Victorian DPI Situation Report - November 22

Victorian DPI Situation Report - November 22

http://www.horsecouncil.org.au/_upload/files/vic%20dpi%20sitrep%20nov%2022.pdf

Lets try these dates for Jumping !

Thanks for your patience- we have rescheduled to the following dates:

Dec 1st / 2nd Jumping Series No 3 - Tonimbuk
to be held at Tonimbuk Equestrian Centre Entry form available soon For stabling details contact Tonimbuk on www.tonimbuk.com

Dec 7th Senior Squad - Tonimbuk
with Gavin Chester to be held at Tonimbuk Contact Fiona on: fmbrennan@activ8.net.au

Dec 8/9th Open Squad – Werribee
Robbie Allens clinics have been very disrupted due to EI and all the changes so we apologise to the riders for the inconvenience. We are pleased to announce that the December one WILL go ahead on the 8th and 9th. If you have already entered the Squad that was due to be held on 24/25 Nov- I will keep your place open for the December weekend unless you notify me that you cannot attend. We can only accept horses from twelve properties so it will be on a first in basis. This is open to all riders.
Click here for entry form.

Dec 14th EFA Jumping Interschool - Tonimbuk
Venue now Tonimbuk (not at Werribee) Entries already received will be held unless notified refund required
click here to enter

For stabling details contact Tonimbuk on www.tonimbuk.com

Dec 15th/16th EFA Junior/YR Squad - Tonimbuk Squad members will shortly receive the latest newsletter detailing the next squad to be held at Tonimbuk Equestrian Centre. Riders will have the opportunity to spectate the HPP Squad training with National Coach Gilbert Brockman. Dinner is to be catered and numbers must be in to Annie by 1st Dec.

Dec 15th/16th / 17th Gilbert Brockman Clinic (National Coach) – Tonimbuk
to be held at Tonimbuk Equestrian Centre.

Dec 29/ 30th Junior / YR Championships - Tonimbuk
Incorp Victorian Junior under 14yo State Championship Victorian Junior Rider State Championship
Victorian YR State Championship
Ammo Shoot Out Heat
STC Junior Heat.
And the Annual Intercountry Challenge between New Zealand & Victoria YR Teams

Entry forms available shortly
For stabling details contact Tonimbuk on www.tonimbuk.com

Qld DPI

22 November AM: There are 2169 Infected Properties (IPs) in Queensland. There were 8 new IPs identified since yesterday. However, there is a continuing reduction in IPs due to reclassification to the status of R (Resolved). A property's R status means that its horses are no longer shedding the virus. Please maintain decontamination procedures and remain vigilant. (updated)

Equine Influenza weekly column

EFA VICTORIA SHOW HORSE COMMITTEE DECEMBER HORSE SHOW

The EFA Victoria Show Horse Committee would like to announce that the show originally planned for 1 December 2007 at Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre will now be held on Sunday 9 December 2007 at the Treehaven Equestrian Centre, 53 Westernport Highway, Somerville (Melway ref 149 E/5).
EFA Victoria Show Horse Committee Chairman Peter Gardiner said “It has been a very
difficult time juggling what is best for the Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre, and the need to keep faith with our members who have been so disadvantaged with the restrictions caused by the Equine Influenza outbreak in New South Wales and Queensland. However, we feel that if we can run this show in December, and another show that is already planned for January, we can, in part, compensate members a little for what they have been through”.
Treehaven Equestrian Centre has been successfully running dressage and showjumping
competitions under strict bio-security guidelines, and Centre Manager, Annie Lever, is
confident that it will also prove a very attractive venue for a horse show.
Schedules will be available on the EFA Victoria website by the end of this week, and also by
mail on request by members. Competitors will be required to complete the current declarations and waivers as requested by the Department of Primary Industries. This will form part of the schedule for the show. Any further queries can be directed to Jan Smith, showhorse@efavic.com.au or 57973028.
Jan Smith
(EFA Victoria Show Horse Co-ordinator)

