Horses race across the border

FOR the first time in more than 100 days, horses will today leave Sydney for Victoria, marking the beginning of the end of the equine influenza crisis that has crippled the racing industry.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries yesterday confirmed it had given approval for the movement of horses across the Murray River into flu-free Victoria.
Each of the horses being moved to Victoria today has built up full immunity to EI after contracting the disease. "Today marks another milestone in our battle against EI and effort to get the state's horse industries back on their feet," said NSW Minister for Primary Industries Ian McDonald. "This is the first legal movement of horses into Victoria since the outbreak and more will follow, not only thoroughbreds but horses from other equine disciplines."
The first horses allowed to cross the border into Victoria include 30 racehorses belonging to Bob Ingham's Woodland Stud/Crown Lodge.
A further 36 yearlings belonging to other stud farms will be transported from a William Inglis & Son quarantine facility in Sydney's Randwick to another quarantine facility in Oaklands, Victoria.
The horses moving today are among hundreds being prepared by Hunter Valley breeders for the Victorian Premier Sale, which attracts international buyers and generates tens of millions of dollars for Australian breeders.

read the full story

Victoria open as EI protocols relax

HORSE movement into Victoria will be relaxed as early as Tuesday as new equine influenza protocols are announced by the Department of Primary Industry.
For the first time since the outbreak of EI four months ago, horses from New South Wales and Queensland will be allowed to enter Victoria. Victoria was a no-go zone for horses from both states since EI crippled the NSW and Queensland racing industries. Horses coming to Victoria will have to be quarantined at "isolation farms" or at Sandown Quarantine Centre. The length of quarantine will depend on which designated zone - green, purple or red - horses are coming from. It's understood the Werribee Equestrian Centre has been identified as an isolation farm. Quarantine periods will vary from three to 14 days on either side of the Victorian border. What will also determine the quarantine period is whether a horse has contracted EI or whether it's been vaccinated. Dr Hugh Millar, head of the Victorian DPI, is due to meet Racing Victoria Ltd chief executive Stephen Allanson, racing manager Leigh Jordon, veterinary director Dr John McCaffrey and other officials on Tuesday. Dr Millar will outline the procedures involved as well as what bio-security measures need to be adopted. The new protocols cater for horses being transported to yearling sales, an influx of horses for the autumn carnival and those horses that have been stranded in NSW and Queensland. The DPI will control those horses heading to isolation farms, while RVL's only charter will be autumn carnival-bound horses, who will serve 14 days quarantine at the Sandown Quarantine Centre. Interstate trainers will need to inform RVL of the horses they intend to run at the late summer/autumn carnival, which officially begins with the Group I Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on February 2. It's understood horses will be taken in batches to alleviate potential logistical problems.

NSW horses to Oaklands

SYDNEY - NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald has confirmed Turf Monthly's Friday report that 66 NSW horses will cross the Murray River into Victoria. He said in a statement that, 114 days after equine influenza (EI) was detected at stables in Sydney’s Centennial Park, the group of horses was the first to meet tough new interstate travel biosecurity protocols.
“The horses will be transported by truck from a William Inglis and Son quarantine facility at Newmarket this afternoon to a quarantine facility in Victoria, arriving early Tuesday morning," Macdonald said.
“Their movement is in line with policies from the national consultative committee on exotic animal diseases and is consistent with the national campaign to control and eradicate EI.
“Each has previously been infected by horse flu, developed full immunity to the disease and has made a successful recovery back to full health.
The protocols entail:
Been tested at a NSW DPI laboratory to confirm they don’t have the disease;
Is from a property now scientifically proven EI free through resolution testing
Have returned blood tests with strong anti-bodies, showing immunity exists.
Also, each truck will be decontaminated twice in Sydney before the horses are loaded.
Macdonald said that as an extra measure, the animals have been under tight quarantine in NSW and will be placed under quarantine at Oaklands in Victoria when they arrived.
He said in NSW the number of properties infected with EI has dropped from more than 5,000 to 2,554.

Purple zone horses move into Victoria

SCONE – A total of 66 horses including yearlings destined for the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale are being moved into Victoria at present, the a NSW DPI spokesman has confirmed.
The horses being moved into Victoria, which has remained EI free since the epidemic began on August 22, had met national approved requirements for movement and had undergone a three-day quarantine.
They had proven they were either recovered from EI or were vaccinated against it, the NSW DPI spokesman said.
Victorian Thoroughbred Breeders Association President Mike Becker said his organisation accepted the Victorian DPI’s assertion that movment of yearlings from the purple zone to farms in Victoria was safe.

read the full story

Caboolture hosts horse flu meeting

A public meeting on the equine influenza outbreak is being held tonight in Caboolture in south-east Queensland. Horse movement is still restricted in the Caboolture Shire, while most people on the Sunshine Coast are now allowed to freely move their horses within the new 'amber zone'.
The Department of Primary Industries says the meeting is important to clarify the updated movement restrictions introduced earlier this month.

