NSW Zoning Summary

A new zoning system for horse movements will come into effect from Friday, 21 September, 2007.

The aim of the zoning system is to soften movement restrictions in some areas of the state while still allowing authorities to work at containing and managing the disease.

Movement rules, restrictions and procedures will be announced this week and it is suggested that interested people watch the website for updates.

Proposed map
Please be aware that the map below is proposed only and may be changed before it becomes enforcable (on Friday). An approved map will become available very soon. Purple Zones have not yet been applied to the map.

What do the zones mean?

Green Zone (Protected Area)
Movement of horses WITHIN the Green Zone will be allowed as long as a Travelling Horse Statement has been completed.
More details on movements within, into and out of the Green Zone will be available soon.
Amber Zone (Control Area)

Movement of horses for racing and breeding may be authorised on permit. Movement to other events is prohibited.
More details on movements within, into and out of the Amber Zone will be available soon.

Red Zone (Restricted Area)
Movement restricted and movement permits will be very limited.
More details on movements within, into and out of the Red Zone will be available soon.

Purple Zone (Special Restricted Area)
The Purple Zone is designed to allow valuable breeding activity to be conducted. It will allow horses with a permit to be brought into the zone for breeding purposes but they will not be able to leave again until authorised by NSW DPI.

QLD RESPONSE A JOKE

Since the day the horse arrived in Minden there has been nothing from either the federal or state governments in regard to this outbreak. The federal government let it in while they were at their cocktail party in Sydney and the Qld government had more pressing matters with the Mr Beatty’s going away party.

We were never informed either by any media as to the close nature of this infected horse. At no time do I blame the people who were unfortunate to have this land on their doorstep.

People have been suggesting that a buffer zone be set up in this area from day one. This had been falling on deaf ears. We have been basically waiting for it to arrive at our property. This is a high density area for horses. People were offering their property’s to bring all horses in the direct area to one spot so as if they were to be infected it would be all at the same time. May have been a wild idea but it was better than the government response which was nill.

It arrived and now we have seven sick horses. The Management at the DPI have no idea or any clue as to how to control this. It is gone it is simply blowing from property to property. It is close to 4 Kms from its original source in Minden. You work it out that is nearly 1 Km a week.
Since reporting this to the authorities we were then bombarded with telephone calls from the DPI whether we have any horses on our property. I said I have already reported our horses condition to which they replied that they were from a different department and were trying to find out what horses are in the area. Bit late when the disease has been in the area for three weeks. We had five different phone calls that day asking the same questions.

To put this in a personal frame it is a bit rich when your property is infected and people then begin treating you as if you are diseased. This is usually from somebody in the racing industry. Could not give a toss about racing. Find it amazing that it started from a large event down south and every horse when leaving turned east and north. Must be a big fence down there in Victoria or is it that big horse race that is coming up fast keeping it out.
To sum up I cannot believe that all governments have bought possibly the third largest industry in Australia to its knees when crowing about a record surplus in the bank.
GRANT
TARAMPA

Horse movement controls lifted in central, north and west

Queensland progresses into a new equine influenza response phase tomorrow morning with unlimited horse movement allowed in the new Green Zone, which includes Central Queensland, North Queensland, Far North Queensland, North West Queensland and South West Queensland.

Read the full article.

The Red Zone and the Green Zone
Further Reading

EI has now spread to Haigslea

EI has now spread to Haigslea (10km East of Minden) Qld

Still no updates on the QLD DPI site of these affected towns

In one case, a property was suspected with horses that had EI, DPI went onsite took samples & it wasn’t until 5 days later that the tests came back positive & the property was then under quarantine. What is wrong though is in-between the time the case was suspected & confirmed this property was allowed & did run as usual with no quarantine measures in place.

After another property phoned local DPI and reported that they believe their horses have EI and are in a restricted zone, besides the person who they spoke to on that day who was basically just reading off a checklist they have not heard from the DPI or had a DPI representative come on-site.

