The Girls from Warwick

Today we caught up with three young ladies at Morgan Park in Warwick, all doing their best in a far from perfect situation.

Yesterday we spoke to Heath Ryan’s groom, Alishya Hill and today Alishya told us all about the DPI meeting from last night and today.

“We had a meeting with the DPI and the vets last night and they explained that they would be taking blood samples from all the horses today at 10 am. They explained that the blood tests were to see if the horses had produced their own antibodies to the virus, and if all the tests came back positive then that would be good. Then they would repeat the tests again in a week. If all the results were positive again then they would be able to give us a release date. However, if one horse tested negative then that horse would be re-infected and we would all start the quarantine period again. The results from today’s tests will be back in 3 or 4 days.

“We had another meeting with the DPI at 3pm today and they explained that people are scared that the horses from Warwick, if released will infect other horses so they must prove without doubt that this will not happen. At the meeting it was asked if the NSW horses would be able to travel back into NSW after they were released, but the DPI did not know at this time. People also asked about what they have heard the NSW DPI was doing in NSW, but the QLD DPI could not comment on this. People at the meetings were well behaved and calmly listened to what the DPI and the vets had to say.

“It was a different sort of day today, as all the horses had to stay in until the bloods were taken at 10am. Then I did a practice exam for my Intro Level Instructors Certificate, with the real exam on Friday. There are about seven of us doing this level. After putting all the horses out I went to the aerobics class. Everyone was complaining of sore muscles but I just love the gym classes and have only missed one since I have been here.”

We left Alishya to eat her dinner and spoke to Rochelle Aikenhead who had her 18th birthday at Warwick yesterday.

How was your birthday?

It was really good, my parents came up and we went out for both lunch and dinner.

Is there somewhere good to eat in Warwick?

The RSL is very good!

Did they give you a party at Morgan Park?

No, because I did not tell anyone it was my birthday.

How is it going there?

Well, I am really keen to leave, but we have to wait for the blood tests. I sit my Intro Level Instructor’s exam on Friday and that has been good, I have learnt quite a few new things. The Horses are now well and bouncing around like idiots. We are now allowed to walk the horses on the lead around the cross country course, but they will not let us start to ride them even at the walk. There are still lots of people staying here and everyone is well settled in.

Rochelle then passed the phone over to her “truck mate,” Hannah Murphy who is fifteen and along with looking after her horse is attending the daily school.

Have you been up there from day one?

Yes, I was here competing and then went home for just three days and returned to look after by horse and I was able to stay with Rochelle in her truck.

Have you been getting up to any mischief together?

Not really, but we have consumed a lot of chocolate.

How is the school?

It is really good; I go for 3 hours a day with 2 or 3 teachers there. My school, Stuartholme in Brisbane has been sending me work and I have done all my assignments and exams here using my laptop. Next week school holidays start.

We will catch up with all the girls next week!

Vaccine for horse flu buffer zones in NSW

Download excerpts (3.8MB) from the media conference with Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald from the Audio downloads page.

Fighting Fire

Reading Tim Roberts article 17.9.07(Vet Centennial Park) re. delay with introducing naive Sentinel horse to Centennial Park is very interesting. There are slightly different changes to the strain of virus that first reared its ugly head in Australia, therefore they ( do 'they' know what 'they' are doing??) have to alter the plan of attach. I quote "you can't fight a bushfire from behind, you have to fight it from the front."

This, I feel, reinforces my comments yesterday on the blog , that we have to remove the horses that are in front, so it (the virus) has nothing left to attach!! It makes me dream of a clean Australia again, IN THE SPACE OF 4-6 WEEKS. Make the virus make a hasty retreat!!! If you look on a whole map of Australia, the area's effected at the moment are relatively small in comparison, but the picture won't look quite so pretty in a month if we/ 'they' don't do something about it.

Long Live the Horsedeals.
Sarah Allen Arthur's Creek Victoria (safe at the moment)

Queensland DPI seems to be falling behind NSW DPI

The NSW DPI seems to have a game plan in place with plans to create buffer zones etc using vaccination. They have also listed the areas which are infected with EI. They seem to know exactly how many horses & how many properties are infected. They should be congratulated.

The Qld DPI website has not been updated since last week (13/7). No-one is really sure where the virus is except for names of several suburbs or towns being listed. Rumours are rife as to where the virus has actually spread too but alas no confirmation from the powers that be… How do we find out how close it is…

What is Qld DPI’s plan?
How far are they going to let it spread in the South East? Are they going to try and create buffer zones & shouldn’t Qld be ordering some Vaccine as per NSW.

I think all Queensland horse owners are wondering what is happening, and I think we have a right to know.

Clem & Sharlene Smith

Horse Flu Articles 17-09-06

Here are some new stories on the ABC websites

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/17/2034828.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/17/2034770.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/17/2034347.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/17/2034650.htm

Is the Government going to compensate us?

At the beginning I was being sent updates every day, even over the weekends. I think we are all being left in the dark now. Even the Qld DPI website hasn't been updated since the middle of last week.

I have 2 horses but it affected me the first day it was put in place because that day I was supposed to take the mare to another stud to be served.

Little people like us won't be compensated because we don't make money from our horses.

My situation is that I need to get my mare in foal this year because we missed getting in foal last year for other reasons and therefore my breeding program is already 12 months behind. The other problem is I need to get the mare in foal pretty soon because Clydesdale foals are very prone to heat stroke so I can't have a late foal, esp. in CQ.

I can't afford to have an empty mare for another 12 months, not just monetary reasons but also the mare is getting older and I have missed out on 2 foals by other unfortunate reasons.

So if the standstill is still in place and we all miss out on breeding our horses, are the government going to compensate us for that??

The other thing is that if my horse either came down seriously ill or had a serious injury that needed immediate vet attention the last thing I’d be doing is getting on the phone or the computer to apply for a permit to move the horse. I'd be seeking vet attention firstly.

Jane

Horse Death

I am very upset today as a friend's horse had to be put down over the week end. No, he didn't have EI, but he is victim of this disaster nevertheless. My friend had her 3 year old at a 'breakers' before the standstill. She had been having trouble with the breaker, nothing much had been done, it was, I'll start soon all the time so you can imagine how she was feeling. She was also worried about his condition, although she was told he was being fed and was ok. She managed to see him just after the standstill started and was appalled at his poor condition. So I phoned the DPI to ask if there was anyway we could get an exemption to move him. They referred me to the RSPCA who said they didn't have a branch where we live and my friend could put in a formal report, but still not move the horse.

She bought feed for him but it was too late and he was put down. I found that even though we are no were near an infected zone and the horse was going to a place with no other horses around, NO ONE wanted to help her and now her horse is DEAD.

Wake up DPI, people are hurting in many ways and need help. People with only one or so horses are paralysed as well as people who have competition horses. We also cannot get farriers or get our feed delivered. My heart is in my mouth every time I collect feed wondering who else has driven their car there or not changed their clothes before leaving their horse. We need information daily; please don't forget the ordinary horse owners caught up in this crisis.

Penelope Ann Lane