The probably largest local horse festival “Amadeus Horse Indoors” starts today in the Salzburg Arena. However, the organizers received strong criticism from animal rights activists in advance. The organizers are surprised about this.
For the 16th time, the Amadeus Horse Indoors will take place in the Salzburg Arena from today to Sunday. Up to 40,000 spectators are expected at Austria’s largest horse festival over the next four days, and a budget of 2.7 million euros has been set up. “We were only able to achieve this thanks to the support of people who love horses,” says event boss Christian Steiner, thanking the sponsors. Everything for the well-being of the horses. Over the last few days, work has been going on around the clock in the exhibition center to ensure that the event is carried out perfectly. Nevertheless, there are negative noises. The largest animal rights organization in the world, PETA, strongly criticized the Salzburg event on its website. “At so-called equestrian events, horses are subjected to massive stress and coercion in order to entertain visitors as a profitable attraction,” it writes. When asked by “Krone”, PETA specialist Jana Hoger made it clear what the animal protection organization thinks of equestrian sport: “If we had our way, there would be no more equestrian events.” “Pure propaganda against people” Thomas Kreidl is not happy about the criticism, the sporting director of the Amadeus Horse Indoors: “What PETA is doing no longer has anything to do with animal protection. This is pure propaganda against people for whom horses are the purpose of life.” Fix: There is passion in the tournament and it also secures jobs. In addition, the welfare of the animals is the top priority. When they arrive, the horses undergo a health check, the boxes are extra large and there are several places in the exhibition halls for sufficient exercise. Kreidl: “We are happy to engage in an objective discussion on equal terms, but PETA wants to turn it into a mud fight.”
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