When calling the local DPI office to confirm if an outbreak of EI is in your area, you would think a simple yes or no answer would occur but no, people are being told that due to privacy laws they can not disclose this info & if you want to know, best to drive past the property & see if there is a sign on the gate.

A four coloured zoning system.

Download excerpts (878kb) from the media conference with Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald and excerpts of media conference with NSW Chief Veterinary Officer Bruce Christie.

19 Sep 2007
A four-colour zoning system has been introduced in NSW as the next stage of the Iemma Government’s Equine Influenza Protection Plan, Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald announced today.
Minister Macdonald said the new zoning plan would see restrictions on horse movements softened in some areas of the State, particularly the important breeding areas of the Hawkesbury and the Hunter, while allowing the Government to concentrate on eradicating the problem.
"Zoning will enable us to focus our resources on known disease spots and high risk areas in NSW," he said.
"While at the same time introducing common sense measures to help the breeding and racing industries survive.
"We have listened to the industry - taken its concerns on board and come up with a sound plan that maintains our commitment to stamping out the disease while allowing some movement of mares and foals in areas like the upper Hunter," he said.
"The purple zone is designed to allow valuable breeding activity to be conducted - it will allow horses with a permit to be brought in for breeding purposes, however, they cannot leave the zone until authorised by DPI."
Minister Macdonald said based on information gathered by epidemiologists, surveillance teams and field veterinarians, the State will be broken into four colour zones representing the known level of disease infection and risk of spread.
The zones are:
Green - Protected Area - no disease, aim to keep free. Currently includes the Far West, Riverina and Eden-Monaro areas. Travelling Horse Statement required and a permit for events.
Amber - Control Area - no confirmed disease, suspect horses to be investigated as quickly as possible. Based around large parts of the Central West and North Coast areas. Movements may be authorised for racing and breeding. Movements to other events prohibited.
Red - Restricted Area - area of at least 10 km around Infected Premises, high containment and biosecurity to be applied to individual premises and area. Currently includes a band stretching from Sydney, Newcastle and Central Coast areas roughly following the New England Highway up to the Queensland border. Limited permits within the red zone, current movement restrictions stand.
Purple - Special Restricted Area - largely infected, high containment and biosecurity applied to movements out of area. Includes two purple zones in the Upper Hunter and North West Sydney. Can move in with a permit but cannot leave until authorised.
"Zoning is a logical and internationally recognised method of containing and eradicating disease," Minister Macdonald said.
"The new zones will be effective from Friday and regulations will be supported by the NSW Police Force."
Minister Macdonald said information was being gathered every day on how the disease is spread.
"Today there are 1363 infected properties with 11,872 horses and another 670 properties are suspect. All infected properties are in containment lines," he said.
"The challenge now is to let horse owners know where they fit within the EI Protection Plan and ensure they fulfil their responsibilities.
"It is clear zoning hinges on the support of the general public and importantly each and every horse owner - no matter whether they own a racehorse worth tens of thousands or a companion pony.
"The value of these horses to their owners is the same - the Government recognises that.
"We are doing all we can to eradicate this problem and discover just how it got into NSW in the first place."
Minster Macdonald said more details of the EI Protection Plan zoning will be available at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/equine-influenza
Download excerpts (878kb) from the media conference with Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald from the Audio downloads page.

Horse camp dwellers want to go home

It's been a frustrating couple of weeks for people left stranded with their horses at country showgrounds because of the horse flu outbreak in Queensland and NSW. The horses can't be moved until authorities confirm the animals are no longer possible carriers of equine influenza.

Hear the full story! Follow this link then put Horse Camp in the "Search for Audio" then "Horse camp dwellers want to go home" will come up, click on it and you will hear the full interview.

Excitement turns to Depression.

Kerry and Paul Dunstan contacted us and told of a friend, Joan Bell, who had been inadvertently caught up in the EI drama. We contacted Joan at her Belrose Park Stud in Seville, Victoria, to hear her story.

