Sherwood and Van Beynen AGAIN but this time together? They still shoot horses don't they?

[Chief Stipe]

Horse allegedly doped by harness racing trainer put down

Sam Sherwood and Martin van Beynen12:57, Apr 14 2021

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Jimmy Cannon had eight podium finishes in 36 starts.

A horse allegedly doped by a harness racing trainer has been put down, in what an animal right’s group says is one of the “bitter realities behind the glamour of the horse racing industry”.

The horse, Jimmy Cannon, was listed for several weeks as a hack on Harness Racing New Zealand’s (HRNZ) website, meaning it had been retired from racing.

However, speculation was rife it had been shot.

Those rumours appeared to have been confirmed on Wednesday when HRNZ’s website was updated to say the horse was dead.

While the listing states the gelding died on Tuesday, the date of death is thought to be an administrative error.

Jimmy Cannon, a five-year-old trotter with eight podium finishes in 36 starts, including three wins, was stood down from racing in February after it was allegedly injected with a substance by Canterbury trainer Jesse Alford.

In the aftermath of the incident, Alford’s licence was suspended and the horse was transferred to the stables of trainer Cam Jones last month.

ALDEN WILLIAMS/STUFF

Jesse Alford was suspended last month after Racing Integrity Unit investigators caught him administering a substance to two horses. (File photo)

Numerous approaches to Jones for comment since then have gone unanswered.

On March 31, HRNZ chief executive Gary Woodham said Jimmy Cannon’s owners had notified the organisation it had been retired.

To the best of his knowledge, he said, the horse was still alive.

The next day, in response to questions from Stuff, Woodham said he would be concerned if HRNZ had been misled about Jimmy Cannon’s status.

“I expect all participants to act with integrity and honesty.”

There’s no suggestion the horse’s death has compromised the investigation into Alford’s actions nor that its death was as a result of the alleged doping.

However, it raises questions about animal welfare.

HRNZ has committed itself to ensuring standardbred horses enjoy a good quality of life while in the racing industry, and on retirement.

 

MORE FROM
SAM SHERWOOD • SENIOR CRIME REPORTER
sam.sherwood@stuff.co.nz

"Prior to the retirement of horses from the harness industry, Harness Racing New Zealand encourages owners to consider all available retirement options, and if applicable to speak with their trainer about potential options, which will provide the retiring horse with continued good welfare for the rest of its natural life,” its website says.

The organisation is behind a new initiative, Harness Education & Rehoming Opportunities (HERO), which promotes life after racing options for retired Standardbreds.

On retirement from the industry, the owner is responsible for notifying Harness Racing New Zealand of what has happened to the horse on leaving the industry. Harness Racing New Zealand requires a greater understanding of what happens to horses when they leave the industry and is in the process of updating its procedures and New Zealand Rules of Harness Racing to improve the retirement process.

 

MORE FROM
MARTIN VAN BEYNEN • SENIOR INVESTIGATIONS REPORTER
martin.vanbeynen@stuff.co.nz

Animal welfare advocacy group SAFE's Campaigns Manager, Jessica Chambers said Jimmy Cannon's death was “one of the bitter realities behind the glamour of the horse racing industry”.

“When greed, money and gambling are involved, the welfare of the animals will always be compromised. The only way to ensure horses are protected from this kind of exploitation is an outright ban on horse racing.”

Racing Integrity Unit investigators raided Alford's stables at Woodend Beach in February, finding syringes and other equipment used for tubing horses, an illegal process that allows a chemical solution to be administered to improve a horse's stamina.

It is understood the young trainer was seen injecting a substance Jimmy Cannon and another horse Johnny Nevits. Johny Nevits was stood down, but has since been cleared to again.

He is yet to appear before the Judicial Control Authority, the industry's disciplinary tribunal, on charges of administering a prohibited substance and attempting to administer a prohibited substance on race day.

[the galah]

Some of these trainers don't seem too bright.

Maybe it could be a record keeping mistake by hrnz,maybe something happened to the horse in the last week,or maybe jimmy cannons former trainers are amongst those trainers who discard their horses once they are no longer of any use to them.The inference in the article seems to be the latter,but whatever happended,hrnz and the former trainers both come across as not too clever.

i think the article seems well written and whether you follow harness racing or not,anyone should get the points made in the article.

[Chief Stipe]

48 minutes ago, the galah said:

former trainers are amongst those trainers who discard their horses once they are no longer of any use to them.The inference in the article seems to be the latter

But that is part of the racing horse's.  Is a horse any different to a dairy cow that has been milked for 8 years and is then sent to the works or put down the hole?  Both in terms of the animal activists are deemed to have been "exploited" for profit.  

In my opinion the article is muck raking.  Squeezing as much as they can out of the lemon.

Why do trainers need to be "clever" in their disposal of livestock?

[the galah]

48 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

But that is part of the racing horse's.  Is a horse any different to a dairy cow that has been milked for 8 years and is then sent to the works or put down the hole?  Both in terms of the animal activists are deemed to have been "exploited" for profit.  