Horse flu: Transport breach being investigated

Thursday, 22 November 2007
A Sydney man was reported to the DPI late yesterday after he allegedly transported a horse from Randwick racecourse to a property near Orange.
Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald, said the owner of this property did the right thing by immediately reporting the illegal movement of a horse from the purple zone to Orange, which is currently in the amber zone, and free of horse flu.
"This enabled staff at DPI’s disease headquarters in Orange, with assistance from the Rural Crime Investigation Unit, to take immediate action, tracking the movement of the vehicle to Bathurst where it was pulled over," Mr Macdonald said.
"The vehicle has now been thoroughly decontaminated, and the property where the horse was delivered has been placed in quarantine as a precaution."
Mr Macdonald said while there was minimal risk of the horse having any infection, the DPI was taking the matter seriously and would take all necessary precautions to reduce the chance of spread of the virus to the Orange area.
"This horse has also been isolated from all other horses on the property and will remain isolated until the next course of action is determined," Mr Macdonald said.
"Circumstances surrounding this alleged illegal movement will be thoroughly investigated."
Mr Macdonald said penalties for the movement of horses without permit included fines of up to $44,000 and 12 months imprisonment.
Vehicles and equipment can also be immediately confiscated.
"Those people who do the wrong thing face very severe penalties," Mr Macdonald said.
Police and NSW Department of Primary Industries investigations are underway into an alleged serious breach of equine influenza movement restrictions at Orange.

SOURCE: NSW DPI and FarmOnline.

John Messara at it again – let’s see if he gets his own way again!!??

Re: Victorians want to ban NSW yearlings from sale

You may recall that when EI struck and the country was in TOTAL Lockdown John Messara (also the The chairman of Thoroughbred Breeders Australia) was able to get a permit to move 46-odd Broodmares on ‘welfare grounds’. It would appear that John Messarra is ‘At It Again! From the report on this blog ‘Victorians want to ban NSW yearlings from sale’ Where it states:

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. The chairman of Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (Which is also John Messara) 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.

I went to the William Inglis Website (www.inglis.com.au/bloodstock.php) and low-and-behold what do I find?
William Inglis Yearling sales, 2006 Australian Easter Yearling Sale Photo Gallery

L –R (John Messara – Allan Jones & John Leaver) - are they laughing all the way to the bank?

THEN THERE’S THE SALE HIGHLIGHTS – REDOUTE’S CHOICE IS OWNED BY JOHN MESSARA & ALLAN JONES! NO WONDER THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THEIR YOUNGSTERS AT AT THIS SALE!!!!
$1.2million colt Redoute's Choice x Our Side Show
$2.3million colt Redoute's Choice x Exact
$2million colt Redoute's Choice x Urge To Merge
Saletopper $3million colt Redoute's Choice x Deja Slew (261)
The first million-dollar yearling $1.6million colt Redoute's Choice x Singles Bar

STAND YOUR GROUND VIC’S – we have been suffering the effects of EI in NSW, you don’t want it in Victoria, and John Messara obviously knows so much about EI – we all know a vaccinated horse can still be a carrier!

Maureen, NSW.

EI VACCINE FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA (TB's) Media Release

At the National Management Group’s meeting last week, vaccine to immunize
2,400 horses against Equine Influenza was allocated to the South Australian
Thoroughbred Racing Industry.
TRSA Limited CEO Ian Hart announced, “At its most recent meeting, the
Australian Racing Board passed a resolution which will eventually require all
thoroughbred racehorses to be fully and currently vaccinated against EI to be able
to be trained and raced on Australian racetracks. The vaccine allocated will be
used in a risk minimisation strategy, which we expect will allow racing to
recommence as soon as practical in the event of an outbreak.”
“TRSA Limited lobbied strongly for sufficient vaccine to service approximately
6,000 horses but supply at this point is limited. We are advised that limitations
with supply will be overcome early in the new year when the remainder of the
vaccine requested will be available,” Hart added. “TRSA Limited is obliged to pay
Animal Health Australia for the vaccine within seven days of delivery”.
TRSA Limited will announce protocols for the allocation of the vaccine and
vaccination in the near future. Trainers will be provided with details via SMS
messaging and the website.