First NSW horses to enter Vic since outbreak

The New South Wales Government says some horses will be allowed to travel to Victoria today for the first time since the horse flu outbreak.
The 66 horses are the first to meet new interstate travel rules introduced since the outbreak hit in August.
Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald says horse owners must still apply to move their animals across the border.
"This is the first time in 114 days that horses have been able to cross from NSW into Victoria," he said.
"Let's hope that with our containment strategy that seems to be working across the state, we can contain and eradicate this disease in New South Wales."
The horse industry says it is a major step forward in the recovery from equine influenza.
Australian Horse Industry Council president Barry Smyth says the decision will benefit many horse owners.
"Movement of horses is an integral part of the house industry both within states and interstate, so the fact that these horses are starting to move now is welcome news for the entire industry," he said.

Authorities see an end to NSW horse flu

The New South Wales Department of Primary Industry says the state will be free of horse flu by the middle of next year.
The number of infected properties has more than halved, with new infections plummeting from a peak of 200 a day.
The department's director general, Barry Buffier, says the flu is burning itself out and the necessary testing to prove the state is free should be completed within six months.
"We're confident in NSW - and I know the situation is no different in Queensland - that we're well and truly on top of the disease", he says.
"We're getting down to only a few new outbreaks a day.
"Proving clear in a technical sense takes some time, but we're confident we won't be seeing any new outbreaks by the middle of the year".

Horse industry considers ID system

The horse industry is investigating a national horse identification system, to help combat any future outbreaks of equine influenza.
The idea is likely to be discussed at a national forum being planned for the middle of next year.
Dr Barry Smyth from the Horse Industry Council says state governments have been supportive so far.
"Surveys certainly show that industry participants are in favour of identification of horses in a national scheme", he says.
"The most favoured way of doing that is using a microchip, and the Australian Horse Industry Council has been in discussion for quite a while now with the largest registering organisations in the country".

‘Attention Queensland Showjumpers’

It is with great pleasure to announce that the Toowoomba & District Showjumping Club are applying to run their Annual Jumping Championships on the
Saturday the 26th January 2008 at the Toowoomba Showgrounds

(Subject to DPI & F approval)

They have prepared a super program catering for all.
There will be three rings including the indoor arena.
Classes range from Under 13, Foxhunter to 1.30m Champ, Future Stars Futurity.
Prize Money & Sponsors will be advised at a later date.

It will only be run on the Saturday of the long weekend and no camping will be permitted. Due to the DPI & F rules nominations will close on the 5th January 2008
to allow the club to apply for a permit to run.

At this stage the event will only be open to horses in the Red Zone
(It is unlikely that horses from the Amber & Green zones will be able compete unless they are to remain in the red zone)
Horses will have to be Vaccinated/micro chipped or be
From a Resolved Property and be EI Serum Tested /micro chipped.
Conditions are subject to change on advice from the DPI & F. Microchip numbers are required on the entry form as well as RP number for home property.

If you have not applied to change your property status – go to the DPI Website for application form (keeping in mind the x-mas holidays & event closing date). It would be a good idea to do this form as a matter of urgency if you wish to compete.

For program and nomination form go to the Jumping Page of www.efaq.com.au or contact the Berman Family on bandcoot@tpg.com.au or phone 0746 306646.

Remember nominations must close on the 5th January 2008!!!!

“Let’s get back jumping in Queensland’

Movement of horses into Victoria from NSW - a great Xmas gift indeed!

In reply to Cindy M from Queensland – reading the Herald Sun story and then comparing it to what is currently on the Victoria DPI website is somewhat disheartening.

First and foremost, the smaller we are the smaller we are getting. Again and again, the TB industry has been allowed to do what ever it wishes regardless of what others (the vast majority of us make up the ‘others’) wish to do, think we can do and think we ought to be able to do. In the Herald Sun article, apparently TB’s of the racing type can enter Victoria after 3 days quarantine in NSW and then 3 days in Victoria all whilst in the care of racing related properties and businesses. This appears to be contrary to what is currently on the DPI website which states that there would be 14 days quarantine in NSW and then a further 7 days here in Victoria.

I note that the Chief Vet would be meeting with racing bodies tomorrow to discuss this further. I would like to invite this vet to meet with other industry related bodies and perhaps the many other stranded horses in NSW and Queensland can return to Victoria also – after 6 days quarantine. I bet that would be just fine and dandy with the Chief Vet.

Meanwhile back in horse and pony land, in Victoria and South Australia, no one is allowed to do anything still. The fear is of course, that one of our horses will ‘cough’ and bring the entire State into a ‘lockdown’ and no one wants to be responsible for that. Such is the paranoia and fear which has been successfully instilled into clubs and branches all over the country. In fact I am quite surprised that since the UK has just reported an EI outbreak in 3 counties, we are not all in immediate ‘lockdown’ in sympathy. I would go so far as to say that the Brits are of course, quite used to such things and we don’t see screaming headlines and the cancellation of all hunts / competition and shows. Imagine if some prestigious British show jumping event had to be cancelled because 3 horses were coughing in Northumberland?

