Media release – Animal Liberation Tasmania and the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses, 29 August 2024
TasRacing congratulates trainer who starved horses on her retirement
On 27/7/24 Tasmanian registered thoroughbred trainer Tanya Hanson was found guilty by stewards of failing to provide sufficient feed or nutrition of feed to horses on her property. Three horses were found to have a body score of 1 out of 5. One horse, Amancaya, was also found to have sustained injuries from being left in a too-tight rug for an extended period of time without supervision, against industry guidelines. Hanson was fined $4000, with $3000 suspended for 2 years pending good behaviour.
On 25/7/24 Tasracing announced on Facebook that Hanson was retiring, posting about her career in an article that quoted Hanson naming one of her winning horses as a highlight (Tiesto), who was in fact named in the stewards’ decision and has since been retired. On 27/7/24 Tasracing posted another again, thanking Hanson for her contribution to the industry. That same day, the decision regarding the starvation of horses was handed down by stewards.
For context, this is what a body score of 1 from 5 looks like for horses (not a Hanson horse, via Advanced Equine Dentistry Inc.)
Animal Liberation Tasmania and the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses together condemn this atrocious situation, and question how Tasracing expects the public to believe it is capable of overseeing animal welfare in the industry. The Racing Integrity Bill, which is currently making its way through parliament, will essentially centralise power over the industry underneath Tasracing. And yet, here we see Tasracing itself lauding the career of a trainer who at the very same time was found guilty by stewards of starving horses on her property.
Also before the courts, Spreyton trainer Liandra Gray currently faces animal cruelty charges for allegedly whipping a horse excessively during a training session. The case has been repeatedly adjourned for two years. In May 2023 stewards found Gray guilty of not taking reasonable steps as necessary to alleviate any pain inflicted upon or suffered by a horse. The particulars were that on 2/1/23 horse Our Saturday became cast in the stalls, and was lame in the off hind. Gray then proceeded to saddle the horse and rode them to a bullring on the property, despite the horse showing obvious signs of pain and distress. She was fined a mere $4000 with half suspended for two years. Despite this history and the ongoing cruelty case against her, Gray reportedly continues to ride trackwork for another trainer.
“The case of the starved Hanson horses and that of Liandra Gray are clear evidence of why the commercial and integrity/animal welfare arms of the racing industry should not be concentrated under the authority of Tasracing. Here we have one being permitted to work and another being congratulated for their career by Tasracing, despite clear harms being perpetrated against horses.” – Helle Erhardsen, spokesperson Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses
“Congratulating a racing participant on their career, on the same day that person is found guilty of starving three horses to a body score of 1 is astonishing, even by Tasracing’s standards. And yet this government and the Labor opposition are intent on placing full power and authority into the hands of this entity, with minimal oversight and even less transparency than there is now. This bill is a disaster just waiting to happen.” – Kristy Alger, spokesperson Animal Liberation Tasmania