In my opinion the article is muck raking.  Squeezing as much as they can out of the lemon.

Why do trainers need to be "clever" in their disposal of livestock?

If you have no problem with racehorses being sent to the dog tuckers as soon as they have finished racing,well thats up to you. Many have similar views as to what should happen to a racehorse after its finished racing. Its a topic that their is no easy answer to. But not everyone agrees with that.

Each to their own.But many view that as a poor reflection of how the industry views the horse,and thats what the article is all about.Given the apparent circumstances,those involved have given the writers all the ammunition they need to ram home that point.Thats why those involved are not too clever,and why their actions have subjected the industry as a whole to more criticism.

Edited April 14, 2021 by the galah

[Brodie]

SAFE’s Campaign Manager Jessica Chambers, is she for real?

She states that the only way to protect racehorses is to ban racing altogether????????????

YOU WHAT??????

FFS, Jessica Chambers, if there was no horse racing then there would be horses to race!!!!

Is that too hard for her to understand?

The horses would not be alive in the first place as they would  not be getting bred in the first place!!!!!!

No one is going to be breeding a Standardbred unless it is going to be racing!

Same as Greyhounds!

 

Edited April 14, 2021 by Brodie

[Chief Stipe]

19 minutes ago, the galah said:

Given the apparent circumstances,those involved have given the writers all the ammunition they need to ram home that point.Thats why those involved are not too clever,and why their actions have subjected the industry as a whole to more criticism.

The SAFE woman wouldn't have known anything about it!  It took Sherwood and Van Beynen to tell her!

Their agenda is clear.  To the point it now looks more like a vendetta!

Nothing to do with being clever.

[Rangatira]

good on you champ, keep sticking it to these mung bean munching, tree hugging, roman sandal wearing, tofu eating spoil sports

top man the brodster

Edited April 14, 2021 by Rangatira

[Gammalite]

3 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

"Prior to the retirement of horses from the harness industry, Harness Racing New Zealand encourages owners to consider all available retirement options, and if applicable to speak with their trainer about potential options, which will provide the retiring horse with continued good welfare for the rest of its natural life,”

Well that sums it up well . Most owners cannot accommodate retired stock so have to look at things like riding hack for someone , or an old Macdonalds farm somewhere. alas some horses retire due to injury and/or unsoundness and with the cost of vet bills and agistment being high , the trip to the knackery is often the option used.

The trainers have a lot of horses pre-racing , and in racing to worry about 24 hours/day. the owner has the responsibility post race career. In Australia , the bulk of racing is done at city Metro State capitals tracks , and a lucky 'Out' here for owners was to sell them off cheaply to the rural places that race (slower) like in the back blocks of NSW and SA usually . and those areas have farms too , where they can run out in huge acrerage when racing days complete. seems to work well.

[Brodie]

Previous post was meant to read would not rather than would!

Racing employs a helluva lot of people and race horses are bred to run believe it or not!

So Ms Chambers expects people to breed standardbreds for hacks or she just wants the standardbred breed to become extinct?

So when pets get crook or old they are very often euthanised, and this is known as being humane!

Does the SAFE Campaign Manager Ms. Chambers have any problem with vets putting pets down?

I do not condone cruelty to animals like most people, however what a blatantly stupid and naive thing for a Campaign Manager to say in regards to banning racing!!!!

Once a racehorse is finished racing who is going to be able to afford to keep every horse as well as paying for the racing horses??

 

[Basil]

I laughed at this from Gary Woodham:

"I expect all participants to act with integrity and honesty.”

That seems a trifle optimistic, to say the least.

[hunterthepunter]

11 minutes ago, Brodie said:

 who is going to be able to afford to keep every horse as well as paying for the racing horses??

 

good decent people donate horse feed to rehoming places 

[hunterthepunter]

Just now, Basil said:

I laughed at this from Gary Woodham:

"I expect all participants to act with integrity and honesty.”

That seems a trifle optimistic, to say the least.

where was that quote basil?

[Rangatira]

21 minutes ago, hunterthepunter said:

where was that quote basil?

in the article above lol

On March 31, HRNZ chief executive Gary Woodham said Jimmy Cannon’s owners had notified the organisation it had been retired.

To the best of his knowledge, he said, the horse was still alive.

The next day, in response to questions from Stuff, Woodham said he would be concerned if HRNZ had been misled about Jimmy Cannon’s status.

“I expect all participants to act with integrity and honesty.”

Edited April 14, 2021 by Rangatira

[Gospel of Judas]

Problem is for Harness being played, by dumbest and low grade of trash Journalists we have today, called Woke Stuff. Stuff even media outlets other journalists trash, because got no ethics and ripe public off with donation button. Which used to  steal other journalists off other media outlets.  Like Harness finally meet it match! Harness authority got get out we la la land in Christchurch, start acting properly. Stuff have a field day, with any bullshit can find.