Questions regarding vaccination may be addressed to -
Ian Hart Chief Executive 08 8179 9877
Graham Loch Chairman of Stewards 08 8179 9820 or 0411 285 991
Peter Horridge TRSA Veterinary Surgeon 0427 600 020

13 November 2007
For further information please contact -
Graham Loch
Chairman of Stewards

TRAINERS URGED TO REMAIN ALERT TO Media Release

Morphettville members of the Australian Trainers’ Association (SA Branch) were
yesterday afternoon urged to remain vigilant regarding EI infection and the
Biosecurity Instructions for the conduct of training and race meetings. All South
Australian trainers will be alerted to the Biosecurity Instructions which have been
reviewed and available on the TRSA Limited website.
TRSA Limited Chairman of Stewards, Graham Loch, told trainers, “We are
pleased to report PIRSA has informed us that the number of infected horses and
properties, together with reports of new infections in New South Wales, are
reducing. Although this appears to indicate the containment and eradication
strategy is having the desired effect, we should understand a small number of new
infections occur on a daily basis.”
“As a consequence the need for South Australian trainers to be vigilant and
comply with Biosecurity Instructions remains as urgent today as it was on 1
September 2007,” Loch added.
The Industry continues to operate on Permits issued by PIRSA and those Permits
are conditional upon Biosecurity instructions being rigidly enforced and supported
by trainers. Most other horse activities in South Australia have been curtailed.
“The Biosecurity Instructions for both training facilities and race meetings have
been reviewed and are available on the website. It is essential the Industry
continues to demonstrate compliance for PIRSA to remain confident our Industry
can self regulate. Stewards and the Racecourse Investigator will not hesitate in
acting against licensed persons who fail to comply with the Instructions”.
A small number of licensed persons have breached the Biosecurity Instructions and have incurred penalties.
13 November 2007
For further information please contact -
Graham Loch
Chairman of Stewards
08 8179 9820 or 0411 285 991

~~~ NOTICE TO TRAINERS ~~~
PIRSA has announced that the Horse Movement Permit system has been replaced by a South Australian Horse Health Statement.
Trainers should note the completed form must be faxed to PIRSA on (08) 8207 7960 and a copy of this Health Statement must accompany the horse.
PIRSA advice to TRSA Limited is as follows –
“From Monday, 19 November 2007, the requirements to enter South Australia from an EI free state or territory (Victoria, Northern Territory, Western Australia and Tasmania) will change.
A permit will no longer be required but horses will now need to be accompanied by a completed and signed Horse Health Statement. Vaccination status is no longer considered a significant risk factor, as South Australia will commence vaccinating horses in the near future.
All trainers / owners will be required to ensure any horse brought into South Australia is accompanied by a completed Horse Health Statement. The signed form must accompany the horse at all times during transit.
Horses from New South Wales, the ACT and Queensland are still not allowed into South Australia.
The Horse Health Statement is also available on the PIRSA website (www.pir.sa.gov.au/horseflu). If access to the internet is unavailable, please telephone PIRSA on 1800 675 888 to request a form.
Also, vehicles and equipment entering South Australian from an EI free jurisdiction will no longer require a permit or any other form of certification.
A permit is still required to conduct a race meeting and to attend training or trials.
The changes outlined are important steps in recovering from the horse flu outbreak interstate and will assist those people whose equestrian business activities involve regular border crossings into EI free states.”

G. M. LOCH
CHAIRMAN OF STEWARDS
20 November 2007

Hulls seeks compensation for Victoria

SYDNEY – Victorian Racing Minister Rob Hulls has urged other states to get behind Victoria’s request for the Federal Government to extend its equine influenza compensation package to all states.

Speaking at the Australasian Racing Ministers’ Conference in Sydney, Hulls said: “Victoria’s efforts in keeping EI out of this state have benefitted the whole country by ensuring racing continued through the Spring Racing Carnival, providing a viable racing product for the rest of Australia”.

“This has come at an estimated cost of $15 million to the Victorian industry but not one cent has come from the Federal Government in support.”

