• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Cheltenham Festival Defends Safety Record After Multiple Horse Deaths

Home> News

Updated 16:29 19 Mar 2022 GMTPublished 16:28 19 Mar 2022 GMT

Cheltenham Festival Defends Safety Record After Multiple Horse Deaths

A regional director at the Jockey Club has said the welfare of the horses is 'paramount'

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

Organisers of Cheltenham Festival have said the safety and welfare of its horse is ‘paramount’ after facing criticism for four horse deaths. 

During the opening race on Tuesday, a horse named Shallwehaveonemore fell and subsequently had to be euthanized.  

On Thursday, horses Mindsmadeup and Born Patriot fell and had to be put down. 

And yesterday (Friday 18 March Ginto) was also put down after sustaining an injury. 

Advert

The deaths have sparked a backlash from animal rights campaigners with The League Against Cruel Sports saying the horses were being ‘sacrificed in the name of entertainment’. 

Alamy

Now, Ian Renton, regional director at The Jockey Club, has said staff put the welfare of horses ‘at the top of our list’. 

Speaking to BBC Radio Gloucestershire, Renton said: "All our team here work absolutely tirelessly to do everything we can for horses and human welfare and that is absolutely paramount in everything we think.

"We got criticised for watering [the course] on Tuesday night, the reason for that is to try to ensure we produce absolutely the safest ground, and we will continue to do that.

Advert

"We will continue to take criticism for things like that because the welfare of horses is what we put at the top of our list."

According to figures from campaign group Animal Aid, 73 horses have died at Cheltenham since 2000. 

Following the deaths at this year's races, the League Against Cruel sports is calling for a new independent regulatory body and urged organisers to implement ‘much tighter’ safety measures for the horses. 

Alamy

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has previously labelled the sport 'racing to the grave' for horses.

Advert

On its website, it states: "Horses begin training or are already racing when their skeletal systems are still growing and are unprepared to handle the pressures of competition racing on a hard track at high speeds.

"One study on injuries at racetracks concluded that one horse in every 22 races suffered an injury that prevented him or her from finishing a race, while another estimated that three thoroughbreds die every day in North America because of catastrophic injuries during races."


Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: UK News, Animals

Claire Reid
Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

10 hours ago
12 hours ago
13 hours ago
  • (KLAS)(KLAS)
    10 hours ago

    Horrifying mystery as piles of cremated human remains found in remote desert outside of Las Vegas

    The horrifying scene was discovered around 60 miles south of Las Vegas

    News
  • Bettmann/CORBISBettmann/CORBIS
    12 hours ago

    Sobering true story behind haunting image with four young children 'for sale'

    Those children really were sold off

    News
  • (Instagram/LeandrodeSouzbless)(Instagram/LeandrodeSouzbless)
    12 hours ago

    Man who had tattooed 95% of his body reveals what he looks like after having them removed

    Leandro de Souza previously held the title of Brazil's most tattooed man

    News
  • Getty Stock ImagesGetty Stock Images
    13 hours ago

    Science behind 'rubbing it better' and why it actually works

    The gate control theory of pain is an incredible coping mechanism for the human body

    News
  • Truth behind ‘golden retriever experience’ revealed as owner barred from owning dogs after animal deaths
  • Horrifying moment bullfighter dies after being picked up and slammed against wall by bull in front of crowd
  • British man suffered one of the worst deaths possible after getting 'stuck in cave forever'
  • Simulation shows brutal execution method involving an elephant that is ‘one of the worst deaths in history’