There’s no “Eureka” moment with Stallion Tax

The word Eureka is attributed to the ancient Greek scholar Archimedes, meaning a word used to celebrate a discovery.

In Australia the word Eureka is more readily associated with the 1854 event in Ballarat, Victoria that became known as the Eureka Stockade .

This event was hard fought and bloody but also formed part of the History of early Australia. The Eureka Stockade was a revolt by the miners of the day against unjust Mining License Fees or Taxes. This rebellion highlighted the refusal of workers to be dominated by unfair Government and became known as “ the Birth of Democracy “ in Australia.

So some 170 years later the Harness Breeders of Australia need to be re enacting that Eureka event in a peaceful manner – this time protesting against an immoral and unfair Tax on Service Fees imposed by a completely out of touch Harness Racing Australia [ HRA ] bureaucracy.

The meaning of the word democracy was ignored by the Executive of HRA some three years ago. Breeders in every State of Australia were totally against any Tax or Levy on Service Fees. If those Executive members and CEO Kelly were of the view that North American Stallion owners were going to pay the Tax, they surely must have been living on another planet.

It is clear that overloaded ego’s stood in the way of common sense. The aim was to establish the richest race in the World and those ego’s didn’t care who they whacked to raise the Funds.

The 2024 edition of the Eureka has now been run and won and Congratulations to Luke McCarthy and the owners of Don Hugo. However the other nine drivers in the race with the exception of the “ First Lady “ Kerryn Manning mustn’t have been aware of the prizemoney on offer.

Surely the race will get Top Votes as the most boring race of the Year at Menangle. It was like watching grass grow in an Australian drought.

So what has been happening in the Australian Breeding Industry since the Tax / Levy was introduced.

1. The numbers of mares bred in Australia have fallen from 4,824 in 2022 to approximately 4,400 last breeding season and will fall by a further 15 to 20% in this current season. In the 2020 season there were 5,289 breeding Services recorded so it is likely that over the past 5 breeding seasons there will be a decrease in mares bred of approximately 30%.
2. Apart from a few isolated cases the Commercial breeders of Australia have driven down a rocky road with Yearling Sale prices in the past 3 seasons. The Clearance rates at this years 2024 sales have been the lowest for a number of years – an indication that Ownership is also on a downward trend.
3.  Administrators in most or all States are advising the Industry that Wagering on Harness Racing is on the slippery slide.

So can we sing the praises from any mountain top of the benefits of the Eureka Race . Sure the Slot Holder and Owners of the first and second placed horses have enjoyed their ride , but clearly to the thousands of participants in Australia – a resounding NO.

Harness Racing Australia will conduct the third edition of the Race in September 2025 and that will complete the three year commitment by the Slot Holders.

Whether the Eureka race continues past 2025 is debateable and if it does then it needs to be totally funded by Slot Holders and Sponsors from outside the Industry – and not the Breeders or the Hosting Club.

The Stallion Tax … or Levy [ which CEO Kelly prefers to label this immoral collection of money ] needs to be abolished.

So Breeders of Australia, it is time to start planning the Aussie meaning of Eureka once again. Let your voices be heard by Administrators in every State – let the Democratic Voice be heard Loud and Clear – NO STALLLION TAX.

by Harnesslink Media