Mr Hulls also urged the racing industry to remain vigilant, particularly ahead of the upcoming 2008 Watpac Interdominion Championships, the most coveted race on the Australasian harness racing calendar. It is understood horses will undergo quarantine at Geelong ahead of this event.

“Just because the Spring Racing Carnival is over does not mean we can drop the ball,” he said.

Stud pushes for private quarantine

A major New South Wales horse breeding stud has told the independent inquiry into horse flu it wants to build its own quarantine facility for its multi-million-dollar shuttle stallions.

Australia confirmed its first case of horse flu in a stallion at the Eastern Creek station in August.

The Hunter Valley's Darley Stud suffered a major hit, with 17 stallions quarantined at the station for six weeks after the virus took hold.

In giving evidence to the inquiry, the stud's operations manager, John Sunderland, said Darley had held discussions with the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service about building a private quarantine station that the service would supervise.

Mr Sunderland said Darley had several pre-export quarantine facilities around the world and it wanted input into the design and safety aspects of a similar facility for horses coming into Australia.

He said Darley has already used its own money to build eight new yards at Eastern Creek.

The inquiry continues.

Posted Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:43pm AEDT

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.

Horses who add to our economies wealth are taking up first row seats

I live in regional northern nsw, and though I am only 15 years old I know the devastation EI can bring upon families and communities.
My family have three horse; two are at home (safe from EI at the moment), and one in the hunter valley, who we can't get home. we are in a buffer zone and our mare is in an amber. We don't have EI on our property but our towns race course and showground are in quarentine. As are other horses in the surrounding area. The threat is here but the disease is not. However what i cannot grasp is the concept that, horses in the hunter valley, upper hunter and the rest of the purple zone stretching to Tamworth may move freely within that zone, whilst everybody else must sit and wait for EI to strike US. I am speaking, not entirely for myself and my family, but for countless others who are at risk. Has no one given a thought for those small time breeders with studs in the red or amber district, away from the purple zone. The Breeders around armidale and north-eastern new england, they are suffering, struggling. What about those EI free horses in the purple zone. They now have no chance escape illness. Australia is suffering, falling, under equine influenza. Lives are being destroyed, horses are suffering dying, and the zoning just worsens the whole ordeal. The horses who add to our economies wealth are taking up first row seats whilst the rest of Australia-horses and humans alike-, are being forced into the background. Why is this happening? Why should our horses,-our best mates- become victims to EI while the hunter valley carries on as usual.
I want answers,
confused ,
henry.

Gobsmacked!

As more debate goes on about quarantine stations and getting horses into Victoria for the various racing fraternity, (I have just read the article about Peter Nixon trying to get his pacer into Victoria in his quest for "Australasian harness racings most coveted prize") I am absolutely gobsmacked!

We are in the midst of a horrific epidemic of EI which has caused devastation to so many people in the horse world.

Businesses are in dire straights, People have had their lives tossed upside down and inside out,financially and mentally. Many have lost beloved horses or are living in the fear of losing them.

Although Victoria has so far remained EI free, with great effort by most of the horse fraternity and the much critisised DPI, we have all felt its repercussions, all activities have virtually ground to a halt and related businesses badly affected.

While I have the greatest sympathy for everyone in NSW and Queensland involved in any aspect of the horse world, and I know getting things back to normal is everyone's greatest wish, we must wait until this is well and truly over, we simply can't risk bringing any horses into Victoria under the present circumstances. No matter how stringent the quarantine protocols, there is always going to be risk involved, risk we should not be taking for any reason.
Sharen