Jumping to Conclusions? Media Coverage of Jumps Racing Debates in Australia

Abstract

<jats:sec><jats:title><jats:bold>Abstract</jats:bold></jats:title><jats:p>Should jumps racing be banned? This paper examines print media coverage of the future of “jumps racing” in 21 Australian newspapers between February 2008 and December 2009, a period of intense debate over its future due to high-profile incidents of horse deaths, campaigning by animal activists, and increased media coverage. In November 2009, Racing Victoria Limited banned jumps racing following the 2010 season but later opened the possibility of jumps racing in 2011 and beyond. The research finds that there is significant variation in support for, and opposition to, jumps racing in different newspapers; that there is sometimes a discrepancy between the perspectives of articles and letters on this issue; and the importance of jumps racing to particular small cities is reflected in the media coverage. While recent events and mounting public pressure may eventually contribute to the demise of steeplechasing and hurdling in Victoria, the termination of horse racing is not a foregone conclusion.</jats:p></jats:sec>

A Critical Review of Horse-Related Risk: A Research Agenda for Safer Mounts, Riders and Equestrian Cultures

“… Ethnographic research—to study the actual practices of equestrians; and identify risk management strategies consistent with the motivations, beliefs and values of eque-cultures [ 26 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 ]. Media analysis—to identify how particular incidents and risks are reported (or not reported) and relationships to the values, beliefs and practices of equestrians [ 15 , 67 , 74 , 75 ]. Physiometry—to measure rider position and identify physical attributes positively correlated with safety or resistance to being unseated [ 33 , 76 , 77 , 78 ].…”

“…Media analysis—to identify how particular incidents and risks are reported (or not reported) and relationships to the values, beliefs and practices of equestrians [ 15 , 67 , 74 , 75 ].…”

The construction of human–animal relations: National Jumps Day 2013 at Te Rapa, Hamilton, New Zealand

“…This internationalisation extended to the use of international comparisons, as seen when SAFE (2013) claimed, 'Overseas [jumps racing is] already banned in New South Wales and has become increasingly unpopular, despite efforts to make it more attractive to a modern public.' The activity of jumps racing was made illegal in 1995 in New South Wales and ceased in Tasmania in 2007, but it has experienced a resurgence in Victoria since 2012 and continues in South Australia Montoya et al 2012;McManus et al 2013).…”

Horse racing and gambling: comparing attitudes and preferences of racetrack patrons and residents of Sydney, Australia

“…If we look in detail at what forms of thoroughbred racing were preferred by punters in Sydney, it is apparent that most punters were less interested in hurdle and steeplechase races (both scoring means lower than two), and more interested in the other race options (see Table 3). This is very likely due to there being no jumps races (hurdles and steeplechases) in NSW (the state in which Sydney is the largest city and capital) since they were banned in 1997 (Montoya, McManus, & Albrecht, 2012). The level of interest in betting on two-year-old races was slightly lower, possibly because some people believe two-year olds as being too young to race or because of their unfamiliarity with the two-year-old horses.…”