Risk factors for horse fatality in Thoroughbred jumps racing in New Zealand.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the race-, horse- and jockey-level risk factors for race day fatality in New Zealand Thoroughbred jumps racing using retrospective race day data from the 2011/12 - 2021/22 seasons (n = 8,970 starts). There were 51 race day fatalities resulting in an incidence rate of 5.7 per 1,000 starts (95% C.I. 4.3 - 7.5). The majority of fatalities were the result of fractures (44/51, 4.9 per 1,000 starts, 95% C.I. 3.7 - 6.6). Steeplechase and hurdle races had the same incidence of fatal fractures of 4.9 per 1,000 starts (95% C.I. 3.7-6.6, p > 0.05). Most (70.5%) of the fatal fractures were due to a horse falling during the race. In steeplechase races, horses running in races over 4,201 m were 5.0 times (95% C.I. 1.2 - 33.0) more likely to sustain a fatal fracture than horses in racing over shorter distances. In hurdle races, horses racing during spring were 2.2 times (95% C.I. 1.0 - 4.8) more likely to sustain a fatal fracture compared to winter. Due to the low number of suspected cardiac failures and fatal soft tissue injuries, risk factors for these fatalities could not be identified. These data provide a baseline to enable evidence-based regulatory changes and prospectively monitor the effectiveness of changes made.
Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Publication Date: 2023-08-04 PubMed ID: 37544490DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104897Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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Objective:
The study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with fatalities on race days in Thoroughbred jumps racing in New Zealand.
Method:
- Data was collected retrospectively from races that occurred over 11 seasons, from 2011/12 to 2021/22.
- This data covered 8,970 race starts.
Results:
- Overall Fatalities:
- Out of the 8,970 race starts, there were 51 fatalities.
- This translates to an incidence rate of 5.7 fatalities for every 1,000 race starts.
- Cause of Fatalities:
- Most of the fatalities (44 out of 51) were due to fractures.
- This means that fractures had an incidence rate of 4.9 fatalities per 1,000 starts.
- Type of Races:
- Both steeplechase and hurdle races had the same fracture fatality rate, 4.9 per 1,000 starts.
- Reason for Fractures:
- The majority (70.5%) of these fatal fractures happened because a horse fell during the race.
- Specific Risk Factors:
- Steeplechase Races: Horses racing in distances longer than 4,201 meters had a 5 times higher risk of suffering a fatal fracture compared to horses racing shorter distances.
- Hurdle Races: Horses racing during the spring season had a 2.2 times higher risk of fatal fractures compared to those racing in winter.
- Other Fatalities:
- The study found a small number of fatalities due to suspected cardiac failures and fatal soft tissue injuries. However, the number was too low to determine any specific risk factors for these types of fatalities.
Conclusion:
This study offers a foundational understanding of the risk factors associated with fatalities in Thoroughbred jumps racing in New Zealand. The findings can help in making evidence-based regulatory changes to improve horse safety, and they also provide a standard to measure the effectiveness of any changes implemented in the future.
Cite This Article
APA
Gibson MJ, Legg KA, Gee EK, Rogers CW.
(2023).
Risk factors for horse fatality in Thoroughbred jumps racing in New Zealand.
J Equine Vet Sci.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104897 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- School of Veterinary Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand;. Electronic address: m.gibson@massey.ac.nz.
- School of Veterinary Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand;. Electronic address: k.legg@massey.ac.nz.
- School of Veterinary Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand;. Electronic address: e.k.gee@massey.ac.nz.
- School of Veterinary Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand;; School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, 4442 Palmerston North, New Zealand. Electronic address: c.w.rogers@massey.ac.nz.
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no real or perceived conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Allen SE, Taylor S, Given J, Verheyen KL. Risk factors for fatality in jump racing Thoroughbreds in Great Britain (2010-2023). Equine Vet J 2025 Jul;57(4):870-877.
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