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SAVE THE BRUMBIES INC.
Registered State Charity
CFN 17516
Patron: Andrew Stoner, leader, National Party (N.S.W.)
UPDATE: Qld. Brumby slaughter
Reporter Des Houghton’s story on
this atrocity made front page news in the Sunday, llth Nov. 2007 issue of the Brisbane Courier Sun. We have been flooded with
enquiries world wide on this latest aerial cull by the Qld. Government.
Steps are being taken to bring the Government
to account by Animal Welfare Organisations and a horrified public on an International scale. We are now aware of plans by
the Qld. Government to conduct a further aerial slaughter of 10.000 horses. We want to see an immediate cessation of shooting
and a Steering Committee of key personnel established to bring about a long term plan of management of control to consider
the alternatives as against slaughter.
We urge all animal lovers to register their disgust directly to the Qld. Government.
Email:
ThePremier@premiers.qld.gov.au
STB Inc. will continue to bring this issue before the public.
"Aerial massacre of over 4000 horses
in Qld.
Go to News and Events link for coverage"
Due to the equine flu lockdown the official
opening of New England Brumby Sanctuary set for 28th October, 2007 has been cancelled until further notice, we apologise for
any inconvenience.
For details of horses available please go to photo gallery link
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Brumby Adam, Mascot for STB
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Save the Brumbies was established in the aftermath of the horrific aerial slaughter of 606 wild horses in
Guy Fawkes River National Park, N.S.W. in October 2000 by noted Australian concert and recording artist Jan Carter. Through
the medium of her music Jan was determined to raise public awareness to the plight of the brumbies and the sales of her outstanding
C.D. of original music dedicated to the brumbies provides ongoing funding assistance for the horses. The sale proceeds of
many more of Jan’s beautiful albums also go directly to STB Charity; you can help by buying one or more C.D.’s,
see link: Celtic Harp Music for details.
BRUMBY SLAUGHTER
For far too long the brumby issue in Australia has been overlooked and badly mismanaged by Government and
National Parks and Wildlife Service. The aerial slaughter carried out by NPWS outraged and horrified animal lovers throughout
the world. These horses were cruelly and ineptly shot from helicopters and died an agonising death over several days. This
barbaric culling was particularly shocking for Australia’s image as a horse loving nation coming so soon after Australian
horses and riders made such an impact on the world with the opening of the 2000 Olympic Games.
R.S.P.C.A. SUES
The R.S.P.C.A. charged NPWS with cruelty over this national tragedy and the case was resolved through the
courts. NPWS pleaded guilty and were duly convicted. The R.S.P.C.A. inspectors discovered a grey mare, still alive in terrible
agony, thirteen days after the slaughter with three bullets embedded in her. She was just one that was put down by R.S.P.C.A.
officials.
SAVE THE BRUMBIES Inc. has been actively lobbying for changes in wild horse management ever since this massacre.
We are supported by millions of Australians who want to see the brumbies protected and preserved for future generations as
a living, vital force in the Australian bush and as a historical link with our colonial past.
Under current Department of Environment and Conservation legislation all wild horses are to be removed from
national parks and Government land. No provision for their ongoing protection is given.
SAVE THE BRUMBIES Inc. has represented numerous horse interest groups, including the Australian Horse Alliance
on the NPWS Steering Committee to seek more humane ways of brumby control. The Horse Management Plan for Guy Fawkes River
National Park is now complete, however shooting is still an option for control despite our protests.
Under present
legislation our wild horses are deemed ‘feral pests’ and are treated as such.
Australia belongs to the
Dark Ages; even now, after all we have done, captured horses are consigned to abattoirs or shot in the parks if horse interest
groups don’t have the land or finance to take them. We receive no funding or assistance from the Government in any way
at all.
SAVE THE BRUMBIES Inc. continues to play a high profile role in assisting with finance and developing sensible,
economic management plans of control and preservation and to monitor carefully the progress of such plans.
THE PRINCIPLE AIMS OF SAVE THE BRUMBIES Inc. are:
To see humane, controlled management and the abolition of shooting of wild horses in national parks and
public lands Australia wide.
To maintain the unique genetics of the brumby for future generations.
To ensure no captured horses be consigned to sale yards or abattoirs.
To establish permanent wild horse sanctuaries as a fitting memorial to those Guy Fawkes horses that were
slaughtered so cruelly. This will forever be a black mark in Australian history.
Where possible to run adoption programs so that the public can home one or more of these horses.
To see legislative changes, in line with other nations who value their wild horses, (in the US the Mustang
has been protected for over thirty years) as the only viable, long term solution; thus giving the Australian Brumby protection
into the future.
THE HORSES HAVE HELPED TO BUILD THIS NATION, THEY HAVE FOUGHT FOR US AND GIVEN THEIR LIVES IN WAR, THEY
HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE IN CONTROLLED AREAS OF OUR PUBLIC LAND, PLEASE GIVE THE BRUMBIES YOUR SUPPORT.
