No Horses for Sydeny Royal

Sydney Royal Horse Show update

The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) announces that sadly the 2008 Sydney Royal Horse Show competitions will not go ahead. After an extensive review of the NSW DPI’s latest Equine Influenza protocols for the movement of horses to and from the Show from around the state, President Rob Vickery said the RAS had reluctantly come to the decision.

"While it was our greatest desire to accept entries for the Sydney Royal, the reality is that come March the disease may not be at the stage where horses can be easily moved between zones, without extraordinary quarantine and bio-security arrangements and some inherent risks," Mr Vickery said.

While the RAS was hoping to help reboot the struggling equine industry by delivering a safe Show, the conditions that exhibitors would need to meet to get to the Show and return home are far too complicated and onerous.

"We feel it is in the best interests of the exhibitors that we do not force them to meet such stringent and logistically difficult criteria just to be at our Show," Mr Vickery said today. "We know we have many loyal exhibitors who would have moved heaven and earth to get here, but at the end of the day, it would have placed too much pressure on them."

However, Sydney Royal 2008 will not be without horses. The Show is already working on an exciting revamped main arena program featuring events such as polo, polocrosse, tent pegging, showjumping and campdraft. There will also be plenty of horse activities around the grounds such as carriage displays, saddler and farrier demonstrations, along with horse and pony displays.

And no Sydney Royal would be complete without the NSW Mounted Police. As one of the first to contract EI, the NSW Police horses are now back in work and will be a welcome attraction at the Show on several days.

"I want to thank all of our exhibitors who entered the show in good faith and have been so patient while waiting to learn what they needed to do to get here." said Mr Vickery. "EI is on the way to eradication and I am confident it will be beaten. The RAS is acting responsibly and playing a leadership role in ensuring that the disease is defeated and rid from Australia."

For further information exhibitors should call the RAS Horse information line;
02) 9704 1202 or 02) 9704 1171

Media inquiries;
Philippa Lampe – RAS Media & Public Relations Manager 02) 9704 1453 or 0419 483 407