Willy De Houelle and Celebre d’Allen Killed at the Grand National Festival 2025
Four-year-old Willy De Houelle was killed following a catastrophic fall and 13-year-old Celebre d’Allen was killed after collapsing at the Grand National Festival.
According to Animal Aid, sixty-seven horses have died as a result of racing at the Randox Grand National Festival since 2000, and countless others have been injured.
The Grand National Disgrace
The Grand National is one of the UK’s most dangerous horse racing events. Over 30 skittish horses are forced to run up to 4 miles at breakneck speed while tackling 30 obstacles, including drops, ditches, and high fences. The courses are designed to be demanding and extreme, making them treacherous and often deadly.
At Becher’s Brook, aptly nicknamed the “killer fence,” horses have slammed face-first into the ground and collided with each other, breaking necks, backs, and legs.
Thoroughbreds Killed in Slaughterhouses
Horses who can’t run fast enough are often discarded like used betting slips. RTÉ’s documentary ‘Horses: Making a Killing’ revealed that equines were hit with pipes until they collapsed at Ireland’s major horse slaughterhouse. Of those killed, 71% were thoroughbreds from the racing industry, many of whom had been raced in the UK. Some were killed just days after their last race; then, their body parts were sold to the meat trade in Europe. PETA has documented how some individuals endure a terrifying journey to South Korea to be violently killed and sold for meat.
How You Can Help Horses
You bet, they die – never financially support this industry by placing bets or attending the races. Please also urge these companies to stop sponsoring the Randox Grand National Festival:
