• Home
  • About
    • About
    • Achievements
    • International Partners
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Media Enquiries
    • Contact
  • Campaigns
    • Deathwatch
    • Jumps Racing
    • The Whip
    • Wastage
    • 1 % To Stop The Slaughter (Retirement Plan)
    • New Zealand Campaign
    • Two-year-old Racing
  • Issues
    • Racehorses Killed for Human Consumption
    • Racing NSW on horse slaughter
    • Bits
    • JIGGERS
    • Undercover Knackery Investigation
    • Tongue Ties
    • Drug Use
    • Industry Funded Studies
    • Confinement
    • Racing in the Heat
    • Other Health Issues
    • Life of a Racehorse
    • Greyhound Racing
  • Take Action
    • The National Horse Traceability Register has lost its way
    • End Jumps Racing in Victoria
    • Make Reporting of Racing Deaths Mandatory
    • Donate
    • Bequests
    • #ditchthewhip
    • Take The Pledge To Never Bet On Or Attend A Horse Race
    • Volunteer
    • Businesses That Sponsor Horse Abuse
    • Outreach Toolkit
    • Urge Decision Makers to Ban Jumps Racing
    • Events/Protests
    • Register Your Own Nup To The Cup!
    • Nup to the Cup at your Workplace
    • Your Nup to the Cup Support Kit
    • Stencil Your Car
    • Equinileaks
    • Subscribe to our mailing list
  • Resources
    • Videos
    • Music
    • Submissions & Reports
    • Outreach Toolkit
    • Download a banner
    • Download a poster
    • Your Nup to the Cup Support Kit
    • Nup to the Cup at your Workplace
    • A guide to rescuing race horses
  • Media
    • CPR Media Releases: AU
    • CPR Media Releases: NZ
  • Store
    • Store
    • Basket
    • My Account
    • Checkout
  • News
  • Events
    • Events/Protests

Horse Racing Kills

Horse Racing Kills

Advocating for race horses

Donate Now
  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Achievements
    • International Partners
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Media Enquiries
    • Contact
  • Campaigns
    • Deathwatch
    • Jumps Racing
    • The Whip
    • Wastage
    • 1 % To Stop The Slaughter (Retirement Plan)
    • New Zealand Campaign
    • Two-year-old Racing
  • Issues
    • Racehorses Killed for Human Consumption
    • Racing NSW on horse slaughter
    • Bits
    • JIGGERS
    • Undercover Knackery Investigation
    • Tongue Ties
    • Drug Use
    • Industry Funded Studies
    • Confinement
    • Racing in the Heat
    • Other Health Issues
    • Life of a Racehorse
    • Greyhound Racing
  • Take Action
    • The National Horse Traceability Register has lost its way
    • End Jumps Racing in Victoria
    • Make Reporting of Racing Deaths Mandatory
    • Donate
    • Bequests
    • #ditchthewhip
    • Take The Pledge To Never Bet On Or Attend A Horse Race
    • Volunteer
    • Businesses That Sponsor Horse Abuse
    • Outreach Toolkit
    • Urge Decision Makers to Ban Jumps Racing
    • Events/Protests
    • Register Your Own Nup To The Cup!
    • Nup to the Cup at your Workplace
    • Your Nup to the Cup Support Kit
    • Stencil Your Car
    • Equinileaks
    • Subscribe to our mailing list
  • Resources
    • Videos
    • Music
    • Submissions & Reports
    • Outreach Toolkit
    • Download a banner
    • Download a poster
    • Your Nup to the Cup Support Kit
    • Nup to the Cup at your Workplace
    • A guide to rescuing race horses
  • Media
    • CPR Media Releases: AU
    • CPR Media Releases: NZ
  • Store
    • Store
    • Basket
    • My Account
    • Checkout
  • News
  • Events
    • Events/Protests
You are here: Home / News / The murky waters of Racing NSW kill ban just got murkier

The murky waters of Racing NSW kill ban just got murkier

February 25, 2021 by Kristin 1 Comment

Trevor Sutherland’s 3-year disqualification has been overturned on appeal.

