Renewed calls for boycott and government action on Cheltenham Festival after death of Hansard

The first horse, Hansard has died at this year’s Cheltenham Festival after sustaining a fatal injury, reinforcing calls by national animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports for a public boycott and government intervention.

It brings the death toll at the Cheltenham Festival to 79 horses since the turn of the century with Animal Aid figures showing a horse dying at every single festival since the year 2000.

Emma Slawinski, chief executive at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “The death of Hansard will sadden all animal lovers but tragically it’s not a surprise, as every year horses are raced to their deaths at the Cheltenham Festival.

“The death toll is staggering – we have now seen 79 horses die at the Cheltenham Festival since the turn of the century. We’re in the middle of the Winter Paralympics – if this death toll happened in any of those sports, there would be a huge outcry. Why should horses be any different?”

At last year’s festival, Springwell Bay was the first casualty before Corbetts Cross died in the festival’s flagship Gold Cup event.

Emma added: “We are calling on the public to boycott the Cheltenham Festival by staying away, not betting on the races or watching the ITV coverage and advertising which accompanies it.

“The government promised the biggest boost for animal welfare in a generation and now it needs to deliver by tackling the terrible death toll at Cheltenham and introducing tighter safety measures in horse racing and banning the use of the whip.”

Ends

Notes to editors

For information or interview requests, please contact the League Against Cruel Sports Press Office on 01483 524250 or email pressoffice@league.org.uk

Animal Aid has published a new report called ‘Victims of British and Irish horse racing’.

The League Against Cruel Sports is Britain's leading charity that works to stop animals being persecuted, abused and killed for sport. The League was instrumental in helping bring about the landmark Hunting Act 2004, the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021, the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 and bans on the use of snares brought about by the Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023, and Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024.

We carry out investigations to expose law-breaking and cruelty to animals and campaign for stronger animal protection laws and penalties. We work to change attitudes and behaviour through education and manage wildlife reserves. Find out more about our work at www.league.org.uk. Registered charity in England and Wales (no.1095234) and Scotland (no.SC045533).