Add Category
Janet Ainscow lives next door to the stable of Tasmania's leading harness racing trainer, Ben Yole.
She was one of many whistleblowers who risked her job as a racing steward to speak out about allegations of team driving at race meets, and also the conditions horses were being kept in just over her back fence.
"I feel vindicated … and I feel like the matters that I raised with the Office of Racing Integrity have all been addressed … and I'm quite pleased about that," Ms Ainscow said.
"It was my responsibility to raise these issues, and I thought it should have been dealt with but it wasn't for so long."
On Wednesday, after years of waiting for her complaints to be taken seriously, a report into Tasmania's harness racing industry was released. It found the state's leading trainer had engaged in team driving and animal abuse.
"With regard to Ben Yole and employees of Ben Yole Racing, the report makes findings that relates to the abuse of animals, unlawfully advantaging or disadvantaging horses in races, and administering injections in contravention with race rules," Racing Minister Felix Ellis said.
Team driving, which is banned, is a tactic where drivers of horses from the same stable collude to ensure a certain outcome of a race — such as allowing a colleague to take the lead or working together to block a rival.
The review, led by racing and national integrity expert Ray Murrihy, involved more than 44 submissions from industry stakeholders and more than 50 interviews.
It found example after example of individuals within the industry engaged in team driving, race fixing and animal abuse.
Seven former stable employees of Yole Racing also gave evidence and shared examples of horses being tied up and deliberately whipped and yelled at, drivers told to hand up the lead to other stablemates in races, and serious concerns about how horses are cared for at the Yole Stable in Sidmouth, in Tasmania's north.
"The property is clearly overstocked … drainage is deficient, with substantial areas being waterlogged and muddy in wet conditions … shelter and shade provisions, which primarily are [a] recently introduced shade cloth, are insufficient and inadequate," the report said.
"Horses can be observed standing hoof to fetlock deep in mud, which, together with horse manure, presents a sanitary risk.
"The feed was of good quality and there are sufficient feed and water receptacles, however, the feeding system does not satisfactorily address the inevitable horse behaviour pattern of bullying by dominant horses, which can result in less-dominant horses being forced away from grouped feed bins.
"Horses on race day are either tied up at race meetings or on stationary horse transports for unduly long periods."
Ms Ainscow said she was in contact with many former Yole Racing employees who shared their experiences with her.
"I spoke with previous employees of Yole Racing so I already knew about a lot of the allegations, and these have just been confirmed now. I didn't realise there were actually seven employees that came forward," she said.
"I can only hope that things in the future are better, that people who have complaints will be heard and not dismissed.
"Under the rules of racing, Ben Yole should be stood down immediately."
It was a sentiment echoed by many, including industry veteran Kent Rattray, who is highly regarded in the harness racing industry.
"It certainly vindicates why we spoke out in the first place, and there's some information that's come to light about the animal cruelty at the stable, which was very distressing," he said.
"We love our horses and there are so many people in this industry who love their animals, so it's just so devastating to see some who aren't doing the right thing."
Launceston Pacing Club president Chester Bullock said he was shocked to read about the cases of animal abuse in Mr Murrihy's report.
"Reading about the abuse, that's just definitely wrong, and it amazes me that anyone that does that is still allowed to race," Mr Bullock said.
"It's quite incredible, if you took this to any other jurisdiction, they'd be stood down straight away … there's enough evidence there."
"The fact that ORI allowed this to happen is just so shocking, but I guess that's what we've been saying all along."
The state government said it had already assembled an independent panel of stewards from Queensland and Victoria to investigate and determine penalties and sanctions moving forward.
The panel was established on January 22, two months after the final review was received by the government.
In the meantime, Ben Yole is still able to train and race horses. This Sunday in Hobart, Yole Racing has 47 starters.
Mr Bullock has questioned why another panel is needed, instead of action being taken straight away following Murrihy's report.
"How come they can race this weekend when they've got these charges against them? Who's running the show?" he said.
"To promote another independent investigation into an independent investigation that's just happened, how many independent investigations do we have to have before we get this industry back on track."
Ben Yole has been contacted for comment.
LoadingLoading...