Equine Welfare
Date posted:
MEDIA RELEASE
Friday, 29 November, 2019
1% equine welfare levy to be introduced in NT
THOROUGHBRED Racing Northern Territory (TRNT) will implement a 1% prizemoney levy to support Territory equine welfare initiatives from 1 January 2020.
The Board of TRNT, at its most recent meeting earlier this month, unanimously approved a recommendation to introduce the levy, effectively mirroring the majority of other racing jurisdictions in Australia.
While Racing Victoria (RVL) and Racing New South Wales (RNSW) have had a similar levy in place for some considerable time, TRNT joins Racing Queensland (RQ) and Racing WA (RWWA), who have recently announced their own equine welfare programmes which include a 1% prizemoney levy.
The NT equine welfare initiatives, a number of which have been in place for some time and others which are currently being developed, include assisting with advertising for retrainers, setting up a webpage where trainers and owners can lodge horses for rehoming, supporting the various “Off The Track” equestrian pursuits through the various NT associations by way of sponsorship and the like, and running training sessions for new owners to advise the correct way to care for retired Thoroughbreds in the Territory.
The levy, which will be applied to stakemoney only and will not include unplaced subsidies, will be retained and administered by TRNT and is to be collected whenever racemeeting stakes payments are processed.
Equine welfare is at the forefront of racing administrators’ minds throughout Australia, and the NT is no exception. A good deal of work has already been undertaken to achieve the goal of ensuring a home for every thoroughbred that exits the racing industry, but much has still to be done to make this a reality.