A MAJOR rift has erupted within the Australian breeding industry

A MAJOR rift has erupted within the Australian breeding industry as Victorians fight to prevent interstate yearlings crossing the border for March's Premier Sale.
Thoroughbred Breeders (Victoria) is lobbying the racing and health ministers and Racing Victoria Limited to prevent EI-affected yearlings coming to the sale. In NSW, commercial breeders are campaigning to lift the restrictions in the Hunter Valley so their yearlings can attend.
TBV president Mike Becker has written to Racing Minister Rob Hulls, the Minister for Health and RVL to urge them to retain the current protocols on horse movement restrictions to ensure interstate yearlings did not put Victoria at risk by crossing the border.
"William Inglis planned to have 600 yearlings at the sale, but 40 per cent of them are currently from NSW and, of those, 80 per cent are in the purple zone and should not be allowed here," Becker said.

"We are concerned about pressure being applied by prominent NSW commercial breeders, and William Inglis, to force change to the existing protocols regarding EI restrictions.
"People in NSW are doing a great job to revive the industry there and are working on a slogan of Road to Recovery. We just want their road to be confined to NSW.
"We don't have a problem with EI in Victoria, and we want to keep it that way. Why risk everything simply because people across the border want to sell their second and third-string horses at our sale?
"This is a wonderful opportunity for Victoria to showcase our yearlings. We have EI-free yearlings from EI-free stallions and EI-free mares."
William Inglis & Son spokesman Peter Heagney said the decision was up to the Department of Primary Industry "which has the expertise to determine whether horses should be allowed to cross the border".
"The chief veterinarian officers met on Friday to discuss the issue," Heagney said. "However we have a catalogue to put together and we will need a decision this week. If approval is not given then, it will be too late for interstate yearlings to come."
Becker said Victorian breeders believed yearlings should be sold in the state they reside.
"NSW can put on as many sales in NSW as it likes - just stay out of Victoria," he said.
"Inglis says it is making its decision about selling interstate yearlings here after consultation with the breeding industry. Well, I haven't spoken to one Victorian breeder who has been consulted. And every local breeder I have spoken with wants NSW yearlings kept out of this state."
William Inglis & Son is in Japan this week to promote the Premier Sale, which takes place at Oaklands Junction between March 4-6. If interstate yearlings are not allowed, the sale will revert to a two-day event.
Rod Nicholson November 18, 2007 12:00am