19/06/2026

After eleven years of legal ordeal and a verdict that came too late due to the statute of limitations, IHP has taken in two former trotters rescued from the illegal racing circuit in Lucera. A new life now begins for them, but the association reminds us: “Justice comes too late; we need everyone’s support to protect the survivors”.

LUCERA (FG) – A story that encapsulates the tragedy of horse exploitation, the slowness of the Italian justice system and, fortunately, the value of redemption. It is the story of Famosa dei Colli (born 2002) and Livingstone Or (born 2005), two former trotters from the world of horse racing, who are now finally safe thanks to the intervention of IHP.

The 2013 raid and the horror of illegal horse racing

The story begins on 27 June 2013 in Lucera, in the province of Foggia. A police operation led to the charging of five people and the seizure of three horses. The picture that emerged from the investigations was appalling: unauthorised stables, cramped facilities and a complete lack of health authorisations. Numerous doping drugs and the equipment for administering them were found on the premises. The horses were being used in illegal racing circuits, deprived of any protection or dignity.

A regulatory vacuum

The case of Famosa dei Colli and Livingstone Or is, unfortunately, not an isolated incident, but it shines a spotlight on a structural problem affecting the entire equestrian sports sector.

In this regard, IHP President Sonny Richichi states: “The story of these two horses dramatically illustrates just how easy it is for animals that leave the racing circuit to fall into obscurity and end up in the hands of unscrupulous criminals. Unfortunately, there is currently no real protection for racehorses, nor for those used in equestrian sports, once they are retired or declared ‘unfit’ for work. Once the spotlight of competition has faded, these animals become invisible and vulnerable.”

Eleven years of waiting: the verdict of the Italian courts

The legal proceedings only came to an end on 20 May 2024, a full eleven years after the events took place. The court’s ruling acquitted the five defendants on the grounds that the offences had become time-barred. Whilst this decision leaves a bitter taste regarding the punishment of the guilty parties, it marked a fundamental turning point for the animals: the permanent confiscation of two of the horses involved.

Famosa dei Colli, who was being kept at a farm in Lucera, and Livingstone Or, temporarily housed at the ‘Monticchio’ Equestrian Selection Centre run by the Carabinieri Biodiversity Unit in Potenza, have been officially released from all legal restrictions.

A new beginning thanks to IHP

IHP has taken both horses into its care, assuming responsibility for their protection and welfare. The organisation immediately set about finding two suitable and safe new homes for them. Today, Famosa dei Colli and Livingstone Or can finally live out the rest of their lives in freedom, in wide open spaces, living alongside their own kind and surrounded by daily care.

WATCH THE VIDEO: THE STORY OF LIVINGSTONE AND FAMOSA DEI COLLI

How to support IHP’s work

Ensuring the care, veterinary treatment and dignity of horses rescued from abuse and illegal racing circuits requires a huge financial and logistical effort. IHP is an independent organisation that receives no public funding and relies solely on donations from the public.
To ensure a peaceful future for Famosa, Livingstone and the many other animals taken in by the organisation, DONATE NOW.
A small gesture that translates into food, medical care and, above all, freedom.