Fork in the road

Lawrence Pope, conspicuous by his lower profile over the past few months, has re-entered the jumping racing debate in his recent letter to the Winning Post (2/1) by advising the Racing Victoria Board to "maintain its current course" apropos of the sport’s scheduled termination at the conclusion of the 2010 season.

There is no point debating jumping racing with Pope because it isn’t the issue. The real issue for Victorian racing participants relates to what we are going to do to protect our livelihoods from people with the objective of systematically dismantling our industry because they don’t like horse racing. Let’s not kid ourselves: horse racing is under attack, our industry is under attack, jobs are in jeopardy and the short-, medium- and long-term welfare of racing families is at risk.

After a number of years of pretty much going it alone with some benign assistance from Glenys Oojges (Animals Australia) and Hugh Wirth (RSPCA), Lawrence Pope has in recent times become impatient with his level of progress. An obvious byproduct of this is his decision to get into bed with Ward Young and Elio Celotto from the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses, which might be better named the Coalition for the Abolition of Horse Racing.

Pope has preferred to contribute from behind the scenes, not getting his hands dirty. Collectively, this small group has got itself organised, utilising contemporary media and other methods very effectively to launch its attack on our racing industry.

This particular campaign is probably codenamed "Operation Jumps Racing Abolition" or something very similar, but other campaigns will follow and here is a bit of a snapshot into the future:

Glenys Oojges (Animals Australia) — "We have many objections to horse racing generally."

Ward Young (Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses) — "The whip must be abolished."

Elio Celotto (Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses) — "To exploit animals for human entertainment and keep them in conditions which can be only compared to a gaol is abhorrent and a blight on our society."

ALF (Animal Liberation Front) — "Racing is an example of human abuse of animals merely for entertainment and pleasure."

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) — "Only an end to the Sport of Kings will stop the cruelty of horse racing."

Over the past 12 months I have learned how vulnerable and naive our industry is.

The anti-racing activists have succeeded in getting jumping racing placed on death row. The magnitude of this outcome and the potential consequences for other components of the industry does not seem to have resonated with many industry leaders.

Instead of fighting back, information is provided, meetings held, pleasantries exchanged and tea and cupcakes shared with these activists whose intention it is to do us serious harm.

Decision makers have sat back as our participants are abused, intimidated and assaulted as they enter the racecourse and even our industry publications are prepared to publish gratuitous and self-serving anti-horse racing propaganda from Lawrence Pope and others.

When is this industry going to wake up? Is it going to take "Operation Whip Abolition", "Operation Two-Year-Old Racing Abolition" or "Operation Yearling Breaking-in Abolition" before we collectively realise what is happening?

All racing participants should be worried that Lawrence Pope and Ward Young have formed an alliance. Ward Young has close ties with PETA, which in turn has longstanding ties with the Animal Liberation Front.

It is reported that the United States Department of Agriculture officially lists PETA as a terrorist organisation. Wikipedia describes the Animal Liberation Front as an international, underground resistance that engages in illegal action on behalf of animals.

It is reported that the ALF has been known to plant firebombs in restaurants, destroy butcher shops and torch research laboratories. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation considers ALF among America’s most active and prolific terrorist groups, but PETA considers it a wonderful organisation, comparing it to the French Resistance!

My concern relates to what Ward Young, PETA and the Animal Liberation Front are planning for our industry next week, next month, next year, next decade. History illustrates that these people don’t go away. Appeasement is a fatal mistake as the more success they achieve, the more voracious their appetite becomes.

The Victorian racing industry has come to a fork in the road and the RVL board has a very important decision to make over the next couple of weeks in respect of the long-term protection and fortification of our overall industry.

Currently the AJRA is negotiating with RVL through Melbourne Racing Club vice-chairman Mike Symons for jumping racing to continue beyond 2010. The AJRA’s final submission will be submitted not later than January 15 and the RVL board will revisit the issue on January 19.

The fundamental issue for all of us participants is whether we are going to allow our industry to be sabotaged by extremists.

I make a pledge to all industry participants that when the whistle blows on January 19, the Australian Jumping Racing Association will charge out of the trenches and do everything possible to protect Victorian racing, via the re-establishment of jumping racing as the industry’s first line of defence.