“I am a small stud owner with ten mares and was looking on the internet with a friend, Elia Lom, for some semen for our Riding Pony mares. We came across Ainthorpe Graceful Sonnet and instantly fell in love with him. We knew his full sister, Ainthorpe Grace Darling, that had been show here by Darren Telford. So we contacted Jerome Harforth, who was standing the stallion at Standley Grange Stud in England and asked him about acquiring frozen semen. Jerome explained that if we used frozen semen, it would need to go through quarantine so, it might be easier to buy the pony. We had never thought of buying him, but it just happened that his owner, Mr. Champion, had decided that at 83 year old, all the ponies were getting a bit much for him and he would like to scale down. We thought it was fate and just meant to be.

“Elia and I thought about it a lot and decided it would be a good idea, so we negotiated a price and booked the airfare and quarantine through IRT. “Billy” was due to come out of quarantine in Sydney on Wednesday the 22nd August, and then he was leaving with some racehorses to arrive at our place on Friday 24th. We were so excited and had taken the Friday off work, but also anxious, as we had not seen the pony in the flesh, just photos and a video. On Tuesday we received an email saying there was a problem at the quarantine station and the pony would not be released until Thursday. Then on Wednesday we were notified that the pony was being held for at least 30 days more, due to a horse in quarantine testing positive for Equine Influenza. All the horses entering Australia had been vaccinated for EI, but on Wednesday they were all vaccinated again.

“We have not had much communication from the DPI since, but we do get two emails from IRT each week. Each Tuesday nasal swabs are taken and on Friday they take blood. However, last Tuesday we were notified that they would be doing the nasal swap on Wednesday as NSW had run out of nasal swabs. Unfortunately one of these swabs came back positive for viral spores and that meant all the horses start the 30 day quarantine again. We were sent another email stating, “it is difficult to assess when the horses will be released”. If another horse tests positive during the 30 days, he may be there until Christmas, and then who knows if we will be able to get him back to Victoria. It is all so depressing.

“I had placed ads for him in Horse Deals and in the Riding Pony Magazine and had 20 mares booked in to him this season, which now may not be able to use him. We have also been told we are liable for all the quarantine costs, but they can not give us a daily figure, as we paid for the flight and quarantine combined, but we have been told from others it is about $45-50 a day. Who knows when I will get to see Billy in the flesh”!

Thanks Horse Deals

I just wanted to thank Horse Deals for all your up to date information on the EI outbreak. You are doing a sterling job keeping us all informed . Thanks for your efforts during what must be a difficult time for your business also.

Liz Brough

Community upset over cancelled Twin Hills campdraft

Organisers of the Twin Hills campdraft planned for this month in central Queensland say there is huge disappointment in the community that the event will not now go ahead. Read the full story.

Equine flu stops Melrose Show horse events
Read the full story.

Equine flu cancels Tibooburra Gymkhana horse events
Read the full story.

No Horse, No Virus - Sounds Good to Me!

Totally agree with Sarah Allen's comments suggesting a removal of horses from the virus line.

It can be done and should be at least considered if not tried - it is a hell of alot cheaper & cleaner then vaccinating and it eliminates the problem once and for all!
Logistically it sounds a nightmare but I think it would be 'short term pain for long term gain' for the bigger picture.
Australia needs to regain it's clean status and remain free (AQIS will need a total overhaul in protocol & procedure) for the future.

I suspect the EI has highlighted that most states have a DPI that is underresourced with very few (if at all) stock vets & inspectors that are regionally based to cope with the ever increasing pressures the EI virus creates each day.
The DPI in South Australia being one that has been under resourced for many years - we would like to see regionally based vets back north of Adelaide and out in the field once again!
Lucky for SA they are EI Free at the present time.
God help the beef industry if Foot & Mouth ever got to our shores - what do we do, vaccinate and let it on through and just live through the emotional & financial chaos like those in Argentina & Southern England - I don't think so!

SO PLEASE, NSW & QLD, CONSIDER REMOVING HORSES FROM THE BUFFER ZONES AND STOP THIS VIRUS IN ITS TRACKS.

