Racing Queensland suspends a further 23 trainers

A FURTHER 23 registered Queensland participants have now been suspended following on from the live-baiting scandal which has gripped the entire greyhound racing industry.

The unnamed trainers have been stood down as part of 's ongoing investigation into the training track of at Churchable, where secret surveillance cameras captured the practice of using live animals tied onto the to entice greyhounds to chase.

The latest suspensions come after RQ stood down 13 participants as a result of the notorious Four Corners program titled ‘Making A Killing'. Seven of those 14 trainers were issued show cause notices on February 17 and five of those seven have subsequently been warned-off for life, including legendary trainer and the man at the centre of the scandal, Tom Noble. Noble has since pleaded not-guilty to seven charges of serious animal cruelty handed down to him by a taskforce established to investigate live-baiting within the QLD greyhound industry.

RQ CEO Darren Condon said that made the decision to stand down the further 23 individuals while they commenced inquiries after reviewing further video footage from the private track.

“When we began this investigation we said we would leave no stone unturned and through our ongoing investigations it has become apparent there were a number of individuals using this facility for illegal training practices,” Condon said in a press release.

“Each of the trainers stood down were at least present at that track and as a result Stewards have stood them down immediately to understand their involvement.

“The people suspended today will now face Stewards' inquiries and the broader investigation from our end will continue.”

Condon said that RQ have also suspended the greyhounds trained by the suspended persons, pending further investigation. There is no intention to seize greyhounds owned or trained by those people at this point in time

When the time comes for them to race again, it is expected that they will be subject to RQ's new return to race policy, which applies to any greyhound where there is suspicion that it may have been exposed to the practise of live-baiting during its training and education.

“This process entails three trials over a minimum of three weeks with conditions to be set by stewards and an assessment of the dog's behaviour in those trials,” Condon said.

“Our highest priority is the welfare of the greyhounds and this policy will ensure that if these greyhounds are to return to race, they have been through a comprehensive assessment, which has been endorsed by a number of vets and the .”

Condon said that the moves to suspend the 23 trainers reaffirms RQ's commitment to ensuring the sport is free of animal cruelty practises.

“We will continue to take strong action to address allegations and evidence of illegal training practices and we have implemented a range of initiatives and rule changes to improve protections in greyhound racing,” he said.

Those measures include state wide to stamp out animal cruelty, new local rules which ban the use of animal products on the lure, a levy on all greyhound prizemoney and subsidies within QLD to raise an additional $1.6 million annually for animal welfare and initiatives and new requirements for trainers wishing to nominate their dogs for racing.

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Mwk
Mwk
9 years ago

Name them . That’s a number of people who were there and have not come forward about knowledge of live baiting..that’s what the board is up against.

Glenn Peters
Glenn Peters
9 years ago

This is an industry whose time has come and gone. It serves no useful purpose and has delivered misery to uncountable animals for decades. Just wither and die, become a dead remnant of a ‘sport’ full of mean, greedy old men and miserable animals.

greyhound lover
greyhound lover
9 years ago

Glenn Peters That’s your opinion.  However, you’re wrong on all counts.  Racing serves a useful purpose for greyhounds, it allows them an outlet to vent their competitive energy in a controlled atmosphere, and it allows the owners of these beautiful canine athletes to watch their dogs enjoy racing. Very few owners/trainers do it to earn money or to gamble. They do it because it is a hobby for them, because they love giving their dogs joy. Certainly many owners/trainers don’t make any money out of the dogs, in fact many end up broke each week because every penny they get,… Read more »

Jodie Manuel
Jodie Manuel
9 years ago

More to the point why are the suspended guilt by association I say

Warren Macdonald
Warren Macdonald
9 years ago

So let me get this right…
The stewards or “people” with limited greyhound knowledge.
Will watch the dog in 3 trials.. What will they rule on?
If the dog grabs the lure?
Barks at the lure ?
Decides to stand back from the lure?
Rips the lure apart ?
Seriously this rule is ridiculous!!
Someone tell me how they plan to work out, how or if the dog was “live Baited”

Ellen Cuneo
Ellen Cuneo
9 years ago

or someone has made a deal & blew the whistle….

