A case of 26 “frightened and vulnerable” horses abandoned after their transporter was stopped in Dover has highlighted the “tragic reality” it is believed many equines suffer on their journey to slaughter. Only 19 of the 26 horses had the necessary paperwork for the journey and many had health issues, making them unfit to travel. The horses were abandoned at a holding yard after the discovery was made, and have been rescued by World Horse Welfare. “To put an end to these abhorrent movements and to protect our nation’s horses, it is imperative that the UK Government gets the Live Export Bill on to the statute book, finally implements a robust and digitalised equine identification system, and establishes an effective system for enforcing all equine legislation, so that smugglers can no longer hide behind a smokescreen of confusion,” said World Horse Welfare chief executive, Roly Owers.
The British Show Horse Association (BSHA) has rebuffed concerns over its Rising Star series. The series, which was aimed to make “competing easy and educational, encouraging more to join in and have a go”, had its finals at the London International Horse Show. H&H has heard concerns about some competitors’ amateur status, one title has changed hands and a judge has been dismissed.
A “surprise” batch of tickets for the Paris Olympics went on sale today for all sports. This is one of a series of “surprise releases” ahead of the Games. Today’s release tied in with the unveiling of the Olympic medals, which will each contain a piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower. Of the 10 million overall tickets available for the Olympic Games, just under eight million have been bought.
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
