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trainer ousted 4 months


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Summary of facts

Circumstances

On Saturday 30th of December 2023, the Racing Integrity Board [RIB] received a complaint from an NZTR Licenced Trainer regarding Kurtis PERTAB’s handling of a horse at the Matamata Racecourse that morning.

The complainant stated that he and two fellow Trainers and the Track (Gap) Manager witnessed Mr Pertab giving a horse in his care a prolonged and excessive beating with a whip sometime between 4:30 – 05:30 hours that morning and that their concerns had initially been raised with the Matamata Racing Club.

On Wednesday 3rd January 2024, the RIB commenced its investigation into the complaint interviewing four independent witnesses.

The Respondent was seen riding a horse that was out of control.  He was witnessed trying to correct his horse assertively while walking off the track.  He was seen to be attempting to manage it and in doing so, struck it about the head twice with a whip.

He was then witnessed walking the horse into the tie ups beside the swimming pool, where the horse is heard receiving a further beating, before being walked back out to the track where the Respondent has continued to beat the horse with his whip.

During this period the Respondent was witnessed striking the horse – with a whip over the head a number of times, with the horse being in a stressed state.

The Respondent was then further witnessed in the tie up area becoming very agitated with the horse.  He was witnessed striking it excessively with the whip around the side of the belly, flank and across the shoulder, continuing for probably a good couple of minutes and estimated to have been 10 to 20 strikes of the whip.

All four witnesses have deemed Kurtis PERTAB’s action in handling the horse that morning as excessive and unnecessary.

Following the report of the incident to the Matamata Racing Club, an official from the club phoned the Respondent regarding the allegation.  The Respondent denied the allegation, stating “It’s only what they say, it’s he said, she said”.  The Respondent commented that he would be more careful in future.

Matamata Racing Club records for the month of December 2023 identify that Pertab Racing Limited trained a total of 39 horses at the track, averaging 20 horses per day.”

Respondent’s Statement

[7]  On Friday 19th January 2024, the Respondent was interviewed by RIB Investigators with the Respondent’s legal Counsel being present.  A transcript of that recorded interview was produced to the Adjudicative Committee.

[8]  The Respondent has stated that around 04:45 hours on the 30th December 2023, the Respondent has ridden the 3-year-old bay filly horse – (Sire – Staphanos, Dam – Ashalini) at the track.

[9]  He has admitted to having to try and get control of this horse due to the horse “being a dangerous horse, having come to him to be straightened out.”

[10]  He admitted to having a whip in his outside hand, which he proceeded to push the horse around, kick the horse and whip it on the shoulder and hind.

[11]  He denied intentionally hitting the horse over the head with his whip, acknowledging: “- it’s unlikely but I could’ve, there’s a possibility, the horse’s head’s going everywhere.  The horse was out of control, everything’s happening at speed.”

[12]  He strongly denied striking the horse excessively and claims that it comes down to “perception”.  He believes his actions were justified for “self-preservation” and to regain control of the horse, claiming “that it wasn’t excessive for the situation”.

[13]  The Respondent has acknowledged that he is aware of his obligations regarding the care and welfare of horses that he trains as an NZTR Licenced Trainer under the NZTR Rules.

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He was bloody lucky to get as little as he did...poor bloody horse...he deserves the book thrown at him so he bloody learns...awful thing to do and many saw him do it so it is not just hearsay either.

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1 hour ago, RJB said:

He was bloody lucky to get as little as he did...poor bloody horse...he deserves the book thrown at him so he bloody learns...awful thing to do and many saw him do it so it is not just hearsay either.

In Aussie it would have been “years” given his age and recent entry into racing

As an industry we just keep scoring own goals, doing nothing for wider acceptance of the sport

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30 minutes ago, curious said:

Won 3 trials at Foxton today all the same.

And what is that supposed to absolve him from being a serial horse basher???Give me a break.

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Reading the reactions to this, it appears people in the industry are disgusted by the way he treated his horses.