Neales River Livestock
South Australia

PRESS RELEASE - Horseland 2007 EFA Australian Dressage Championships

Horseland 2007 EFA Australian Dressage Championships Including CDI-W, CDI-Y & CDIO2*
25, 26, 27, 28 October 2007 - Sydney International Equestrian Centre, Horsley Park

Cancelled

The Australian Dressage Committee in conjunction with the Organising Committee regrets that because of the uncertain end of the Equine Influenza outbreak and the horse movement restrictions currently in place, the Australian Dressage Committee has decided to cancel the 2007 Horseland Australian Dressage Championships.

Consideration was given to staging the event early next year; however, in the current climate we believe the best outcome for the sport and all concerned was to cancel the event and focus on the 2008 event programme.

The Hawkesbury and the Hunter Valley are two of the hardest-hit areas with EI and these two regions have the highest concentration of dressage horses in Australia. On behalf of the Organising Committee I extend our best wishes to all riders/owners with horses affected by EI.

Our expectations for the Championships were high and we were all looking forward to presenting a great event for our riders, owners, sponsors and spectators to enjoy.

Our special thanks too our sponsors and supporters:
Horseland, the Equestrian Federation of Australia, Bates, Hamilton Island, Holiday Inn, Rooty Hill, Gow-Gates, Mitavite, Swish Horse, Peter Horobin, Needs for Steeds, International Horse Breeders, Hunter Valley Warmblood Stud, Hamag, Precision Printers, Randwick Equine Centre, The Riders Shoppé, Wagners, Lexus of Parramatta, NSW Institute of Sport , the Sydney International Equestrian Centre as well as our media partners, exhibitors and many other supporters.

We look forward to better times ahead!

Toni Venhaus
Event Director

Toft Endurance and the Tom Quilty

This morning Horse Deals contacted International Endurance Rider and manager and owner of Toft Endurance Pty Ltd, Peter Toft. From their base at Marburg in Queensland, Peter and wife Penny, conduct a huge business, breeding, training, competing and selling endurance horses around the world. Our original call was to enquire if they could still attend the Tom Quilty National Endurance Championships at the end of September in Perth. Unfortunately, Peter informed us that Equine Influenza had reached their property yesterday and due to strict bio-security measures issued by the WA government, the Tom Quilty had already been restricted to WA horses only.

“We have a large group of horse here fit and ready to go to the Quilty. We have been trying to let them down since we knew we were not going to WA, but it is not easy. We have cut their feed right back and are just doing a bit with them on the walker, but seasoned horses like Justice and Murdoch (Peter and Murdoch pictued at WEG 2006) are just jumping out of their skin, they are ready to set off for 100 miles.

“Yesterday we got the first horse sick and now we expect the 500 horses here to all have EI in the next few days. We knew EI was about 5kms away and it has been blowing a gale, so we have been expecting it. It is a relief really; it is hard just sitting and waiting. Our property is not listed as infected and it may take six days before a DPI inspector comes to look at our horses, a situation that has been experienced by people we know. People have been going to the DPI and asking and asking where the EI has spread, so we can avoid or be more careful in those areas, but we are just told, that due to the privacy act they can not give out that sort of information.

“Qld used to have hundreds of stock inspectors, as you needed permits to move stock due to tick control, but since the Labour government came to power in QLD, 630 stock inspectors have lost their jobs and there is now no permit system to more horses.

“We have mares ready to foal any minute and we hope they will be OK. Reports we have suggest mares and foals do seem to be coping well with this infection. But, people are really starting to hurt, companies like Zilco are saying it is like the phone has been cut off. It will take years for the industry to get over this and some people never will. The government has no idea how big the non-racing horse community is and how much it adds to the economy.”

Peter suggested we ring Ieva Peters, Ride Secretary for the 2007 Tom Quilty, to get an update on the situation, this we did.

