Campaign to build trust tackles concerns head-on

British racing has taken a new approach to educate fans and the public about racehorse welfare

- LUCY ELDER

BRITISH racing has launched a campaign targeted at proactively building public trust around horse welfare.

The HorsePWR initiative takes inspiration from other successful sporting campaigns that visually have human “stars and athletes right at the heart”, by promoting thoroughbreds in the same way. Its name is an acronym, for “purpose, welfare and responsibility”, and the campaign comprises a new website with facts about the sport, and posters with simple messaging around welfare.

“The HorsePWR campaign sees the sport take a new approach when it comes to talking about welfare,” said Robin Mounsey, British Horseracing Authority (BHA) head of communications and member of the sport’s Horse Welfare Board.

“It is about being upfront, open and transparent. It is about tackling head-on the elements of the sport that we know are areas of concern and providing information to educate and reassure.”

The first stage, which launched on 4 April, is aimed at getting the industry engaged first, to give “racing people and supporters the tools with which to share their pride in racing, promoting the sport’s welfare standards and rebutting negative or misleading information”.

The longer-term ambition is to engage wider audiences. In a media briefing ahead of the launch, Mr Mounsey said the campaign is also targeting racing supporters and the industry first as just because someone is a fan, “doesn’t mean they are immune to concerns about welfare”.