I'm not a horsey person so interested to know

1.  Does this type of behaviour happen much in the industry

2.  Is it something to do with the make-up of the person doing it, and therefore is it something that can be changed, or is it once cruel to your animals, always cruel to you animals.  I could imagine that breaking in a horse is no fun and requires a strong make up.

I have 2 dogs and would never mistreat them, that is because I have a genuine love for them

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1 hour ago, RJB said:

And what is that supposed to absolve him from being a serial horse basher???Give me a break.

Cripes. Where did I say that? Just to set the record straight, anyone who knows me would know that I think the behaviour is a total disgrace and imo, after warnings from senior trainers, deserves a lifetime ban. I've started heaps of horses and remedied behavioural issues of a number of others and never struck one of them, let alone around the head. A while back now, but the man who listens to horses once offered me a job. I resent the implication in your post.

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1 hour ago, curious said:

Cripes. Where did I say that? Just to set the record straight, anyone who knows me would know that I think the behaviour is a total disgrace and imo, after warnings from senior trainers, deserves a lifetime ban. I've started heaps of horses and remedied behavioural issues of a number of others and never struck one of them, let alone around the head. A while back now, but the man who listens to horses once offered me a job. I resent the implication in your post.

So why mention he had winners at the trials like you were sticking up for him...anyone who beats horses does not deserve to be a trainer or anything to do with them JMO.

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32 minutes ago, RJB said:

So why mention he had winners at the trials like you were sticking up for him...anyone who beats horses does not deserve to be a trainer or anything to do with them JMO.

I'd suggest you help yourself, maybe by reading Horse Sense for People by Monty Roberts.

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31 minutes ago, curious said:

I'd suggest you help yourself, maybe by reading Horse Sense for People by Monty Roberts.

Dont need advice from you on horsemanship thanks...you really are lucky you seem to know everything about most topics...lucky you..LOL.

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Ok guys back to topic, before it ends up in a slanging match. We all have experience in the Industry in some capacity, so let's agree to disagree.

I will frank this with the knowledge of having a son in law who broke in horses and trained some top horses. Having watched him, I am sure like most, he would be apoplectic with this guys methods.  

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9 minutes ago, RJB said:

Dont need advice from you on horsemanship thanks...you really are lucky you seem to know everything about most topics...lucky you..LOL.

For what it is worth RJB is an ex-jockey with the initials LM.  Now wouldn't that be the biggest hoot of the year if it was who everyone jumped to the conclusion it would be, but sorry to disappoint lol lol

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And I will add if anyone of the trainers I have used ever hit one of my horses that I knew about they would lose the horses immediately...this guy does not deserve a licence.

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9 minutes ago, RJB said:

And I will add if anyone of the trainers I have used ever hit one of my horses that I knew about they would lose the horses immediately...this guy does not deserve a licence.

He no longer has a Licence RJB...and I think curious's post has been interpreted wrongly by yourself...he noted that he's won 2 trials at Foxton but followed it with the phrase 'all the same' which tends to draw a connection between the two activities (abuse/winning trials) when I dont think curious meant that at all.

MM

Edited by Maximus
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2 minutes ago, Maximus said:

He no longer has a Licence RJB...and I think curious's post has been interpreted wrongly by yourself...he noted that he's won 2 trials at Foxton but followed it with the phrase 'all the same' which tends to draw a connection between the two activities (abuse/winning trials) when I dont think curious meant that at all.

MM

Dont care how many trials he wins sorry...cruelty is cruelty he does not deserve any type of praise..to treat a horse like that is disgraceful...he could win 100 races I would never give him a horse to train...my opinion.

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I understand what you're saying RJB.    Darren Weir won group 1's ... but now folk know what was possibly happening in some cases behind the scenes it puts a whole new focus on it.   True Weir.. and KP may not have acted that way with every horse or may have, who knows, that's the issue now with any owners, trainers etc. that want to do business with KP.    How he ever thought that what he was doing was okay, or even needed with a filly, even when it was quiet and in a stall, I don't know, and as NG alluded to, age is immaterial, I know 14 and 15 year olds that would understand and nurture a horse with more understanding than he showed.    What I definitely do know .. it makes me dislike rodeo even more.

 

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