Ian Rose
Ian Rose
9 years ago

There are no finish on trials, so dogs will just be trialling to appease the green gutter scum.

Chad Bridge
Chad Bridge
9 years ago

they have finish on trials at albion Ian Rose so im not sure how they will go about claiming the dog was live baited

Hugh_
Hugh_
9 years ago

@greyhound lover Glenn Peters Unless they can’t race, then it’s a bullet to the brain.

Hugh_
Hugh_
9 years ago

Mwk Exactly.  What this article doesn’t say, but what other articles do (big surprise) is that these people are alleged to be present at the track when live bating was occurring, not just people that also used the track.  People keep claiming it’s a tiny minority, yet more people keep being found guilty.  People keep claiming they didn’t know it was happening, but it becomes increasingly apparent that people were turning a blind eye.
The industry deserves all the backlash it’s getting.

Joe McFadyen
Joe McFadyen
9 years ago

Spot on

Ian Rose
Ian Rose
9 years ago

Practically every breed of dog will chase and catch things growing up, thats nature.I panic now every time the pups are down near the dam incase they catch something, and I get accused.

Corey Mutton
Corey Mutton
9 years ago

Just check out the late scratchings from Albion pk Monday was the mail I got, but who is informing A.R.G when it’s not even on the website etc.

Recluse 60
Recluse 60
9 years ago

Hugh_ Glenn Peters  You are just so miss informed, if you had a brain you’d be dangerous. If you ban greyhound racing overnight we will give you the needle and you can carry out the euthanasia of hundreds of greyhounds overnight as there wont be enough foster homes all at once. So just stop and think (if its possible) try looking at changing it NOT banning it. So run along now and stop the total thrashing that harness and thoroughbred horses get for no reason what so ever. Oh while you’re at it ask the RSPCA at Townsville to confirm why they euthanase… Read more »

Recluse 60
Recluse 60
9 years ago

They cant tell Warren and any vet will confirm this and infact RQ have confirmed as well that they cant tell nor can the stewards. They will be looking to see if the dog pulls up and fails to chase or mars  as these have to be field trials NOT solo trials. The other thing is that RQ will NOT allow you to trial your dog at any race track only at approved trial tracks before the three trials. So how these trainers and owners are able to get there dogs fit I don’t know. The management and board of RQ have… Read more »

Recluse 60
Recluse 60
9 years ago

I think its a shame Katherine that you didn’t report that Mr Greg Stellar was only charged with being a registered trainer at an unlicensed track and suspended for one month and NOT charged with live baiting, shame as you were doing so well reporting but know you just seem to want to report the bad side.

Brad
Brad
9 years ago

Hugh_ Glenn Peters 
Hugh,
What has happened to your sensible debate theory?
Remember this quote of yours – “not to mention being presumptuous since you have no personal knowledge of the individuals behind the acquisition of this covert footage” – your bullet to the brain is highly presumptuous.
See this is where the problem lies, anti greyhound racing people are happy to adopt standards for greyhound participants which they are not happy to adopt themselves.
Regards,
Brad.

ColinByers
ColinByers
9 years ago

COLIN BYERS   AFTER ALL THIS TIME I THOUGHT HITLER WASS DEAD

Helen Halas
Helen Halas
9 years ago

No way would they know they have been trained with live bait. That’s just plain stupid.

Mwk
Mwk
9 years ago

Name them . That’s a number of people who were there and have not come forward about knowledge of live baiting..that’s what the board is up against.

Glenn Peters
Glenn Peters
9 years ago

This is an industry whose time has come and gone. It serves no useful purpose and has delivered misery to uncountable animals for decades. Just wither and die, become a dead remnant of a ‘sport’ full of mean, greedy old men and miserable animals.

greyhound lover
greyhound lover
9 years ago

Glenn Peters That’s your opinion.  However, you’re wrong on all counts.  Racing serves a useful purpose for greyhounds, it allows them an outlet to vent their competitive energy in a controlled atmosphere, and it allows the owners of these beautiful canine athletes to watch their dogs enjoy racing. Very few owners/trainers do it to earn money or to gamble. They do it because it is a hobby for them, because they love giving their dogs joy. Certainly many owners/trainers don’t make any money out of the dogs, in fact many end up broke each week because every penny they get,… Read more »

