The Mnarja horse races are a safe and humane tradition, according to the Malta Racing Club, which rejected claims the event was cruel to horses.
We take every precaution to ensure animal safety – it’s our main concern
Malta Racing Club chairman Matthew Brincat said he was “hurt and offended” by comments made by the Animal Rights Coalition, which compared the races to bullfighting and described the tradition as “cruel and wicked”.
“We take every precaution to ensure animal safety – it’s our main concern. Allegations of cruelty are baseless,” the lifelong rider said.
Mr Brincat said he had introduced several safety measures to the races since taking charge of the event in 2010.
The main one introduced to this year’s event was to split it into two separate race days to spread out the number of competitors.
Coalition member Myriam Kirmond insists the measure was introduced after years of pressure from the Animal Welfare Council which had recommended it on several occasions.
But Mr Brincat forcefully rejected the claim, adding: “Obviously splitting the event into separate days detracted from the spectacle but it is much more organised and manageable this way.”
The races, originally introduced in the mid-1500s, were held on Saturday evening to mark the feast of St Peter and St Paul.
More than a hundred horses dart up Racecourse Street along the Saqqajja hill for a chance to don a winner’s ribbon.
A spectator and a horse were severely injured during the Mnarja races in 2010.
The spectator, who had ventured past the protective boundaries, suffered chest and head injuries after the horse smashed into the steel barricades.
Ms Kirmond said the presence of equine vets was just as important as paramedics and police officers being at the scene.
“There are medical staff and mounted police there, but theanimals need care too,” she said.
But Mr Brincat believes having a vet on site for all racing activities is an unrealistic demand due to the limited number of specialised vets on the island.
“In an ideal world we would have vets present at every event, but there simply aren’t enough to go around. Can you imagine having a vet at every polo game, race and dressage session?” Mr Brincat said.
Only five equine vets are registered on the island, all of whom have their own private practice.
The Marsa race course, which hosts most local equine sports, is provided with on-call emergency services from a neighbouring veterinary clinic but Mr Brincat believes training riders in animal care could offer an effective solution.
“In the winter months we hold weekly training courses for horse owners. They cover a host of subjects including horse care and even first aid. We’ve often had seminars by foreign guest speakers too,” Mr Brincat said.