Ieva explained; “We have just got official word that no horses from the eastern states will be able to attend the Quilty, due to the WA boarder being closed for the foreseeable future, and horses cannot even fly into Perth. We had 30 entries from the east, that will no longer be coming, but we still have 80 entries from WA. We only have the Quilty here every six years, so people here tend to keep their special horse for that time, but many work two horses to guarantee a fit horse for the event. This year people have just come out of the woodwork offering horses for overseas and Eastern state riders to compete on; some are even donating their best horse. We have riders from Japan, the USA and possibly the UAE competing on borrowed horses, plus a few from the eastern states. The ride will start at 12 am Saturday 29th September.

For more information on the 2007 Quilty go to; http://endurancedb.com.au/index.php?qType=Quilty

Email contact for Qld Premier, Anna Bligh

In Response to post by Jeff on Tuesday 18th.

I too agree that the blame can't sit squarely on DPI Qld as I imagine they would be dealing with huge staff shortages in this ever increasing epidemic. It was all ok when there were only a handful of infected properties, but now with over 170 - resources would have to be very close to exhaustion. They have today set up community help centres, which is a good step forward - but I agree with many others that it is time for the Qld State Government to increase support of thier Department.

Not sure if we should bombard the newly sworn in Premier with nasty emails, but some constructive questions and/or suggestions may help the DPI Qld get the support they need and we can all get some answers.

So........ as previously requested by Todd McDonald Smith, here is the email address for the Premier of Queensland, Anna Bligh.

Extract from ALP website: Email for Premier:
ThePremier@premiers.qld.gov.au
If contacting The Premier via email, please provide your name, email address (essential for reply), organisation, your position, your mailing address (for responses by letter if you prefer).

Carly Overton, Pine Mountain, Qld

Australian Horse Industry Council - EI Survey

INFORMATION FROM THE HORSE INDUSTRY COUNCIL

In an effort to calculate the financial impact to the Horse Industry of the Equine Influenza outbreak in Australia, the Australian Horse Industry Council have crafted a short survey. The information you provide here will be collated with information from other surveys and given to government at a number of levels.

The first response is required for a special meeting early this week so we would appeciate it if you could complete this survey as soon as possible.

The link to the survey is : http://www.surveymaster.com/AHIC/Q4.asp

Thanking you in advance.

Judi Tainsh
Australian Horse Industry Council

Supplied by:Australian Horse Industry Council

SA eases restrictions on Victorian horses

Restrictions on Victorian horses coming into South Australia have been eased.

Read the full story.

Victoria saved from EI by luck

JUST how fortunate Victoria has been so far to escape the equine influenza virus that has swept through NSW and Queensland has been highlighted by the random nature of the initial outbreak, apparently in a horse who arrived at the Eastern Creek quarantine facility near Sydney from Japan on August 8.

Read the full story.

NSW Pony Club suspended until 31st December 2007

Jenny Amadio, Tuesday, 18 September 2007

All Pony Club horse activities are suspended until 31 December 2007. This includes the State Mounted Games, State One Day Event and State Show Riding Championships.

The State Executive gave consideration to the current information available from the Department of Primary Industry in making their decision.

Zones are advised that they must consider their position in regards to holding non-horse activities, taking into account their local situation and strict bio-security measures must be taken.

Be advised that a NSW wide ban on the movement of horses remains in force indefinitely. Penalties for disregarding the ban include a fine of up to $44000 and a gaol term of 12 months.

PCANSW ask all members to adhere to the directives of the NSW DPI. Even if your horses are well and you do not think they could have horse flu, do not attempt to move them even if you think there is a safer, a better or a more convenient place to keep them.

Updates are being provided on the PCANSW website (www.pcansw.org.au) as they become available. Further information is available on the NSW Department of Primary Industry website www.dpi.nsw.gov.au or phone the EI Hotline 1800 675 888 and the Australian Horse Industry Council website www.horsecouncil.org.au An ‘Equine Flu’ information newsletter will be posted to each financial household in the next week.

The 2008 Junior Mounted Games squad will be selected via written application similar to Olympic discipline applicants for State Camp. Applications close 1st November 2007. Those riders who nominated for selection at the State MG Championships, will be contacted to update their information. Selection for the 2008 Senior MG squad is yet to be determined.