'It's fascism at its worst!': Nick Ferrari leads debate on whether protests at horse races are appropriate
2 June 2023, 10:30 | Updated: 2 June 2023, 10:48
NICK FERRARI CLEAN RICH AND ANDRE 1
Callers Andre and Richard debated whether horse racing should continue with Andre claiming it is "cruel".
As the Epsom Derby commences this weekend, Nick Ferrari and callers Andre and Richard debate whether horse racing is "cruel" as concerns arise over whether the event will be disrupted by protestors.
Andre commenced the conversation with reference to protestors: "I think what they're doing is potentially extreme, but I feel that people these days that are protesting aren't feeling very heard, so they have to take quite disruptive action."
On horse racing in general, he said: "My big issue with all of this is, we breed these animals and we talk about being bred as if it's a right, and I don't think we have the right to breed animals into a life which I would consider to be slavery."
"Whilst you say, oh they're well looked after...we're not asking them, we are breeding them into a life of slavery, assuming that they are okay with it," Andre insisted.
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Nick brought in caller Richard, who is part of the racing industry, asking him what his response was to Andre's interpretation of the sport as 'slavery'.
Richard responded: "I'd say he just doesn't know what he's talking about...name six horses which have ever protested about the life that they've been given."
Nick interrupted: "To be fair to Andre's point, they are not able to protest, they don't have any say."
Richard came back: "He is using an analogy that is impossible to prove...what he's doing is that he's saying what the horses may or may not think gives them the right to stop other people from doing what they want!
"It is fascism at its worst!" Richard exclaimed.
Andre responded to Richard: "I don't understand what you mean about fascism, I'm talking about basic rights for living beings."
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"If you have a pet would you whip it to make it go faster? No! Because that would be cruelty," Andre argued.
Richard replied, arguing that jockeys use a "procush" which is a type of whip designed to be kinder to horses and that is used "as a safety implement to guide a horse."
Richard then questioned why we breed cats and dogs as pets, asking what the difference is between their breeding and the breeding of horses.
Andre responded that they are our "companions" and are not made to work other than to "enhance our lives", giving guide dogs as an example.
Richard clapped back: "I do not have an issue with you having an opinion...I have an issue with you trying to stop something that I have a legal right to do!"
Andre concluded the debate by referring to protestors again: "If they didn't even turn up tomorrow their job is done, they have created a conversation which is what we should be having about the welfare of animals."
