Race of the Century

The Melbourne Cup might be the nation's premier horse race but Equine Influenza was shaping up as the race of the century, the Queensland Performance & Pleasure Horse Industry group said today.

The highly contagious disease, which showed outstanding form when it arrived from Japan in late August, had already shut the industry down for 72 days. EI was now the "virus that stopped an industry", affecting racing, harness, performance and pleasure horses alike.

"When history reflects on 2007 the race that everyone will be talking about unfortunately will not be the historic race on the first Tuesday of November," said Peter Toft, QPPHI chair.

"But the race that every horse owner in Queensland and New South Wales is currently competing in - the race to eradicate and contain EI."
The exotic import - previously unbeatable overseas - had not discriminated against horses when taking to the fields, east and west of the Great Dividing Range. Unlike the $5.1 million Melbourne Cup, reserved for racing thoroughbreds over three years old, EI affected all breeds, disciplines, services providers and horse owners alike.

Mr Toft said it was unacceptable to allow future generations of horses and horse enthusiasts to carry the burden of the disease without engaging and exhausting all eradication options.

He said the fight to contain and eradicate EI would last longer than a 3200 metre-gallop around Flemington.

"We have come a long way in controlling the disease and short odds are now on the successful eradication," Mr Toft said. "But all horse owners must remain vigilant if we are to pip EI at the winning post."

The call for strict biosecurity measures comes as the QPPHI this week lines up the first batch of 26,000 non-racing horses for vaccination. The vaccinations are in-line with the AUSVET plan which supports selective vaccination, rather than en mass, to contain and eradicate EI in the red zones. Horse owners are encouraged to apply online for the live, modified canary pox vaccine at the Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries website: http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/

A new, user-friendly vaccination application form is available on the site, as well as applications for movement permits and details on decontamination and disease containment.