Horseland accused of hypocrisy after pulled sponsorship
A DECISION to pull the naming rights by equestrian supply store Horseland has been described as “ill-advised” after the company drew the ire of the racing community.
The popular franchise, which boasts over 50 stores across Australia, had won the naming rights to Sunday’s Thackeray Steeplechase at Warrnambool in a sponsor’s draw months ago, but at the last minute head office decided to severe all ties to the race.
Horseland released a statement to BanJumpsRacing.com distancing itself from the contentious code, stating that the $100,000 race did not “align to our brand or values”.
Statement of @horseland withdrawing sponsorship from local Warrnambool races, alienating local racing community who don’t hold “our values” pic.twitter.com/Has3bCK9tW
— CPR Lies (@CPRLies) July 9, 2017
The statement lead to a veritable maelstrom of vitriol directed at the local Horseland, but Warrnambool Racing Club sales and marketing manager Bryan White leapt to the defence of the business.
“I really do feel sorry for the local owners,” he said.
For extra clarity around today’s Thackeray sponsorship.
We encourage all local horseland customers to continue to use the Warrnambool store. https://t.co/kfF3APEPhY— Warrnambool Racing (@WarrnamboolRC) July 9, 2017
“They are between a rock and a hard place. They won the package in good faith and never realised the matter would be aired so much on social media.
“I must emphasise the decision to delete the name was not made by the local franchise. They have been long-term sponsors of the racing club and we would love for that sponsorship to continue in the future.”
The decision came as a surprise, given how long the naming rights had been in place, and the amount of support the industry gives Horseland.
The backlash came thick and fast following the statement.
Thoroughbred trainer Kate Goodrich lead the charge on behalf of the industry, imploring anyone connected to racing to boycott the popular supplier.
Racing people let @horseland know how you feel about this by not spending at their stores.
Make a stand for the industry ? https://t.co/OwsMu5i2C4— Kate Goodrich ??⚡️ (@kategoodrich) July 9, 2017
The Kilmore-based trainer tweeted that she will never use the company’s services again after a life-time of patronage.
“As a kid I always asked for Horseland vouchers, every birthday & Christmas. Their stance on racing means I’ll never shop there again.” Goodrich tweeted.
While members of the racing fraternity have pledged to end their Horseland allegiances, the company is echoing the sentiments of a growing number of animal rights activists.
Adelaide resident and animal rights supporter Elsha McGill believes the jumps racing industry is outdated and does not belong in modern society.
“Keeping animals in an unnatural or potentially harmful state purely for human entertainment is something that makes me feel very uncomfortable,” McGill said.
“Animals are already exploited enough in terms of things like factory farming and lab testing, and using them as entertainment is an archaic and cruel practice that doesn’t serve any necessary purpose in the modern world.”
This leads to the overriding question stemming from the scenario: has Horseland set a course of action to run itself out of business?
Fully expect the anti jump loons will get @horseland to ban the selling of whips,bits and other tack.
— Bee Davey (@wrouty) July 9, 2017
While McGill believes that Horseland’s decision to walk away from the jumps community was the right one, she conceded that it was hypocritical for them to do so, given the company continues to support other forms of equestrian activity.
“I have no doubt there are some trainers and industry professionals who treat their horses extremely well, but in my own opinion a complete ban is the only course of action to safeguard animal welfare.
“I think mistreatment of the animals to a certain degree is fundamental to the industry, which is why so many people strongly oppose it.
“Even if solid improvements were made and new regulations were introduced across the industry, new issues will inevitably emerge and mistreatment will always occur.
“The only guaranteed prevention of cruelty is a complete ban.”
Has Horseland made a fundamental error?
You do have to ask yourself, what was Horseland hoping to achieve with this decision?
While we won’t confess to knowing the percentage of sales that Horseland relies upon from the racing and jumps industry, we imagine it’s significant.
While every individual and every company is allowed to make whatever moral stand they see fit, what is the good of alienating one sub-section of a community, while continuing to promote and support others?
Jumps is a fundamental part of the history and tradition of racing in this country. For Horseland to take a stand against it will alienate its own customers and create diabolical hypocrisy questions that its leadership would find hard to skirt around.
The position the decision places its local businesses, like the Warnambool Horseland which had been a long-time supporter of the club, in an uncomfortable situation to boot.
Is jumps racing losing its PR battle with the Australian public? The comments from Ms McGill are beginning to be echoed not just within hardened anti-racing activists, but among a much larger base.
If a company like Horseland, which would directly do business and sales with the industry, decide to make a stand like this because of public outcry, what’s next?