DAMMED IF WE DO, DAMMED IF WE DON'

Has anyone else in the states outside the RED/BLOOD border realized in the past 48 hrs, the infiltration of the words on the Horse Council site, the DPI site, and Centerlink site RE.....Government assistance, ONLY applying to NSW and QLD?????

I am not wanting to take anything away from you guys up North in the path of this disgusting nightmare, and I think I would be near suicidal if I had to witness my horses going through what you are seeing, but here in Victoria we may as well have it. We have had nearly every show society pull the pin for 2007, the others will probably be a matter of time, and who can blame them with the threat of the DPI hanging over them? We are living as if we HAVE IT, and I am not saying whether that is the right way or the wrong way to PROTECT our state, but the Government is now not acknowledging our SACRIFICE. Some of you might scoff, and say, "poor lady, she can't go out and get a ribbon", but my horses do earn an income (MOST OF THE TIME!!!) and we are being deprived of that chance, and are not being compensated by the government with the HORSE INCOME ASSISTANCE GRANT. I still do not know if the business grant, or the wage supplement grants will come, or if it will follow the horse OUT THE GATE!!!

The only assistance flowing over the borders, and EVERYONE is starting to realize this, is to the RACING MULTITUDE. We are doing our damndest to keep it out of our state, to protect what?? THE MELBOURNE CUP.

The flow on follows when horses are not competing, Werribee Park is in a financial struggle, show societies, saddlery stores, rug repairers, feed merchants, transport business.... the list goes on and on, and what is the government doing about it............NOTHING. There will be a MUTINY before long, and that is a worrying thing.

Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and WA join in the voice to parliament and let them know how it is in a united front from every direction. This is a huge KICK IN THE TEETH for those that are teetering on the edge, those who have their EVERYTHING tied up in the horse industry, and are seeing no relief at all. I know, the real relief will be when this THING is truly extinguished from our country, but are our chief's capable of that?????....I am starting to think not!!!

Forgive me if I sound a little muddled, or have spelt wrong, it is 4am, and sleeping for me is not an option when I am as riled up about a cause as this. Sleep may now pre vale as I have at least got it off my chest!! My family are sick of my ranting and raving!!! But as the saying goes. .SOMEBODY HAS TO DO IT. Stay strong all of you who are actually holding your sick horses hoof, my prayers are with you. Lets all get through this together in one piece.

Sarah Allen (Arthur's Creek Victoria)