HRV promotes and provides funding to the Harness Education & Rehoming Opportunities (HERO) program to create an avenue for standardbred horses to be educated and rehomed responsibly with HRV’s oversight.

HRV would like to make participants aware that when engaging a rehoming person that is not affiliated with HRV’s HERO program that the outcome for the horse may not be as promised and the outcome may lack some oversight.

It is important for participants to undertake their own research and due diligence prior to engaging a rehoming person or business as, unfortunately, the goodwill of people and their animals can be taken advantage of on occasions, through people who purport to be part of rehoming programs, however they may have competing interests. 

Prior to any standardbred being rehomed it is important to remember your obligations under the harness racing rules relating to deregistration. The deregistration process now requires the owner deregistering the horse to provide the details of the person who the horse has been sold or given to in an effort to increase traceability in life after racing.

96A.   (3) (a) Where a registered horse has been retired from racing or a decision has been made to not race the horse, the owner of the horse at the time of its retirement must, within one month of the horse’s retirement, notify the Registrar by lodging the relevant form prescribed by the Registrar.

(b)  Where a registered horse has been retired from racing or a decision has been made to not race the horse but retain it for the purposes of breeding, the owner of the horse at the time of its retirement from breeding must, within one month of the horse’s retirement notify the Registrar by lodging the relevant prescribed form.

96B.  Notification of deregistration or death shall be given to the Controlling Body or Stewards on Form R25-A.

The HERO Program has been operating since 2015 and continues to set the equine welfare benchmark through the development, facilitation and promotion of pathways for retired pacers and trotters. If interested in rehoming a HERO horse and being part of the HERO Community please call Tanya Mcdermott on 0407 413 516.

READ MORE: Q&A with HERO manager Tanya McDermott

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