Thoroughbred Breeders Australia has again urged Racing Australia to reconsider its hardline stance over the policing of the mandatory lodgement of foal ownership declarations (FOD).
In the latest back-and-forth between the peak breeders organisation and Racing Australia, TBA president Basil Nolan called for a “collaborative approach” when it came to enforcing the rules of racing concerning the lodgment of foal declarations and mare returns.
From August 1, to comply with the rules, breeders must lodge FODs within 30 days of the foal being born (at a cost of $140).
A late fee of $265 will be imposed on breeders if the lodgement is made between 30 and 60 days and unregistered foals overdue by more than 60 days will be flagged as not eligible to race, Racing Australia confirmed in a media release, sparking TBA’s latest response.
A fee of $500 will need to be paid by breeders to appeal to an independent third party to attempt to have the foal’s non-eligibility to race overturned, RA said in its statement published on Friday.
The growing tensions between RA and TBA regarding FODs was first reported by The Straight in May where it was found that, if the harsher focus on compliance was taken last year, one in six foals could have been ruled ineligible to race.
“We are united in our desire to see improved traceability amidst our industry’s substantive efforts to advance equine welfare outcomes, however this aggressive approach taken by Racing Australia is an unfair and punitive attack on those people who are at the coalface of protecting our horses’ wellbeing: the breeders,” Nolan said in a TBA statement released on Tuesday.
“Breeders have expressed frustration with the current system for lodging mare returns and foal ownership details, describing it as outdated and cumbersome, which not only slows the process but also impacts the time required to complete these returns.”
Tim Rowe
Nolan called on Racing Australia to improve its systems to lodge foal declarations and mare returns.
“Rather than introducing harsh penalties that could cripple participants’ livelihoods and put their horses’ welfare at risk, we implore Racing Australia to direct their energies to improving their systems and making the registration of mares and foals a much easier and more efficient online process,” he said.
“Like our fellow industry stakeholders, TBA wants to see all horses traceable from birth through to leaving the thoroughbred system, and we believe the way to achieve this is to make the process as simple as possible for our breeders.”
RA has merged the Australian Stud Book mare return and FOD steps to a single process to make it easier for breeders to meet the deadline.
“We put something out last year on this and we said we would enforce this over a couple of years,” RA chief executive Paul Eriksson told The Straight in May.
“So, last year we commenced educating (breeders) and getting feedback and this year we're actually going to be enforcing the rules.
“And the rules say that you need to lodge a mare return and foal ownership declaration within 30 days or you are at Racing Australia's discretion … that you won't be able to race (that horse).
“It doesn't have anything to do with the Stud Book, breeding, the export (of horses) or anything like that. This is all around traceability.”
