Is the horseracing industry full of money-hungry swindlers out to make a buck, or just people who love horses, plain and simple? In the wake of the 2014 Melbourne Cup controversy, Nicolas Brasch – author of Horses in Australia: An illustrated history – makes a case for the faithful.
After the running of the 2014 Melbourne Cup, horses found themselves at the forefront of the news – and not necessarily for the right reasons. The deaths of two horses after the race provoked some hysterical comments and irrational arguments, not least of which were statements along the lines that people involved in horseracing care only for the money and not for the horses.
This is patently absurd. Anyone with even the slightest connection to horseracing knows that what drives everyone within the sport – from strappers to trainers – is a love for horses.
Strappers, track riders and stablehands are among the lowest paid workers in Australia (and they toil damn long hours for their measly wages). What gets them up and about every day is their commitment to and love for their equine companions. They could earn twice, three times more behind a bar or in a supermarket – yet they don’t.
Jockeys put their lives at risk several times a day, and most do so for far less than the average wage. Sure, there are some exceptions – the superstar jockeys – but they too started off for the same reason as all the other jockeys: because of a love for horses. The strength and work ethic of the average jockey mean that if they left the racing industry they could land a job in just about any other sector – yet they don’t.
Most trainers are hobby trainers. They don’t expect to make any money. The big city trainers need to keep their fees as low as possible to attract owners. Yet it is a labour-intensive industry and the costs are enormous. Any other professional who managed a large number of staff and worked sixteen hours a day, seven days a week would earn many times what the major trainers earn. The business acumen of trainers means they could walk into a senior management position in many sectors – yet they don’t.
So why do these people enter and remain in the industry? Because of one thing: a love for horses.
Horses have that sort of effect on most people.
Horses in Australia: An illustrated history celebrates the horse and its connection with Australians in all aspects of life – from Cobb & Co to Black Caviar, from the Walers of World War I to The Man from Snowy River and beyond. The 180 or so images I chose for the book shaped the way I told the story. Through the images I wanted to show why we love horses, but also highlight how brilliantly they have been captured in the work of some of our best artists and photographers.
Do I have a favourite image? Well, this one says it all – it’s Bruce Postle’s iconic image of Tommy Woodcock and Reckless. Take one look at this and try to tell me that racing people don’t do what they do for anything but a love of horses.
Trainer Tommy Woodcock with Reckless on the eve of the Melbourne Cup, 1977. © Bruce Postle.
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Horses in Australia: An illustrated history by Nicolas Braschis published by NewSouth. The story of Bruce Postle's photo of Tommy Woodcock and Reckless, above, is told in the book. See more of Bruce's work at www.brucepostle.com.
