“I’m Not Going to Bow to Anyone”: Wyoming Downs Stands Defiant in the Face of Mounting Pressure After the Horrific Death of 2 Horses

Wyoming Downs, the remarkable and largest race track in Evanston, Wyoming, is in the news again. After the unfortunate incident last month, two more horses died earlier this month. Despite the calls for the ban on racing, the track is still operational.

The latest death has added to the total tally of 5 horse deaths at Wyoming Downs this year. This has raised concerns about horse safety and the need for a thorough investigation into the matter. The Wyoming Gaming Commission conducted a meeting to look into the matter but concluded without progress. Despite, that remedies and investigations are underway to solve the issue.

Wyoming Downs under the clouds

This year’s summer has been very tough for Eric Nelson, the owner of Wyoming Downs. In June, three horses have to be euthanized on the same day after getting injured. The incident generated quite a noise and is under investigation. Reeling under the clouds of that investigation, two more horses died this month, which added to his misery. The horses died on the weekends.

Speaking on the matter, Nelson said that the three horses that died last month die fell on the ground while racing. But these two horses fell after the race. The incident brought outrage from the equestrian industry, people, and rights groups, but Nelson is adamant. He said during the WGC meeting, “I’m not going to bow to PETA. I’m not going to bow to anyone in those areas. I will bow to jockeys and trainers.” He says he will listen only to his staff, trainers, and jockeys and work on their recommendations. Though he considered the incident tragic and said the owners should look after their horses.

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After this incident, many remedial steps have already been taken to improve the situation, which is appreciated by rights groups, but they ask for more.

Remedy steps to avoid the horse deaths

All five horses that died were two years old. Therefore, Wyoming Downs has prohibited all two-year-old horses from racing. Speaking on the decision, the GM of Wyoming Down said, “We had to make a move. We knew we had to do at least something“. The GM also acknowledged that it is difficult to determine an exact cause, which is why other remedial actions are being taken after consultation. They also have recruited a new veterinary doctor to inspect the horses before the race leading the total doctor’s tally to three. Besides that, the dirt on the track was renovated and weekly staff meetings are held weekly.

The horse deaths are the cause of concern and without a proper investigation report, it will be unwise to form a conclusion on reason. Though the remedies are welcoming steps however, solutions should not be limited to them.

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