Equine Welfare
Controversy erupts on day two of Cheltenham Festival 2026
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A second horse death and allegations of racial abuse between jockeys overshadowed key races on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival. HMS Seahorse died after a fall in the BetMGM Cup Handicap Hurdle, prompting renewed calls for a boycott. Irish amateur jockey Declan Queally accused British rider Nico de Boinville of verbal and racial abuse before the Turners Novices’ Hurdle.
The equine welfare charity Redwings has closed its visitor centres in Oxhill, Warwickshire, and Forfar, Angus, with immediate effect due to financial pressures. The closures affect 33 staff members, who have been made redundant. All horses and donkeys from the sites will relocate to the charity's Norfolk facilities.
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Professor Chris Riggs, an international champion of horse welfare, received the 2026 Sir Colin Spedding Award at the National Equine Forum in London on 5 March. The award recognizes his efforts to advance equine veterinary care in China and Asia. He also delivered the memorial lecture on progress in the region's horse welfare.