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I think this subject deserves a more prominent place in the forum than General Sports after the Welsh government’s announcement of a ban on greyhound racing.
The beginning of the end for horse racing?
NZ banned Greyhound racing few months back , Entain own betting in NZ and didn’t appear to worry them , Entain closed Crayford few months back . When the big money don’t care the sport is gone . Won’t last much longer .
As for horse racing my guess is jumps is on rocky ground in UK , it’s a pale shadow of its former glory , I’ve said for years in my lifetime it will go , 20 years max I’d give it . Flat racing I reckon will survive a lot longer.More unnecessary bedwetting.
The racing and breeding industries contribute many millions of pounds to the British economy and employ many thousands of people.
Greyhound racing? Not so much.
Also horse-racing actively engages with organisations genuinely concerned about welfare in a way that greyhound racing never has. We have discussions here about changes we do and don’t like and complain about pandering to the public but we can now see the results of ignoring public opinion.
What people don’t realise is that many animal rights groups don’t actually want animals to exist in anything but a truly wild state. No pet dogs or cats.Lets not forget that it was animal rights activists that let out so many mink from fur farms that are now decimating our native animals.
I don’t think we should waste our time with those extremists Moe. It’s right what you say but they are a minority (albeit a noisy one). It’s the likes of the RSPCA and its supporters that could present a threat to horse-racing. Not “animal rights extremists” but ordinary people with genuine concerns about animal welfare (albeit some based on ignorance) plus people in government who are often even more ignorant but court the support of the above.
“If greyhound racing can be banned in Wales, then it would be foolish to think horse racing is not at risk. This is a huge wake-up call.”
Presumably Glad thinks Mark Johnston is being hysterical as well?
Given the Labour government in Wales is oh so concerned about “cruelty” to animals (a concern no doubt shared by Starmer & Co), I assume they are going to ban the barbaric practice of halal slaughter next?
Oh no, of course not. That would lose far too many of their votes. Can’t have any more seats lost to “independent” candidates..
“Lets not forget that it was animal rights activists that let out so many mink from fur farms that are now decimating our native animals.”
Quite. The water vole has become almost extinct in Britain thanks to these beasts. Plenty of bird species such as kingfishers have also been badly affected by them raiding their nest sites.
Mink are a major problem in wetland habits and animal rights extremists are largely responsible for their prevalence (although there were regular escapes from fur farms so arguably it would have happened in many areas anyway). However, the reason they became so quickly and successfully established was the absence of our native otter (result of pollution, hunting and persecution). As otters return, so do water voles and mink retreat.
Agree with Glad. Not the first time Johnston has overreacted, or offered poor advice. Worst thing horse-racing can do now is to ally itself with a doomed sport. I am sorry that greyhound racing is in decline but it’s the fault of its governing bodies. Horse-racing needs to be highlighting the ways in which it is different rather than get dragged down with a sport that has done nothing to defend itself.
I think fishermen in particular really dislike otters. If I mention anything about sightings of them on social media I’m pretty careful not to give details of where I’ve seen them. Although someone knew exactly where I was from the vaguest description because it’s where he sees them there, too.
Fatality rate of jump racing v fatality rate greyhounds , maybe racing dont need to wet the bed , but the old bladder should be a bit shaky if those figures are examined . Then examine figures after race falls , how many never return . I dont want a ban at all but its not a given it survives . Not sure breeding NH horses gives a ton of employmemt in UK either , racing yes but most horse purchases over sticks are imports .
The timing of the announcement stemmed from the desperation to get one member from another party to vote in favour of the Labour budget to enable it to squirm through.
As expected, the helpful member was the sole Lib Dem Jane Dodds. She had taken on a retired racing greyhound and claimed the creature had been traumatised by racing. She brought her expertise to bear in demanding a ban on the sport in return for her support to Labour.
Although Plaid Cymru opposed the Labour budget I’ve little doubt they support the ban in common with all the other progressives the electorate landed themselves with .
Seems far more likely that the retired greyhound was ‘traumatised’ by discovering it was now owned by a Lib Dem.
Brilliant, AP.
The decision is typical of modern politics. Herd like thinking, emotion and feelings valued more than logic and rational argument and a desire to feel good rather than doing actual good.
This decision will not save a single animal from cruelty. But it will allow some politicians in the Welsh Assembly to continue thinking they are the moral and virtuous chosen ones.
Which parties wouldn’t traumatise the poor animal?
As ever the answer is somewhere in the middle. I really don’t think horse racing needs to panic too much as any ban would face orders of magnitude more resistance than dog racing but to completely dismiss it would also be foolish. Consider it a shot across the bows.
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