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In April, Eric Clamp, a stable lad from Newmarket, hanged himself. Last month, a colleague did the same – the sixth such suicide in three years. What is going wrong? Aida Edemariam investigates.
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<br>http://sport.guardian.co.uk/horseracing/story/0,10149,1671808,00.html
best regards
wit
probably to do with the long hours low, wages and no rsepect off the trainers that these people work for…(not saying that Mr Fanshawe didnt respect Eric)…but just in general…its a different view over this side of the fence to what the public see… ÂÂÂ
Hi,
Sadly, suicide is also a life sentence for the victim’s family and immediate colleagues. Just a little bit of help and encouragement at the right time could have / might have prevented that tragedy.
The ages of those mentioned in the article are mature people who have survived some of the worst aspects of the industry but got to an unobserved breaking point.
The bullying culture mocks weaknesses and friendly bonds are broken by the huge staff turnover. Lack of hope, bullying, lack of esteem, long hours with poor sleep, drink, drugs, debt are a sad coctail of possible causes but employers have a legal as well as a moral duty to make the industry safe and fit to work in.
A confidential staff councelling service working with the Samaritans could be set up for the racing staff in Newmarket and other centres as at least a start.
Robert
as far as i am aware Robert a samaritans helpline has been set up for the racing community…and as you say it is a start…..but unfortunately six wasted lives too late..:(
Topcees,
Yes, this whole issue is tragic.<br>Samaritans do marvellous work on a one to one basis but the industry needs to preempt things from reaching those depths of misery. A funded service that collated all the contributory problem issues and worked with the industry to take the whole working culture from the 19th into the 21st Century might be a positive move on what can be done for potential victims in the future.<br>They do not seem to know at the moment what has hit them and why.
Robert
Robert99..<br>Eric Clamp and another tragic victim was known to me personally..and knowing them it is hard to say who will be the next potential victim as you quoted….these people were happy go lucky people and would do anything to help anybody…..we just dont know how peoples minds work….
It is a disgraceful situation that we let the people who make this sport happen get into situations like this.
Prize money is going up, surely wages should aswell? If the owners want more prize money how about a bigger percentage going to the lads in the yard?
That and the other incidents within the article indicate what a sad state of affairs racing is really in.
It’s a tough world for a raw 16yo with aspirations of getting to the top. I guess that only the smallest fraction come some way to realising that dream.
The racing industry needs to stop living in the 19th century when labour was plentiful and cheap.<br>Most stable staff are paid a pittance.<br>Millions of pounds are spent on yearlings which are cared for and ridden by  ……. stable staff.<br>So you have a 500K horse being groomed and ridden by someone who would be lucky to see £200 in their pocket each week. <br>CRAZY.
The racing industry needs to stop living in the 19th century when labour was plentiful and cheap.<br>Most stable staff are paid a pittance.<br>Millions of pounds are spent on yearlings which are cared for and ridden by  ……. stable staff.<br>So you have a 500K horse being groomed and ridden by someone who would be lucky to see £200 in their pocket each week. <br>CRAZY.
I’ve always thought that the wage that your average stable lad/lass earns borders on criminal.  I wouldn’t get out of bed for less than £6 per hour (£360 pw for a 60hr week).  To pay these people, what was it … £122 per week?  Does the minimum wage not apply to stable staff?  I know that accomodation is in addition to that, but it’s hardly a hotel is it?  You can hardly compare on site accomodation to a B+B.  Even if you called it £230 pw gross, all in, that’s farcical for a 60+hr week.  Considering that you may say that you are ‘on call’ for most of the day.<br>Anyone who thinks that the end game is worth the sacrifice is probably kidding themselves.  Obviously, it can cost you more than a nice bank balance …
Not a nice advert for the sport of kings indeed.  Dickensian is the correct word for it.  Maybe Draconian.
(Edited by Racing Daily at 3:50 pm on Dec. 22, 2005)
Wit’s old thread,
shortly due for the axe,
certainly makes one think
particularly in the light of
the thirteen mainly facebook suicides
reported in Wales recently.The common sad link of course is
directionless young people.I blame the little menace
sitting in the corner of the sitting room
and the society values it has changedI blame the little menace
sitting in the corner of the sitting room
and the society values it has changed…but as Michael Franti once observed, "Does it imitate us, or do we imitate it?"
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
Just who is wearing the beard around here Grays ?The little dark menace changes our behaviour
like the light breeze that whistles gently
through a bald man’s head.It can be a very hard life or some of these lads. The wages are crap there is no doubt about that. Some of the facilities they have as a home are pretty damn poor and with constant jibes coming from their workmates it can’t be easy for those with the weaker personalities.
Must be very lonely life for some of the lads who don’t make friends easy and are left out by the other lads. No doubt some of them will lose most of their wages gambling and with no money left they become mega depressed.
I have been around a few yards and one in particular the trainer was a stuck up snob and didn’t give a hoot about the lads, where they were sleeping wasn’t fit for pigs……I must admit most other yards were much better…..Greystoke in particular where I have never seen a happier bunch than they appeared to be.
It is one of the most devestating things for a family imaginable when someone takes their own life. Every effort should be made to ensure stable staff are given decent salaries and good facilities. They work there butts off and racing would not exisit without them.
To do that you can’t look to the trainers to do it off their own backs some barely make a profit. It has to come from the very top and a minimum wage for the industry should be set………that way training fees will be increased all over the country and the small trainer making only a decent living can cover his extra cost without the risk of losing owners.
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