New Horse Traceability Rules
Racing Australia has approved the introduction of new rules to improve the horse traceability requirements in the Australian Rules of Racing which come into effect on 1 May 2021.
The purpose of the new traceability rules is to enhance and broaden the traceability of horses throughout the period of their life during which the racing industry has jurisdiction over them and relevant industry participants.
It is envisaged that greater transparency with respect to the status and movement of horses will enable racing authorities to better track horses and, consequently, help ensure more positive equine welfare outcomes.
The new traceability rules are separated into 5 divisions for ease of reference:
▪ Unnamed horses
▪ Named horses
▪ Breeding horses
▪ Access to property
▪ Breach of traceability rules
All licensed and registered persons who participate in the thoroughbred industry must ensure they understand their responsibilities under these new rules, which include ensuring that ownership records and the location of horses are kept up-to-date at all stages of a horse's life and that deaths are reported to Racing Australian and Racing NSW.
The updated traceability rules can be found in the link HERE
The following link provides a summary of the responsibilities of persons bound by the rules at each stage of a horse's life - CLICK HERE
Equine Welfare
As part of its ongoing commitment to Equine Welfare, in October 2017 Racing NSW introduced NSW Local Rule 114 which sets out various horse welfare initiatives to ensure the proper care of thoroughbreds that have been domiciled in NSW for the majority of their lives.
The fundamental requirements of LR 114 include;
- When a thoroughbred is retired, the managing owner must advise Racing NSW of the location and name of the person in charge of such horse and must not transfer the horse to a location that does not meet the Racing NSW Minimum Standards;
- The managing Owner must make all reasonable endeavours to find a home for the horse in retirement;
- A thoroughbred must not be directly or indirectly sent to an abattoir, knackery or similarly disposed of;
- A thoroughbred must not be sold or gifted at a livestock auction not approved by Racing NSW;
- A thoroughbred is not to be transferred to a new home until it receives all necessary veterinary treatment.
LR114 (updated 1 February 2021) can be found by CLICKING HERE
Minimum Standards and Guidelines of Equine Welfare
Racing NSW continues to review and monitor its Equine Welfare Program to ensure that thoroughbreds that have been domiciled in NSW for the majority of their lives are cared for having regard to appropriate horse welfare standards. As part of this review, Racing NSW has released Minimum Standards and Guidelines of Equine Welfare, which contains compulsory Minimum Standards and also ‘best practice’ Guidelines.
The Minimum Standards detail the minimum standards required for the care of thoroughbred horses in the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry and must be complied with by “persons in charge” of horses in the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry. These include minimum requirements in respect of the following:
- provision of appropriate nutrition and water
- freedom of movement and exercise
- provision of appropriate accommodation
- protection from disease
- identification and treatment of injury and disease.
- sales, auctions and re-homing
- euthanasia and death
In addition to the Minimum Standards, the Guidelines set out a number of best practices principles that are encouraged in the industry in respect of horse welfare.
The Minimum Standards and Guidelines are to be read in conjunction with NSW Local Rule 114 which outlines Equine Welfare requirements for the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry and can be found by CLICKING HERE
Excluded List – NSWLR114(5)(b)(ii)
The Excluded List has been introduced to prohibit thoroughbreds that have been domiciled in NSW for the majority of their lives from being transferred, gifted or sold to a person that has not complied with required equine welfare standards or with the Rules of Racing. If a person is placed on the Racing NSW Excluded List, that person will not be able to receive or have in their care a thoroughbred that has been domiciled in NSW for the majority of their lives. The rule is effective 1 May 2020.
LR114(5)
Further to AR64JA(1), where a decision has been made to retire a horse, or not to commence racing an Eligible Horse, and that horse has been domiciled in New South Wales for the majority of its life:
(b)(i) that horse is not to be transferred to a location which does not meet minimum standards prescribed by Racing NSW to ensure the ongoing welfare of that horse and the owners are required to provide Racing NSW with all information and assistance (including access to the proposed location) in order to enable Racing NSW to assess that those minimums standards are met; [introduced 1/10/2017]
(b)(ii) that horse is not to be transferred, sold or gifted upon retirement or thereafter, to a person who is placed on the Racing NSW Excluded List for rehoming of thoroughbreds. [introduced 1/5/2020]
LR5-Definitions
Excluded List – is a list maintained by Racing NSW that details the names of persons who are not permitted, due to horse welfare concerns, to be provided with and/or have in their care, custody or control thoroughbreds that have been domiciled in NSW for the majority of their lives.
Persons on the Racing NSW Excluded List can be found by CLICKING HERE
Concerns for the welfare of Thoroughbred horses can be reported confidentially by emailing thoroughbredwelfare@racingnsw.com.au Please include a detailed description of the concerns, the location of the horses, and photographs if possible.
Approved Livestock Auctions
LR114(5)(f) prohibits a thoroughbred that has been domiciled in NSW for the majority of it’s life to be sold/gifted at a livestock auction that is not approved by Racing NSW.
The current approved Livestock Auctions approved are;
- Inglis, including Inglis online and bloodstock.com.au
- Magic Millions, including Magic Millions online;
- Bloodstockauction.com.au
- Andrew Wilson & Co (Online)
Stakeholders are advised it is an offence to sell a thoroughbred that has been domiciled in NSW for the majority of it’s life through any other livestock auction.
