Toward new understandings of human–animal relationships in sport: a study of Australian jumps racing

Abstract

Abstract The importance of studying human–animal relationships and animal subjectivity is increasingly recognised by social and cultural geographers, particularly in agricultural pursuits. Little research, however, has been undertaken on animals in sport, resulting in a limited understanding of the perceptions and treatment of animals in society. To address this concern, we interrogate print media coverage of the construction and positioning of horses and humans in the controversial activity of jumps racing (National Hunt) in Australia between February 2008 and December 2009. We highlight the importance of seemingly contradictory human–animal relationships involving close frequent contact of some jumps racing advocates in contrast to the distanced, mediated relationships of jumps racing opponents. This paper highlights how the particular activity of jumps racing generates specific human–animal relationships and emphasises the need to reflect on the attitudes that shape and constrain human–animal relationships in varying contexts, including how these attitudes are mediated and the potential consequences for humans and other animals. These findings form the basis for a suggested research agenda that recognises the importance and articulation of proximity and mediation in human–animal relationships, particularly those focused on activities labelled 'sport'. L'importance d'étudier les relations entre les humains et les animaux ainsi que le subjectivité des animaux se fait de plus en plus reconnaître par des géographes sociaux et culturels et surtout dans les activités agricoles. Il existe pourtant peu de recherche sur des animaux utilisés dans le sport, ce qui entraine une compréhension limitée des perceptions et le traitement des animaux dans la société. Afin d'aborder cette lacune, nous examinons la couverture médiatique quant à sa représentation des chevaux et des humains dans l'activité controversée de la course de haies (« jumps racing » est un terme britannique pour le style de course de cheval qui correspond au terme américain « steeplechase » ou au terme français « course de haies ») en Australie dans la période février 2008 – décembre 2009. Nous soulignons l'importance des relations humaines-animales apparemment contradictoires: le contact régulier et étroit de quelques partisans de la course de haies par contraste avec les rapports distants et négociés de ses contradicteurs [ndt: le lien entre lesdites relations humaines-animales et le contraste entre les formes de contact parmi les partisans et contradicteurs de la course de haies n'est pas du tout clair en VO]. L'article souligne que la course de haies suscite des relations humaines-animales spécifiques et met l'accent sur le besoin de réfléchir à la production des attitudes qui forment et entravent ces relations dans de différents contextes et leurs conséquences pour les humains et les autres animaux. Les conclusions constituent une base pour un programme de recherche suggéré qui reconnaît l'importance et l'articulation de la proximité et l'interaction dans les relations humaines-animales et en particulier celles cataloguées « sport ». La importancia de estudiar las relaciones entre humanos y animales y la subjetividad de animales está reconocido más y más por geógrafos sociales y culturales, particularmente con respeto a la agricultura. Sin embargo, pocas investigaciones ha sido hecho de los animales de deporte, resultando en un entendimiento limitado de las percepciones y tratamiento de animales en la sociedad. Para responder a este asunto, interrogamos la construcción y postura de caballos y humanos en la actividad polémica de salto ecuestre (National Hunt) en los medios impresos de Australia entre Febrero 2008 y Diciembre 2009. Destacamos la importancia de relaciones humano-animal que parecen contradictorios involucrando contacto cercano y frecuente de algunos defensores de salto ecuestre a diferencia de las relaciones mediadas y distantes de los adversarios de salto ecuestre. Este articulo se destaca como las actividades particulares de salto ecuestre se genera las relaciones humano-animal específicos y se enfatiza la necesidad de reflexionar en las actitudes que forman y obligan las relaciones humano-animal en varios contextos, incluyendo como estas actitudes están mediados y las consecuencias potenciales para humanos y otros animales. Estos hallazgos forman el base de un agenda de investigación que se reconoce la importancia y articulación de proximidad y mediación en las relaciones humano-animal, particularmente los que enfocan en las actividades llamadas 'deporte'. Keywords: human–animal relationshipsjumps racing (National Hunt)print mediathoroughbredstraditionsportKeywords: relations humaines-animalescourse de haiespresse écritepur-sangtraditionsportKeywords: relaciones humano-animalsalto ecuestre (National Hunt)medios impresosanimales de razatradicióndeporte Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank John Connell, Gareth Edwards, Jo Gillespie and Raewyn Graham for their assistance on earlier versions of this paper. We also acknowledge the contribution of the three referees for their helpful feedback and Michael Brown for his advice and insights that have assisted to improve this paper. We also acknowledge the funding support of the Australian Research Council through ARCDP 077379. All responsibility for omissions and interpretation remains with the authors. Notes 1. This call was met with good response (Waitt Citation1995; McGregor Citation1998; Bengston and Fan Citation1999; McManus Citation2000; Arvai and Mascarenhas Citation2001; Carvalho and Burgess Citation2005; Farbotko Citation2005; Boykoff and Boykoff Citation2007). 2. The media is understood here as a diverse set of critical and influential agents involved in the contemporary construction of knowledge (Hay and Israel Citation2001). It serves a complex role in shaping and conceptualising issues through interpretations, representations, meanings, metaphors and visual images (Maeseele and Schuurman Citation2008). 3. The Australian is Australia's main national daily newspaper, and is read by many highly educated people outside of the two jumps racing states of Victoria and South Australia. The Herald Sun in Melbourne (Victoria) has a large circulation, readership and coverage of the issue. The weekly and Sunday editions of the paper were analysed separately as most horse fatalities occurred on a Saturday, and higher coverage was anticipated in the Sunday paper. The Standard (Warrnambool) was chosen as a regional paper for review because Warrnambool in south-western is the centre of jumps racing in provincial Victoria and hosts a major annual carnival featuring jumps racing. 4. Letters to the editor for The Standard (Warrnambool) could not be obtained, since they were not included in its online archives. 5. It may persuade some racehorse owners not to send thoroughbreds (usually geldings trained for staying races over longer distances) to Victoria or South Australia once their flat-racing career in other starts nears an end.