland is continuing to decline with “so few people actually watching”.

The 10th December 2024 report headed “Ireland's racing fortunes have never ridden higher - what a pity so few people are actually watching” stated: “Success at home and abroad has failed to halt the sport's decline in the public consciousness”. https://www.racingpost.com/news/opinion/comment/irelands-racing-fortunes-have-never-ridden-higher-what-a-pity-so-few-people-are-actually-watching-akD4K8E3qSIV/

This strengthens the case for an end to the Irish Government’s massive annual grants to horse racing. Since 2001, €1.46 Billion of taxpayers’ money has been handed over to horse racing, including €79.28 million for 2025.

Declining interest in horse racing has been fuelled by revelations about cruelty and killing. Horrific abuse of race horses before slaughter was exposed in the “RTE Investigates: Horses – Making a Killing” documentary. The programme, which shocked the nation with its upsetting scenes of horses being hit, punched, prodded with a pitchfork and terrorised before slaughter, can be viewed at https://youtube.com/watch?v=ymm0xh3gp7o

Horses are also mercilessly whipped towards finishing lines during races. Over the years, many have suffered and died at races. Further to a Dail Question from Paul Murphy TD, it emerged that more than 1,300 horses have lost their lives at racecourses and point to point races in Ireland since 2012.

Horse Racing Ireland revealed the method of killing to be either lethal injection or a bullet in the head.

The death figures do not include the horses injured at racecourses, taken away and later killed elsewhere or the horses killed behind the scenes because they are not fast enough to win races.

Many more horses are also killed in slaughterhouses. Between 2016 and 2023, 15,658 thoroughbreds were slaughtered at “Department-approved slaughter facilities” in Ireland.

ACTION ALERT

Don’t bet on horse racing or attend horse racing events.

Contact the leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and demand an end to state funding to this gambling activity which causes so much suffering and death. 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.

Micheál Martin
Email: 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

Simon Harris TD
Email: simon.harris@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Telephone: +353 (0)1 618 3805 or +353 (0)1 889 2442
X: http://www.twitter.com/SimonHarrisTD
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeputySimonHarris

Join us in urging companies to stop sponsoring horse racing

Guinness Ireland
Email: customer.service@diageo.com; Consumerinfo.ireland@diageo.com

The Connacht Hotel
Email: marketing@theconnacht.ie
Tel: +353 91 381200

O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey
Email: info@odriscollsirishwhiskey.com
O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey sponsors the “New Years Day Chase" at Tramore Racecourse.

SuperValu Ireland
Email: group@musgrave.ie
Tel +353 (0) 21 4522100
X: https://twitter.com/Musgraveplc
The SuperValu Ireland Ladies Day meeting took place at Roscommon Racecourse on 8th 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.

EMS Copiers
Email: info@emscopiers.ie; sales@emscopiers.ie
Tel: 01 6205501.

Colm Quinn BMW
Email: sales@colmquinnbmw.ie
Tel: 090 646 5888
X: ttps://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
X: 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
X: 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.

Irish Government grants to horse racing

2001 €47,110,330
2002 €54,452,651
2003 €51,348,800
2004 €53,531,200
2005 €54,680,000
2006 €56,047,000
2007 €58,539,000
2008 €61,028,800
2009 €54,502,000
2010 €47,411,200
2011 €45,830,000
2012 €45,032,000
2013 €44,016,000
2014 €43,376,000
2015 €54,400,000
2016 €59,200,000
2017 €64,000,000
2018 €64,000,000
2019 €67,200,000
2020 €67,200,000
2021 €76,800,000
2022 €70,400,000
2023 €72,800,000
2024 €76,000,000
2025 €79,280,000

TOTAL: €1,468,184,981
(€1.46 Billion)

Thoroughbred horses slaughtered in Ireland

2023: 1,428
2022: 1,050
2021: 1,105
2020: 1,549
2019: 2,218
2018: 2,526
2017: 2,829
2016: 2,952