Victorians want to ban NSW yearlings from sale

By Christian Nicolussi
November 19, 2007 12:00am

ARROWFIELD Stud boss John Messara is annoyed with weekend reports that have called for NSW yearlings to be banned from crossing the Victorian border and being sold at the Inglis Premier Sale in March.

Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria president Mike Becker said the threat of NSW horses bringing equine influenza into the southern state was a risk not worth taking.

"We don't have a problem with EI in Victoria, and we want to keep it that way. So why risk everything simply because people across the border want to sell their second and third-string horses at our sale,'' Becker was quoted as saying in a Melbourne newspaper.

Messara was disappointed with Becker's comments and said a NSW lockout would have "chaotic'' repercussions. "It's a very parochial approach and if there is support for such a move I'd be disappointed,'' Messara said.

The chairman of Thoroughbred Breeders Australia will meet with other breeders and Racing NSW today to address the issue of sales and horse movement.

Messara said only vaccinated horses would be allowed to travel interstate. He added a decision needed to be made quickly given the time required to print catalogues and properly inform buyers.

Inglis' Melbourne director Peter Heagney said while he could understand Becker's concerns, he said the final decision should be made by the Victorian Department of Primary Industries. "If the DPI tell us we can have NSW horses, we'll take in NSW horses,'' Heagney said.