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HISTORY AND BACKGROUND OF THE HERITAGE WILD HORSE
The Guy Fawkes region of Northern
N.S.W. has been renowned for many years by knowledgeable horsemen for the quality of the wild horses that have made their
home in this rugged, tough wilderness.
Horse breeding first commenced
in this area in the 1830’s with the establishment of Guy Fawkes station. The main focus was breeding horses for the
remount trade and this continued from the 1890’s until the early 1940’s. A number of horses from Guy Fawkes were
drafted for use by the Light Horse in the New England district during both world wars.
Due to vast areas of unfenced
land, small mobs of horses became free ranging in what is now known as Guy Fawkes River National Park. Horses have been sighted
here since the 1930’s.
Originally bred for their
strength, endurance and athletic ability, free ranging horses were managed by local graziers and a mixture of blood lines
was introduced.
There is virtually no inbreeding in the Guy Fawkes horses; D.N.A. testing by the Heritage Working Party
confirmed this fact and the horses can be traced directly back to the great Arabian stallion, ‘Saladin’.
In later years as NPWS took
over the land, local management was banned by NPWS.
Horsemen were prohibited to ride in the Park; regular mustering then
ceased and this resulted in large increases in horse population.
A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE
PRESENT SITUATION
Due to the public outcry
over the aerial slaughter by NPWS of over 600 horses in October, 2000 the Heritage Working Party was formed to investigate
and establish the Heritage and background of the Guy Fawkes horses. The conclusion was that due to the history of the horses
and their strong links with our Colonial past it warranted their being managed and conserved for future generations.
The Heritage Working Party
recommended that a small number of horses continue to free range in the Park under local management thus keeping the genetics
of the wild horse intact for future generations. However under current Government policy all horses are to be removed from
national parks and managed elsewhere.
We will continue to actively
lobby Government over the scientifically unproven ruling that the horses cause the amount of impact damage they are accused
of. Guy Fawkes River National Park consists of 103 thousand hectares and is largely, disused grazing land; the resources of
NPWS to manage this land is limited.
Horses in the Park do much
to keep down the unwanted vegetation; this causes such devastating bush fires on a regular basis. Horses also continue to
enter the Park from the western boundary which is not fenced. Removal then, is an ongoing task. How much more sensible and
economical would it be to provide a small portion of the Park, fenced as a Sanctuary for the Heritage horses, in a suitable
area under experienced management.
Population of the horses would be controlled, they would continue to breed naturally,
an agreed number would be made available to the public for riding purposes as we are already doing and visitors to Guy Fawkes
could enjoy the sheer magic of the horses, wild ‘n free as part of their wilderness experience. And the whole exercise
would not only enhance the attractions of the Park, particularly for overseas tourists, but by placing suitable horses on
a regular basis, would pay for itself. This commonsense solution is used in other parts of the world, why not Australia ??
Nothing has
really changed since the October 2000 slaughter except the pressure on NPWS to be a little more ‘humane’ in the
removal of the wild horses.
Aerial shooting is currently
banned in N.S.W. however there is strong pressure on NPWS and Government to re-introduce this shocking cruelty by the conservation
groups who have a lot more influence through the ‘Greens’ policies than do brumby protection groups. We are constantly
under threat of this savage cruelty being used again.
To take a horse
from the wild is to take away the very essence that we are trying to preserve. The wild horse is what he is because of where
he is.
Therefore the Government;
by banning them from the Park, yet at the same time, recognising their Heritage value, has a responsibility to provide land
similar to Guy Fawkes where these unique Tablelands horses can continue to breed into the future. We pay taxes to maintain
our National Parks, that includes our Heritage and culture which, in this case, is our Heritage wild horses.
The present Government has
a lot to answer to with their biased and tunnel visioned environmental policies and their complete disregard for the wishes
of the majority of Australian people.
THE GUY FAWKES WILD HORSE
The typical Guy Fawkes wild
horse is a strong and sturdy equine, able to withstand harsh conditions; colours range from predominately bays to buckskins,
chestnuts to palominos, they are mainly of medium height and many have become superb riding horses in rugged terrain. These
horses have sound conformation, strong bone and excellent feet; they are alert and highly intelligent, quick on their feet,
quick to learn and easy to train.
The Guy Fawkes horse deserves
the title “Heritage” for he is the living history of our Colonial past, whether it be pulling drays, carrying
kids to school, ploughing the land, mustering the cattle or taking his place with our Light Horse Regiments.
It is our sincere hope that
his history will continue to be written as a living legend for future generations of Australians.
References: Heritage Working
Party report as prepared by NPWS to the Minister for the Environment, February, 2002. Copies of this Report are available
from NPWS Dorrigo, N.S.W. 2453 on request as too, are copies of the current Draft Plan of Management for Guy Fawkes River
National Park.
By concentrated public awareness
we can make a difference to ensure that this important part of our Heritage is not wiped out in the name of conservation.
SHAME
is the only word to conclude this brief history of the Guy Fawkes Heritage Horse.
