Sport
10 November, 2025
Queensland racing's heat policy ruffling feathers in bush
The North West and Central West racing industry is still up in arms over a shift in heat policy.
The forecast of a "cool" 31 degrees will save today's Mount Isa meeting from being subject to the oppressive heat policy now being forced upon Outback racing clubs.
Under the directive of Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) deputy commissioner Kim Kelly, there has been a shifting of the goal posts when it comes to racing in hot weather, which has drawn criticism from participants in the bush.
Cloncurry and District Race Club was forced to stage its traditional Derby Day meeting at 11am after the club's plans to race at 4pm were rejected, while Longreach also raced at 11am on Saturday to try and beat the forecast heat.
Ironically, both clubs ended up racing at the hottest part of the day.
A cool change made conditions perfect in Cloncurry from 3.30pm onwards, while the Bureau of Meteorology got its forecast wrong and Longreach would have been better served racing in its usual afternoon timeslot.
North West Weekly has been sent a draft copy of QRIC's new "Racing in Adverse Weather Policy", which is currently being enforced but has yet to be ratified.
In principle, the new policy doesn't change too much from the current rules. However, there is still no hard and fast rule about when it's "too hot" to race, which has many clubs concerned about the ambiguity when it comes to making decisions about race meetings in the shoulder of the racing season (October/November and February/March).
Following pushback by participants and this masthead, a select group of people were asked to provide feedback – and given just a week to do so.
Dan Ballard is the North West representative on the Country Panel and asked the local industry for their comments before putting a submission to QRIC and Racing Queensland.
The former champion jockey penned this letter on Friday:
Good morning,
Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on QRIC’s draft ‘Caring For Animals In Extreme Heat Policy’. For reference, I have attached Evolution Mining’s Ernest Henry Mine Managing Heat and Hydration Procedure and Trigger Action Response Plan (TARP), which outlines a best-practice approach to managing heat risk in the mining sector.
I appreciate QRIC’s commitment to animal welfare. However, I have several concerns regarding the current approach to managing hot weather at country race meetings:
Reliance on Forecasts: QRIC’s policies and recent actions are triggered primarily by Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) forecasts of ambient temperature, rather than actual conditions measured on the day. This can result in unnecessary changes that may not reflect the real risk to horses or participants.
Financial and Community Impact: Measures such as earlier race times, additional veterinary staff, and shortened intervals between races have a significant negative impact on country race clubs. These changes result in reduced attendance, lower bar sales, decreased community engagement, and increased operational costs. This concern has been widely reported by club officials and in recent media coverage.
Balancing Safety and Success: While QRIC’s stated goal is to ensure animal welfare and participant safety, the current approach does not sufficiently balance these priorities with the operational viability of country clubs. The ideal outcome should be a safe meeting that also allows clubs to host successful community events.
Shortened Time Between Races: Compressing race schedules reduces jockey recovery time and can divert resources away from post-race animal care. This is a practical concern raised by several clubs and industry participants.
Holistic, Real-Time Risk Management: The attached Ernest Henry Mine procedure uses a Thermal Work Limit (TWL) measurement, which integrates dry bulb, wet bulb, wind speed, and radiant heat readings. TWL is widely adopted in Australian mining for dynamic, site-specific safety management. This provides a more comprehensive and real-time assessment of conditions, allowing for informed decisions that prioritise both safety and operational continuity. The goal is always to proceed safely, rather than cancel or restrict activities based solely on forecasts.
Use of Kestrel 4400: The Kestrel 4400 is a recognised device for measuring TWL and WBGT, and is referenced in mining safety documentation. Adopting such tools would allow for real-time, evidence-based decision-making at race meetings.
It is also worth noting that local veterinary experience, such as that of Dr Katelyn Thompson (Mount Isa), suggests that clinical cases of heat stress in horses at country meetings are rare, and that the risk may be overstated by current policy settings.
I encourage QRIC to consider adopting a more holistic, real-time approach to heat risk management, using tools such as the Kestrel 4400 and TWL measurement, rather than relying solely on forecast ambient temperatures. This would allow for more nuanced, evidence-based decisions, reducing unnecessary disruptions while maintaining high welfare standards.
Thank you for considering these points. I am happy to discuss further or provide additional information if required.
Kind Regards
Dan Ballard
There is genuine concern among some of the local industry leaders that Racing Queensland and QRIC are keen to save money by reducing the number of race meetings in the North West and Central West.
"This is just rationalisation by stealth," one race club president said.
"If you blame the heat, you can easily get rid of five or six meetings a year and put it down to 'animal welfare'.
"This is despite the fact there is no evidence that horses are suffering due to the heat."
Another keen racing enthusiast told North West Weekly that QRIC was starting to flex its muscle when it came to enforcing the heat policy.
"In the Barcaldine stewards' report, Tessa Townsend was stood down because she was showing signs of heat-related stress. But I've got it on good authority that Tess was crook before the meeting," they said.
Kim Kelly was asked by this masthead to follow up the claim, but he declined.
Racing Minister Tim Mander has so far been silent on the issue. He might have bigger problems on his plate, with his parliamentary colleagues delaying the release of the much-anticipated "independent" review into racing in Queensland.
The report was supposed to be made public at the start of last month, but there are no signs of it being released before Christmas.
Member for Traeger Robbie Katter said it was time for the industry to put more trust in local clubs.
"You don't meet too many trainers who run their horses to the death in the heat," he said.
"The system works pretty well how it is. Trainers will try to do the right thing by their horses. Applying the same rule of one-size-fits-all around Queensland based on heat is absolutely ridiculous.
"Ask anyone who grew up in Brisbane all their life and moves out to Mount Isa (about the difference in heat). You get used to it out here.
"The focus is always on the south-east and we're just an afterthought. All too often, we're trying to pick up the pieces and fight just to get some sense and reason back here."
Meanwhile, Mount Isa Race Club will host a TAB program this afternoon, with the seven-race card starting at 12.35pm.
Julia Creek also races this Saturday (heat policy permitting), with a big crowd expected for the club's annual Beach Party meeting.
The North West racing season then wraps up on November 29 with a non-TAB meeting at Mount Isa. Heat policy permitting, of course.