Jodie Manuel
Jodie Manuel
9 years ago

More to the point why are the suspended guilt by association I say

Warren Macdonald
Warren Macdonald
9 years ago

So let me get this right…The stewards or “people” with limited greyhound knowledge.Will watch the dog in 3 trials.. What will they rule on? If the dog grabs the lure? Barks at the lure ?Decides to stand back from the lure? Rips the lure apart ? Seriously this rule is ridiculous!! Someone tell me how they plan to work out, how or if the dog was “live Baited”

Ellen Cuneo
Ellen Cuneo
9 years ago

or someone has made a deal & blew the whistle….

Ian Rose
Ian Rose
9 years ago

There are no finish on trials, so dogs will just be trialling to appease the green gutter scum.

Chad Bridge
Chad Bridge
9 years ago

they have finish on trials at albion Ian Rose so im not sure how they will go about claiming the dog was live baited

Hugh_
Hugh_
9 years ago

@greyhound lover Glenn Peters Unless they can’t race, then it’s a bullet to the brain.

Hugh_
Hugh_
9 years ago

Mwk Exactly.  What this article doesn’t say, but what other articles do (big surprise) is that these people are alleged to be present at the track when live bating was occurring, not just people that also used the track.  People keep claiming it’s a tiny minority, yet more people keep being found guilty.  People keep claiming they didn’t know it was happening, but it becomes increasingly apparent that people were turning a blind eye.

The industry deserves all the backlash it’s getting.

Joe McFadyen
Joe McFadyen
9 years ago

Spot on

Ian Rose
Ian Rose
9 years ago

Practically every breed of dog will chase and catch things growing up, thats nature.I panic now every time the pups are down near the dam incase they catch something, and I get accused.

Corey Mutton
Corey Mutton
9 years ago

Just check out the late scratchings from Albion pk Monday was the mail I got, but who is informing A.R.G when it’s not even on the website etc.

Recluse 60
Recluse 60
9 years ago

Hugh_ Glenn Peters  You are just so miss informed, if you had a brain you’d be dangerous. If you ban greyhound racing overnight we will give you the needle and you can carry out the euthanasia of hundreds of greyhounds overnight as there wont be enough foster homes all at once. So just stop and think (if its possible) try looking at changing it NOT banning it. So run along now and stop the total thrashing that harness and thoroughbred horses get for no reason what so ever. Oh while you’re at it ask the RSPCA at Townsville to confirm why they euthanase… Read more »

Recluse 60
Recluse 60
9 years ago

They cant tell Warren and any vet will confirm this and infact RQ have confirmed as well that they cant tell nor can the stewards. They will be looking to see if the dog pulls up and fails to chase or mars  as these have to be field trials NOT solo trials. The other thing is that RQ will NOT allow you to trial your dog at any race track only at approved trial tracks before the three trials. So how these trainers and owners are able to get there dogs fit I don’t know. The management and board of RQ have… Read more »

Recluse 60
Recluse 60
9 years ago

I think its a shame Katherine that you didn’t report that Mr Greg Stellar was only charged with being a registered trainer at an unlicensed track and suspended for one month and NOT charged with live baiting, shame as you were doing so well reporting but know you just seem to want to report the bad side. 

Brad
Brad
9 years ago

Hugh_ Glenn Peters 

Hugh,

What has happened to your sensible debate theory?

Remember this quote of yours – “not to mention being presumptuous since you have no personal knowledge of the individuals behind the acquisition of this covert footage” – your bullet to the brain is highly presumptuous.

See this is where the problem lies, anti greyhound racing people are happy to adopt standards for greyhound participants which they are not happy to adopt themselves.

Regards,

Brad.

ColinByers
ColinByers
9 years ago

COLIN BYERS   AFTER ALL THIS TIME I THOUGHT HITLER WASS DEAD

Helen Halas
Helen Halas
9 years ago

No way would they know they have been trained with live bait. That’s just plain stupid.