The NSW trainer pleaded guilty last year to sending two of his horses, 6-year-old Redfu and 4-year-old Rozzi to Irish huntsman Donnchadh Brown where they were killed and fed to his hounds.

At the time, this was found to be in breach of Racing NSW LR114(5)(e) which states a horse “is not to be, directly or indirectly, sent to an abattoir, knackery or similarly disposed of”.

Mr Brown is the manager of the Sydney Fox Hunting Club, known to Sutherland (according to Brown) for feeding horses to the hounds he so cruelly uses in barbaric fox hunts.

Evidence provided by a Racing NSW Welfare Officer, after speaking with Brown, claimed that Sutherland “rehomes the majority of his horses, however the ones he couldn’t find a home for, he gave to Mr Brown for pet food.”

When Sutherland was questioned as to whether he knew the horses would be fed to Brown’s dogs he said:

“I thought he was taking them to jump. He’s always said, “if you’ve got anything that can jump, I’ll take it and try it for jumping and, as I said, both of them were big, tall, rangy horses and he could jump with them.”

During the course of his interview, however, Sutherland was confronted with a text that he had sent to Mr Brown
TS: “If you need some hound food probly got 2 maybe 3 down the back paddock.”
DB: “Super, when do you want them gone?”
TS: “When ever suits talk to a bloke Tommo about I’ve got running with them probley get him as well.”

Hangin’ With Willy had won almost $200,000 in prize money for Sutherland


According to a stable foreman, when Sutherland gave two further horses to Brown, Hangin’ With Willy and Witchblade, Brown stated those horses would be given “every opportunity” in his “business”. They were also killed. It is important to note, these horses were given to Brown several months after Rozzi and Redfu had already been killed. Did Sutherland not think to ask how they were going? If he was aware they had been killed why did he give Brown two further horses? According to the appeal transcripts, this line of questioning never occurred and the fact that Hangin’ With Willy and Witchblade were also killed does not appear to have been considered by the panel at all, for reasons we are unaware.

In addition to all of the above, Sutherland was also found guilty last year for lodging a false stable return which claimed that another horse, Bless You Toby was spelling, when he was actually aware the 3-year-old gelding was “found to be deceased” the week prior.

Even with all of this evidence, making it crystal clear to our mind that Sutherland was knowingly sending his horses to be shot and fed to Brown’s poor dogs, or at best, knowing this was their outcome if they didn’t work out as horses helping in Brown’s disgustingly cruel fox hunts, his suspension was overturned and he is now able to return as an official Racing NSW industry participant – the appeals panel finding even though the horses being killed was a risk that he knew could eventuate, this was not his “primary intent” for them.

Apparently Racing NSW’s local rule 114, which they claim is designed to prevent horses being killed when no longer wanted, does not capture circumstances of intent if it is decided it was not the “primary intent” of the person sending them to be killed.

Read the full appeal transcript here.

News

Comments

  1. CJ says

    March 25, 2021 at 4:26 am

    So Trevor Sutherland admits he knows the horses were to be killed for dog meat and it’s back by txt messages that he’s aware.
    He sends another 2 horses to the same fate and his 3-year disqualification has been overturned on appeal because?

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Contact Us

The Coalition For The Protection Of Racehorses
P.O Box 163, South Melbourne
Victoria 3205

Phone: +61 3 9016 3277
Email Us

Latest From Twitter

  • Today the life of five-year-old Florescent Star was taken when she fell at the All-Star Mile This is why we say… https://t.co/YBDolIxobd2 days ago
  • RT @AnimalAid: Animal Aid is calling on @itvracing and @BBCr4today to stop promoting horse racing. If they persist, they should also give…3 days ago
  • Before #Cheltenham2023 kicked off on Tuesday we reported that horses would die. By the end of Day 1 of the 4-day k… https://t.co/1znDXy8aS14 days ago

Join Our Mailing List

Sign-up to our mailing list to keep up to date. Text alerts are available for breaking news and urgent actions if you are in Australia.

Sign-up now

Find us on Social Media

© Copyright 2016 - 2023 All Rights Reserved by Coalititon for the Protection of Racehorses.

Privacy Policy