March 1, 2015
Ireland

Ruby Walsh: Pylons and wind farms are a threat to horse racing

By Mary McDonnell | Irish Mirror | 1 March 2015 | www.irishmirror.ie

Jockey Ruby Walsh has sensationally claimed wind farms and pylons pose a threat to horse racing.

The star is calling on the Government to abolish plans to erect the controversial structures before the “countryside is destroyed”.

Ruby attacked plans by Eirgrid to build the 60m-high structures.

He said: “I think it’s time we called a halt to the developers’ gallop and call on the Government to stop the destruction of our beautiful countryside before it’s too late.

“I was shocked to learn the Government has given the green light to an additional 200 new wind farms all over the country and EirGrid are proposing to build another 1,000km of high voltage overhead powerlines on massive pylons to carry the power they produce.

“Remember, this in a country that is only 466km long at its longest point, from Malin to Mizen.

“It’s an opportunity to add my voice to the majority of the racing community regarding the threat posed to our industry by the blight of wind farms and the proposed pylon lines to carry the power they produce.”

The popular jockey explained in his Irish Examiner column why the racing community is firmly against the plans.

Ruby added: “Horses don’t like wind at the best of times and adding a flickering, noisy object, hundreds of feet high is not going to go down well with them. They really do frighten the horses.”

Anyone who rides out has been dropped by horses spooking from some imaginary fiend in a ditch or even from some puddle on the ground that in their minds holds some monstrous beast.

“Horses don’t like wind at the best of times and adding a flickering, noisy object, hundreds of feet high is not going to go down well with them.

“They really do frighten horses, even if they’re just standing in a field on their own with no-one on their backs.”

Walsh also launched an attack on the sheer size of the structures, adding that they “blight the countryside”.

He said: “I had no idea how big these wind turbines were until I drove past one on my way to the races and stopped to have a look.

“Some are now 170m high and getting larger every year.

“That’s almost 25 times higher than the average house, six times higher than the Rock of Cashel and even 50m higher than the Dublin Spire.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/03/01/ruby-walsh-pylons-and-wind-farms-are-a-threat-to-horse-racing/