Right: the Warrnambool incident which added to the controversy surrounding jumps racing in Victoria; spectators were injured when a riderless horse jumped over a barrier and into the crowd at trackside..
Background information
Background
(The following is edited from information supplied about Australian jumps racing in the Wikipedia entry titled 'Steeplechase'. The full entry can be read at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steeplechase)
Australia has a long history of jumps racing which was introduced by British settlers. In the 20th century the northern states of Queensland and New South Wales phased out all jumps racing. Tasmania ceased jumps racing as of April 2007 due to economic unfeasibility.
The jumping season in Australia normally takes place from March until August (some minor races are held either side of these months). Horses used for steeplechasing are primarily former flat racing horses, rather than horses specifically bred for jumping. There is an emphasis on safety in Australia which has led to a reduction in the size of obstacles. As jumps races take place at flat racing meetings there is also a need for portable jumps. Most chasing occurs on steeple lanes but also includes parts of the main flat racing track. From Easter to May the major distance races occur. The Great Eastern Steeplechase is held on Easter Monday at Oakbank, South Australia drawing crowds of over 100,000. The Grand Annual, which has the most fences of any steeplechase in the world, is held in May at Warrnambool.
Each state holds its own Grand National race; the most prestigious is the VRC Grand National at Flemington run in the winter. The jumping season culminates with the set weights and penalties Hiskens Steeple run at Moonee Valley.
Jumps racing was set to end in Victoria after the 2010 season. In September 2010, having satisfied a limit on the maximum number of deaths among starting horses, hurdle racing was granted a three year extension by Racing Victoria. A decision regarding steeplechase was postponed until October 2010 when a program for the 2011 season only was granted.
Jumps racing has been phased out in all states in Australia except for Victoria and South Australia. This was the result of a federal senate select committee inquiry into animal welfare in 1991, which concluded that jumps racing should be phased out on the grounds of cruelty. The NSW government banned jumps racing in 1997.
Jumps racing is opposed in Australia by many groups including the animal rights organisations the RSPCA Australia, Animals Australia, and Animal Liberation (South Australia), and by political parties such as The Greens.