WATCH: Rider thrown in high-speed sulky crash in Tipperary as calls to ban road racing grow
Animal welfare groups demand sulky racing moved off busy roads
A video showing a sulky driver thrown from his cart on the R689 near Clonmel has renewed calls for sulky racing to be moved off public roads. It is believed the incident happened in Lisronagh, south Tipperary, on Saturday, September 27, shortly after 1pm. The 24-second clip shows three carts riding abreast before one driver is thrown, narrowly avoiding serious injury.
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Animal welfare organisations have condemned the scenes captured in the video, describing them as both dangerous and cruel. The Action for Animal Welfare Ireland criticised the incident, stating that it “breaks every law, not to mention endangering the safety and welfare of both human and animal life... Get off the road.”
Similarly, the group Tipperary Ban Illegal Sulky Racing voiced outrage, commenting that “these ignorant people need to have their animals removed from them and be taught how to care for them, as they know sweet feck all about horses.” Both groups have called for stricter enforcement of animal welfare regulations and harsher penalties for those involved in illegal sulky racing.
The controversy has reignited debate over the regulation of sulky racing in Ireland, with campaigners urging authorities to implement tougher laws and consistent enforcement to prevent further harm. As pressure mounts on local councils and Gardaí to act, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing tensions between cultural tradition and the growing demand for higher standards of animal welfare.