The future of racing in South Africa has been thrown into doubt after white trainers said they could be forced to abandon the sport following a racially tinged confrontation with their black grooms.

A row over pay turned violent last week after stable hands smashed down gates and tore down fences at South Africa’s biggest training yard, forcing farmers to barricade stables to protect themselves and their horses for nearly three days.

The grooms, participating in a strike called by South Africa’s most radical political party, chanted militant songs, according to Mike de Kock, a celebrated South African trainer, who said his family, staff and horses had been threatened with death.

He and other trainers said they had to force their way through a picket line of 300 weapon-wielding grooms in order to gain access to the North Rand Training Centre 25 miles north of Johannesburg, where more than 700 horses are stabled.

“We had to push our way through men armed to the teeth with dangerous weapons, such as metal stakes, poles, spades to get through the stables,” he said. “We feared for our own safety and for the horses and slept with them for two nights to ensure they were ok.”