Irish Horse Racing News: HRI Condemns Mistreatment Exposed in RTÉ Exposé
(Dublin, Ireland – March 15th, 2023) Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), the governing body for the sport in the country, has released a strong statement condemning the disturbing findings of an RTÉ investigative documentary on the treatment of retired racehorses.
In the statement, HRI expressed deep shock and outrage over the “criminal behavior” depicted in the RTÉ Investigates program, which aired on RTÉ 1 television. The governing body asserted that such actions are not representative of the vast majority of the 30,000 individuals working in Ireland’s horse racing and breeding industry.
“HRI has zero tolerance for mistreatment of horses in any circumstance, and criminal and regulatory sanction must be imposed on anyone found to have behaved in an illegal way towards horses.”
The organization emphasized that equine welfare and care are its top priorities, with €16.1 million invested in welfare and integrity services this year alone.
The RTÉ documentary, described as a “major new investigation,” examined issues within the Irish and European horse industries, including the slaughter of some horses in Ireland and the practice of reidentifying and trading horses across Europe.
HRI stated that it will review the issues raised in the documentary and fully support any investigations by the Department of Agriculture or the Garda Síochána (Irish police). The governing body also urged anyone with information about the mistreatment of horses to report it to the authorities.
The thoroughbred horse is enshrined in Irish and EU law, and HRI emphasized that significant legal and regulatory checks and balances are in place to ensure the welfare of these animals throughout their racing careers and life cycles.
This incident has shed light on a troubling aspect of the horse racing industry, and HRI’s strong response underscores the organization’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of equine welfare and integrity within the sport.
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