Aintree Marred By Drunken Brawling On Ladies Day

pascal30

how people can put these highly intelligent, magnificent, beautiful animals in danger defeats and saddens me.

Police Officers ride them into riot situations…

how people can put these highly intelligent, magnificent, beautiful animals in danger defeats and saddens me.

The Grand National is now just a glorified hurdle race. No horses fell this year.

Aintree sadly is “marred” by the fact that 18 horses have died in the Grand National since 2000!

How things change! In the old days National Hunt ‘goers’, because it was over the winter period and usually cold and wet, wore tweeds and sensible footwear! Never fur! To be replaced by pretty dresses and hats in the Flat Season….particularly RoyalAscot. It seems now that for both Meetings the introduction of strapless dresses…unsuitable shoes and vast amounts of alcohol are the norm!!

mae13

But then this kind of behavior has happened at Royal Ascot within sight of the late Queen.

A couple of glasses of cheap champagne and some of the blokes regress to their Caveman origins.

Didn't see or hear anything about it so it didn't mar it for me

Well, given the shenanigans of the current Tory mob supposed to be governing it's no surprise that standards have dropped. Such wonderful role models.

These 'common' brawlers need Angels Rather to sort them out.

Without the racing there would be far fewer horses
Don’t horses damage the land they graze on.

If all the horses were left free to run wild they would breed more and eat more grass

People only breed horses to make money . People only train horses to make money . People only ride in races to make money. People only follow racing to bet on horses intending to make money. People work with horses obviously have to like them but do it to earn money. Without the racing there would be far fewer horses. Don’t horses damage the land they graze on. But it’s all about money.

I've just recommended using hairspray to zap fruitflies so technically I don't love all animals .
If I did : I'd join a Jain sect .
I loved anything equestrian all my life , but now I'm more aware of racing horse
deaths . I've wanted the jumps modified at Aintree and other courses .
But having looked at the websites - the situation is far worse than I thought .
So many are maimed and put down at the racecourse and more are killed in training .
We don't eat horse meat in this country , but they do abroad .
And that's where so many end up and at a tender age .

I also love red shoes. I once had a friend who said every woman should own a pair.

Completely agree

I was brought (dragged) up to believe that anyone who uses the word 'common' to mean low class rather than not unusual was definitely not from the cultured middle class. Being common myself, in the proper sense of the word, I try (but don't always succeed) to use the English language as precisely as possible. I find the fact that race horses die and are injured every year far more shocking than the antics of a load of uncultured plebs.

Kate1949

I'll get the socks.

👍

The cruelty also happens behind the scenes. Many of us will have seen undercover footage of horses being kicked and punched.

Germanshepherdsmum

Racing is a cruel industry.

Totally agree. It is an appalling industry GSM. Animals should not be put in danger of death or to line people's pockets. The real savagery is on the race track. The spectators have a choice. I would question anyone (whether they are brawling or not) who seeks out this form of entertainment.

whatever the rights and wrongs of horse related sporting competitions, it’s only latterly that large groups of young men and women have behaved in drunken brawling manner and it really is not acceptable behaviour

I haven’t seen research evidence on this but it seems true to me. I’m not tea total, enjoy a drink and festivity but - as a country we do seem to have a problem with Some People (them again) drinking to real excess then behaving badly. When I go away to Greece or Spain for example, I’d avoid the areas dominated by British tourists .

MaizieD

So many people clutching their pearls as though there have never been brawls at a race meeting before, yet the OP says:

But then this kind of behavior has happened at Royal Ascot within sight of the late Queen.

There are hundreds of race meetings every year, some are big and well known, most are not. They all offer the same opportunities for drinking and brawling, but I doubt that any other incidents make the headlines, because they're not at prestigious/famous meetings.

So the world as we knew it hasn't come to an end.

But this thread has been a splendid opportunity for further displays of what I would describe as snobbery...

Lots of “normal” people enjoys horse racing, eventing and show jumping.

My husband has been going to the races for many years and I too often join him.

I used to attend Point to Point racing with my parents.

Whatever the “rights” and “wrongs” of horse related sporting competitions, it’s only latterly that large groups of young men and women have behaved in drunken brawling manner and it really is not acceptable behaviour.

RosiesMaw

You’ve beaten me to it Iam64
A regular at Burghley Horse Trials I am equally irritated by the Hooray Henrys and Henriettas getting off their faces on the X Country day,even if they are in Rugby shirts and Barbours instead of skimpy dresses.
So no, it’s not to do with snobbery despite the inverted snobbish virtue signalling.
Just *bad behaviour*

Yes!

It is.

Racing is a cruel industry.

I'm sure that's a comfort to the dead horses.

I think you’ll find that nearly 70 horses a year are killed by cars so should people be banned from hacking out? Imo the worst death for any horses is colic and that can happen to pretty much an horse any time. And the saddest of deaths is when a mare dies foaling. No idea how many horses die as a result of field accidents or even stable accidents when they get cast in their box, but I bet it’s a lot. The people who go racing to get drunk probably don’t care about the horses but all the race goers and people who work in racing that I know are heartbroken when a horse dies. As for the lads and lasses that look after them inconsolable doesn’t come close I recently literally spent three days crying because a favourite ex racer of mine died of pneumonia despite the best efforts of her vets over several weeks.

GrannyGravy13

RosiesMaw I totally agree, been to numerous three day events (eventing daughter) bad behaviour is bad behaviour whoever is responsible 👏👏👏

There’s always some at any sporting event, it’s true.