In a world increasingly shaped by social consciousness and activism, fuelled by a sensationalist media corps, horseracing finds itself at a sensitive and potentially critical juncture.
Globally, the industry is under growing scrutiny and facing a barrage of criticism, as concerns about animal welfare, transparency, and ethical practices dominate public discourse.
In South Africa, there are some who believe that our challenges in racing are as distinctive as the political issues confronting our country—unique, shielded from global influences, and best addressed within our own frameworks.
However, while we may craft solutions for local problems, we cannot escape the industry’s most pressing global challenge: perception.
Australian Vicky Leonard, speaking at last week’s Asian Racing Conference (ARC), warned that a media-driven horse welfare scandal could cause irreversible damage. She suggested that, as a united global industry, we should be ready to counter it.
The youthful Leonard established a racing-specialised marketing and ideas company, ‘Kick Collective’, (www.kickcollective.co) following a welfare crisis that brought the greyhound industry in Australia to its knees in 2015.
She recounted: “The impact was severe. (Studying at the time), the harsh reality hit as my classmates saw all racing – not just greyhound racing – as a cruel, outdated spectacle. (The fallout from the greyhound industry) had tarnished the reputation of all animal-related sports in their eyes. It made me realise how exposed to public condemnation from misinformation we really were.”
Kick Collective’s Vicky Leonard (Pic – 4Racing)
Leonard, who has immersed herself in the study of ‘perception marketing’, noted that the 2020 death of Epsom Derby winner Antony Van Dyk in the Melbourne Cup (and other incidents) exposed severe shortcomings in the availability of resources and data to defend the industry.
Due to eroded trust, information disseminated by institutions, politicians or journalists are no longer seen as accurate. Those in power are not held to high standards of accountability. “(Passionate racing people), most in their 20s, were trying to defend the industry but were struggling to find the facts and easily accessible data to back up their personal experiences. The information just didn’t exist.”
Leonard said it was “terrifyingly clear” that our industry’s silence in addressing misinformation makes us complicit in its consequences and invites disaster. By remaining quiet, we risk being perceived as having something to hide, leading the public to form their own negative conclusions.
Her advice is that we must collectively pull our heads out of the sand and “get real,” acknowledging that significant improvements are needed in various areas to pass the “pub test” – the standard of authenticity and fairness expected by the average person.
Kick Collective’s three-step blueprint entails:
- Get Real: Establish the shortcomings and face the skeletons. Compile data and gather accurate information.
- Get Organised: Use the science and data to create content. React and respond transparently when issues arise. Educate stakeholders and fans. Develop plans for addressing potential crises.
- Get Loud and Proud: Build and empower a passionate community that has your back. Talk about horseracing with informed confidence. Confidently engage with the public. Turn potential disasters into opportunities to demonstrate the industry’s commitment to excellence and progress.
This proactive approach was applauded by Heather Morkel, CEO of South Africa’s Thoroughbred Breeders Association (TBA). She said that, locally, the fundamentals were in place, but that there is work to be done.
Thoroughbreds who enter the sport are microchipped and registered, and that the functions of control and monitoring all starts and ends with the operator, the National Horseracing Authority (NHA).
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