CHARGE AGAINST TRAINER OLIVIA CAIRNS COULD NOT BE SUSTAINED
THE TOWNSVILLE BULLETIN reports that leading local trainer Olivia Cairns said justice had been done after she was cleared of a horse cruelty charge yesterday.
Queensland Racing adjudicating steward Michael Halliday found the charge under the Australian Rules of Racing could not be sustained that Cairns had mistreated a horse from her stable when she struck it with a metal scraper at trackwork at Cluden Park on October 8.
The inquiry, which began last month and sat over three days, heard evidence from a range of witnesses called by both Queensland Racing and Cairns.“In the absence of any medical or veterinary evidence or any direct evidence of any unsatisfactory or relevant particular discomfort being experienced by the horse, this inquiry is unable to form any adverse opinion that the conduct of the respondent was excessive, unnecessary or unacceptable,'' Mr Halliday said in handing down his decision.
Scrapers are lengths of light metal used to remove excess water from horses after they have been hosed down.
The inquiry heard Cairns struck the horse while it was proving troublesome in the wash bay.
The inquiry heard scrapers were not usually used to discipline horses.
Cairns gave evidence that she struck the horse ‘two or three times’ on the hind-quarters to prevent it pulling back out of the wash bay but had not harmed nor intended to harm the animal.
Cairns at the conclusion of the inquiry slammed ‘bitchiness’ on the part of certain people within the local racing industry she claimed had led to her being charged.
“It was all something that was blown out of proportion,”' Cairns said. “'It’s a shame that success is so frowned upon. 'The only reason they frown on me is because I’m successful.
“'I was always brought up to believe that success should be looked up to. 'It's a real shame the racing industry is so bitchy, that’s why we ended up here.”'
Cairns, 31, is one of North Queensland’s most prominent trainers, with her feature wins including the Townsville Cup, Cleveland Bay Handicap (twice), Parry Nissan Great Northern Two-Year-Old, Cairns Amateur Cup (twice) and Mackay Newmarket.
She was premier Townsville trainer in the 2007/08 season.
She said it had not been an easy time with such a serious charge hanging over her head.
“'It's been pretty tough but the reality is the people that mean anything to me have made a joke of it,'” Cairns said.
“'That someone as successful as I’ve been, I’ve been with horses all my life and never had anything like this before, could all of a sudden turn into a horse basher, it was just ridiculous.”
STORY COURTESY OF THE TOWNSVILLE BULLETIN
