NEW BRANDING RULE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 121, 18 November 1931, Page 6

NEW BRANDING RULE

IN FORCE IN AUSTRALIA

SETTLING THE "RINGER-

Referring to-the decision reached at • a conference Jot": delegates, of the .principal racing clubs, in. Australia that-in future no horse will, be. allowed registration unless branded, 'the Melbourne"; "Herald" gives as Us-.belief- that racing people" throughout Australia-, and New. Zealand will endorse the- decision/" at least in. principle; ~,This is a'.st^p,<uv-the.iright ■■direction in attempting; to .eradicate.-the evil of "ring-.irig-in" 'horses,,-. the■••'■■■ articlei'.■ continues. Breeders,, owners, and- trainers... should cooperate/: in'an earnest endeavour' to ; carry out the,aims of the.repi-esentatives, ot the principal racing clubs in the Commonwealth.: : :The ,■ correct■■.branding, of. racehorses lias long been,a contentious subject'in the . conduct of racing iii , Australia-.' The,re lias .'been scandal alter scandal of horses1 having raced1 when they were not what they were' represented to V^tere^is :little -'doub-t that the. Gagoola ■easb'sJi'f'-'Ffeiiiiiigton this year-hastened the decision arrived at by ■:'. the,'; conference. Nothingl has,yet -been brought-'.-to' light to question •'the ;bon)i ,fides of the horse that yaeedjias' Gagookv" at; ~Flemington..; The, new" rule•-.ay-ill, .mean:vth'e, abolition. of, the "cleati-skinj"; the 'horse: so :_6ften chosen, for,' sinisterschemes by'undesirables of the. Turturt: :>.'.;-; v";v;, -■' .V'1.:;,.-1.:.-,:.;-:/, .'•. V; INCIDENT AT SYDNEY. ■>'.-, pjifeiofv tlie;, biggest '■'ramps". :ijr,: the. histOVy- Of gracing;;in: Sydney.>v-as!l'a.ehieved; not',;y*rj\lpng ago, withJa smart.performer, whp,".alth6Ugh he'.appeafed-.iiivthe.'jcearling: .catelcigue^as'; having1 ■been ; was; allowed"'- to; go into ■■; the.: ring; without the,' mark/ of -his ;ljrepder, or h'iin; i,; Tljis carelessness ',;jji;esented. ■;,an'3. oppbt'tuiiity,." for: ,sohemer.V'an.d:-.thethoi-se;:.figui^d in one of: tliKoiiidst ' sensational "ringjiug-ih":'cases in Sydaeyr"-';^:0---7''-;'':ffiiA;'i'''J' ■■:')•<■■ ■'• .;:The;,-new, ..rule1 ;' ; will;.•eventually,'remove; tjhes€i:<UflW~elcqAe;..happeningS, ..which' be-j ■little : ; d£' the'Turf, v J, f. , of/ all :r'aceh'6rses; fras.vfltefc':'suggested,:' it Ttfa's "': generally.; thpugK't.''thafe'::the' 'onus" of sper£ormirig-.,thisi Operation would-be ;solelyx)n the breeder/ but'that-is hardly practicable, as a horse' might not race for two or three years after his yearling days, and might not be branded : at the time .of'.sale!-.or ledse. By makliig . it: compulsory for, all. horses to be branded at the time of registration the onus has been placed on a broader and more equitable- scale. ... '; • ! ,_; -.: The rule will also mean that there will be greater reciprocity between the States in tracing the bona fides of horses that may race in different States. It will .bef possißle" now, to fkeep. inVcldserH touch with? horses/that compete in various', States duf-: ing . ,their.,:racitig; v career.^ ■,•• '€ . - ■ ."' ■■ ;'W ; ; BREEDERS/ OPINIONS; | ;'; .A^weUijiniiMri yictoriap.',.breeder! stated, tliat > lie agreed with the1 action!of; the con--ferencei-.A-He said . ifc r was, {^long-desired: iidditibji;ito.; the' racing legislation .of : . Australia'Sv;';and;".',"expressed'v' pleasure;? /that; it Svpuld be. in force throughout Australia*. It' was proper,; lie -added; for the /'racing^ clubsVto throw-the. responsibility'sfor the branding ;O f the horses: on the-.person who. registered',^heiii.- .!'■ v,. . ,-■' '■, :':;:/■'/ ':-'■'■- i:;Q;, VIA '(.racing:, official ■. of! many.! years':exper^ ence, described stfie; newiTutJ legislation ¥5 anv\excellent; protection Aagainst^tli©. possfe bflities v b|. "ringing-mj" a; practice k whichhai:been?far;tod common in Australia.!; f :sijlh;;Qu^etuslan!d:,an />Act makes.:the;-brand-: irigVof all'ih'orlesPcbmpulsoryyf antyi in! Ne;(f ■ South^v^al&iv branding ;is.'.voluntary,- but; 'ifr^n'^owner"!-desires a-bfand-.'lie must rggr:' ister it; 'aiid.tall his stock niust" bip similarly? brande.d,' ;aijd,;the;■ branii-;must: not/be ing 'fringe^by'anybbdjrrVi-^-i.^*.' ••'; ...;:',," >:&;