Aussie Twitter is having its say on the Melbourne Cup today, with #NupToTheCup trending at number one amidst a growing backlash against animal cruelty towards racehorses.
It’s that time of year again. Australia’s annual Melbourne Cup is taking place today (Tuesday, November 3) at its usual location of Flemington Racecourse – although, due to COVID-19, this year there will be no crowds in attendance.
However, despite restrictions preventing the Cup’s annual grand turnout, Aussies have still taken to Twitter with #NupToTheCup in order to vent ongoing frustrations surrounding the cruel treatment of racehorses and immoral industry practices.
Alongside the trending hashtag #NupToTheCup is #MelbourneFuCup and #HorseRacingKills, with users posting confronting images of injured horses (and sometimes even healthy ones) being slaughtered at the hands of trainers, as well as critiques of those who “dress up” to watch “horses be whipped and flogged.”
Yesterday, protestors from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR), donned large geometric horse masks and fake blood while demonstrating outside Flemington racecourse.
During the last racing year, a horse died on track every three days:
🐴 59 died from catastrophic front limb injury
🐴 10 died from cardiac causes
🐴 9 died from bleedsThanks to @hrseracingkills for lifting the lid on this cruel and barbaric industry #NupToTheCup pic.twitter.com/Kv4XkXDNfv
— Greens NSW/Jamie Parker MP (@GreensNSW) November 1, 2020
The demonstration remained COVID-safe and protestors were not asked to move on by police.
The group held signs saying: “You bet they die,” and “Nup to the cup,” while carrying whips and starter guns that shot blood into the air.
Protesters crack ‘bloody whips’ on Melbourne Cup eve
via @hrseracingkills“six horse have died on #MelbourneCup day since 2013″ #NupToTheCup pic.twitter.com/5Wi3uVVOhC
— Susan Metcalfe (@susanamet) November 2, 2020
The communications director of CPR, Kristen Leigh, told news.com.au that despite increasing awareness around the inhumane nature of racing practices, including the unnecessary killing of retired or injured horses, the industry is deliberately turning a blind eye to backlash.
“A spate of recent controversies has exposed the racing industry’s ruthless slaughter of thousands of unwanted racehorses, and yet, nothing has changed,” she said.
“Racehorses are still being sent to slaughter while the industry pretends to have cleaned up its mess.”
Let’s all glorify animal cruelty, binge-drinking, and gambling 🎉 #NupToTheCup #MelbourneCup pic.twitter.com/4mGX3IaUPJ
— CVerney (@le_petitrouge) November 2, 2020
Meanwhile, PETA’s Senior Outreach and Partnerships Manager, Emily Rice, denounced the lack of media coverage surrounding the extremes that thoroughbred racehorses are pushed to.
“While media coverage glosses over the bleeding lungs, broken bones, and tragic loss of life, horses on Australian racetracks are subject to severe abuse and even death,” she described.
