From a Port Macquarie Cup to a national showjumping title – Falklands has shown there is post-racing life for racehorses.
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After finishing first past the post at Port Macquarie in 2012, the gelding claimed his first Australian Jumping Championship title at Boneo Park at the weekend.
He was judged as the best off the track thoroughbred overall.
Trainer Marc Quinn guided him to his success six years ago before he re-homed him to his current family in Nyngan.
He said the Port Cup winner retired “completely sound”, but felt he still could compete in events such as dressage and showjumping.
“He was to go there on the premise that it was his forever home,” Quinn said.
“If they had no more use for him as a showjumper or if he wasn’t any good he was to come back to us and we would have re-homed him locally.”
The Port Macquarie trainer said their search for a home for Falklands’ post-racing career was focused on him not sitting in a paddock.
“He was only six when he retired so he had probably 10-15 years ahead of him of healthy life and he’s been going well since he went there.”
A snapshot of figures obtained from Racing Victoria indicate 90 percent of racehorses find homes competing in equestrian sports.
More than $350 million is spent annually on the care of horses through items such as Equine Welfare Funds.
“When thoroughbreds retire, they are still relatively young for what their lifespan is,” Quinn said.
“They could go on and be pleasure horses or companion horses in paddocks; a lot of geldings go to stud farms and become nannies for the weanlings.
“A lot of them go to equestrian sports like dressage, showjumping and the like.”
Quinn said trainers were also held accountable for every horse in their care.
“If a horse leaves our stable even if he goes for a spell, we have to notify Racing NSW a stable return to notify where the horse is at,” he said.
“Then when he comes back into work we do another stable return to say he’s back in the stable.”
Quinn said only a "small percentage” of horses did not have a career post-racing.
“The way Racing NSW have restructured their welfare for horses that are retired, we have to notify Racing NSW where they go,” he said.
“They’re tracked from when they leave the racing industry so they know exactly where they are.”
Stewards can then turn up at any time.
“If your stable has seven in work, there’s got to be seven horses there and they have to match the identification with what Racing NSW have got,” Quinn said.
Owner Clint Foot was pleased to see the horse still competing at some level and it was a surprise to see the horse perform strongly.
“It’s great; we still get a lot of joy out of seeing him compete in some respect and to see he’s getting well looked after,” he said.
Foot said while “he was a racehorse, I remember Marc said he’s seen his breed jump a fence before.”
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