1. Say #NupToTheCup
There are plenty of ways to say #NupToTheCup in a powerful and effective way.
a) Hijack Myer Fashions on your Front Lawn
Through dressing up in your most fabulous, your wackiest, your most stylish, or even your most gruesome of outfits, you can help break through the facade and tell the world that horse racing is far from glamorous.
Myer Fashions on your Front Lawn is the horse racing industry’s COVID-19 answer to the usual Fashions on the Field. People are encouraged to dress up in their most gorgeous racing outfits and enter the competition by sending in pictures of themselves. Let’s get on board and drop some truth bombs among the ignorance.
What to do
Dress up however you feel is appropriate anytime between now and Melbourne Cup Day. Hold a sign with your anti-racing message (e.g. Nup to the Cup, Horse Racing Kills, You Bet They Die, or others). Post this to all your socials (especially Instagram) on Melbourne Cup Day (November 2nd) with the hashtags #fashionsonyourfrontlawn #cupweekfashion #cupweekcasual #familyties #cupweekcostumes #melbournecup #springracing #springcarnival #nuptothecup plus any others you’d like (and be sure to tag @flemingtonVRC).
Remember to make your post public if you are happy to.
Sound good? Any questions please get in touch. We’ll be looking out for your amazing outfits and messages and include them in our coverage of the day. Further information on the actual event here.
CPR facebook event here.
b) Say Nup to the Cup at your Workplace!
Want to do some real change-making? Why not host a Nup to the Cup at work?
Possibly the greatest culprit contributing to the normalisation of the cruelty of horse racing is the ubiquity of Cup celebrations in the Aussie workplace. After all, the workplace is arguably where the pressure to conform is felt most keenly. That coupled with there being no other ‘sporting’ event for which Australian workplaces down tools and celebrates means that the workplace is also potentially the place where we can affect the most cultural change.
Learn more about how you can create a fun and successful alternative to the usual celebration of animal abuse, where you will find simple recipes, games and fundraising ideas here.
Chances are you’ll find that providing a space for people to express their own values versus following a tradition with cruelty at its centre, will be met by your co-workers with a sense of relief. The time is now ripe and you can be that beautiful catalyst for change!
c) Share powerful graphics
Spend part of Cup Day sharing powerful and truthful graphics about horse racing on your socials to help break through the marketing spin. Our joint action with Animal Liberation and Animal Liberation QLD will help you do this. See how here.
d) Host your own public or private social Nup to the Cup event or join one near you.
You can even register it with us for promotional support and help show the world that the Nup to the Cup movement is growing. Registrations and more details here. For a listing of just some of the events happening across the country, click here.
e) Join a protest or run your own.
The racing industry hates that we rally outside their events as it helps to ensure racegoers are exposed to the reality of what it is they are supporting, hopefully to never return. Check out the list of protests against the Melbourne Cup happening across the country here. If there isn’t one at your local racetrack and they are running races on this day, why not arrange your own. We are here to help so please reach out.
3. Join the Network 10 Blackout!
In 2018, Network 10 secured a five-year deal with the Victorian Racing Club (VRC), to be the official broadcaster of the Melbourne Cup, including live coverage of all four days of the Cup Carnival. Ten reportedly paid the VRC $100 million for the deal. This provides huge support for horse racing, not only financially, but also through continuing the normalisation and cultural acceptance of blatant animal abuse through splashing it across the screens in our homes.
To send a strong message to Channel 10, we suggest you black them out for the entire duration of Melbourne Cup Day, not just the races. Better still, black them out across all four major race days of the Spring Carnival.
4. Boycott Other Racing Sponsors
Tell Penfolds, Lexus, CUB, Furphy, Myer and all the other Spring Racing Carnival major sponsors that you will no longer support them so long as they support horse abuse.
Write to them directly for the most powerful impact and click here to sign a joint letter to all racing sponsors.
5. Wear it!
Wear your message of kindness everywhere you go.
If you don’t already have any CPR t-shirts, hoodies or caps, last minute orders can still be made here.
6. Drive it!
Drive your anti racing message everywhere you go with these bold stencil messages
Orders and how to available here, but please be quick.
7. Watch and Share
Share the truth with horse racing supporters.
Through thorough research and investigations, CPR, journalists and other animal protection organisations are breaking through the well-oiled racing industry propaganda machine. Help this work reach the people who need to see it.
Watch and share these three powerful investigations into the systemic horrors of horse racing
One Year On – 2020
Victims of the Betting Industry: “Wastage” – Horse Meat for EU and Swiss Imports – 2020
The Finish Line – 2020
The Final Race – 2019
Wastage – 2012
CPR’s archive of short film investigations over the past decade can be viewed here.
8. Read, learn, sign and share
Our website is loaded with information about the many issues horses face when used for racing along with simple calls to action you can take. Click the take action tab, where you will see plenty of ways to help horses that are as easy as signing petitions and sharing. From #ditchthewhip, to demanding mandatory racing related death reporting, to banning jumps racing and more. Read through the various pages for all the stats and facts, and become an informed advocate for the animals. Knowledge is power, so reading and sharing this knowledge with your friends and your broader community will help us to create the change the horses need to see.
9. Donate
Donate to one of the many reputable rescues rehabilitating horses in Australia, or to CPR here, so we can continue our ongoing campaigns, lobbying and investigations. You can make a one off donation or monthly contributions; everything is helpful!
10. Never Be Silent
Speak up, speak out and be heard. Every conversation is an opportunity to change hearts and minds. Every action you take is a step toward ending horse racing cruelty.
For the horses x
STOP horse racing cruelty NOW!