My Xmas gift would be to say ‘stuff and nonsense’ and put on something regardless of the ridiculous inequities that exist. When are we going to stand up for our rights? By letting these yearlings and racehorses into Victoria (which incidentally I don’t really care about in and of itself but it is the blatant inequity that exists that is infuriating) merely fuels further anger and people will start to put things on, regardless of whether they are getting permission or not. After all, if the racing industry can do it, why can’t they? And EI isn’t here anyway is it?

And finally, what is going to happen to our show season in 2008? Not just the show aspect of it but the gatherings that are eagerly awaited by pony club kids, adult riding groups, breed societies and struggling show committees. Perhaps DPI needs to get careful about all this or many of horse owners will start being careless.

Karen Harrison

Cummings lashes out at EI restraints

THE continued strangulation of thoroughbred racing will be discussed at a meeting of Racing NSW officials and Department of Primary Industries delegates in Sydney today.

Anthony Cummings, president of the NSW arm of the Australian Trainers' Association, is set to attend, with the equine influenza ban on the movement of horses the topic for discussion.

"The industry is once again held to ransom by inadequacies at the DPI," Cummings said yesterday. "We will be trying to work out a way forward that makes sense. What is happening now flies in the face of logic.

"Right now there are horses in the paddock that should be coming into stables but they cannot be moved. The DPI is about to go on holidays, there will be no tests carried out."

Read more.

Victoria to allow entry of EI horses

TODAY, for the first time since the outbreak of equine influenza on August 25, horses can be moved into Victoria from NSW and Queensland, but stringent conditions will apply.

This follows the revised protocol on importation agreed to on November 27 by the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases to ensure the safe movement of horses into Victoria, which has so far remained free of EI.

Although the new protocols are effective only until the end of December, it is believed that up to 60 thoroughbreds, including racehorses, yearlings and breeding stock, are ready to be moved from approved properties in NSW near the Victorian border.

The first horses to be moved will be those stranded in NSW at the time of the EI outbreak. After that, horses will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

But some Victorian racing and breeding figures are concerned the revised protocols will not guarantee that the state remains free of EI.

Read more.

NO JOKE

Its a joke, but all of us are not laughing!! The Inglis Sales TB yearlings are now doing 3 days quarantine before entering Victoria, and 3 days at the Inglis complex at Oaklands Vic, Yet will the DPI let competition horses compete at Sydney Royal? Oh yes, but do 2 weeks quarantine before and 2 weeks after!!!!, and as long as the horses have been vaccinated, or been cleared of EI, and microchiped. So that cuts out the rest of the states of Australia. We all have reeled from the impact of the virus, not just the states it was in. We need leaders who think outside the circle!!

Once again, breeding money rules, and the rulers name starts with Mr M.........? Come on DPI, get some balls. Ask Bruce Hill or Kelly Lees or all the others from Victoria who have been stranded in the green zone of NSW since day one how they feel with this news of the yearlings coming into Victoria??? Ask them how they felt when they were told it was going to cost $4,000 each horse to eventually bring them home.?? How many owners in the purple zone have been contacted recently to ask if their horses need to be vaccinated? Regardless if they have had EI or not? Tell me Victorian DPI, how are horses going to perform in other zones if you refuse to vaccinate this group of horses??.

Obviously coming back into Victoria is not an issue following the yearlings for the TB Sales. Cameron Bell of the Victorian DPI told me last week that they had allocated 2,000 vaccines to performance horses for this purpose, yet I am told by the EFA National High Performance manager that he had problems getting my Olympic Squad horse vaccinated in Victoria, when all the others in Australia had been done, because Victoria DPI was with the belief that they were not going to allow vaccination. Hello DPI, what have you done to all the TB's around the country???????

Getting out of bed in the morning and creating new rules for the day seems to be the agenda for the DPI. We may get a Christmas present( Cindy M), and it may be the best thing to happen. We would then get it over and get on with our lives.

Sarah Allen (Victoria)

Thanks & Rodeo

Thank you very much for keeping us all right up-to-date with EI issues for almost four months.

We know Horse Deals must also be suffering because of EI and inability of people to advertise and sell horses, and won't forget what you've done when (hopefully) EI is gone. Meanwhile to all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy (EI free) New Year.

I'm a photo journalist specialising in campdrafting, and with my editors, since EI we've had to work extra hard to fill the mags with interesting stuff ... but think we've succeeded, and thanks to all those people who have made themselves available for interviews and photo sessions. Your inspiring stories, I'm sure are encouraging to other horse people now feeling despondent because of EI.

And I would like to comment on blog from Greens MP Sue Pennicuik re the cruelty of rodeo. She claims bulls and horses - and other animals? - are provoked into bucking with spurs, electric prods and flank straps. This is not so. I suggest she contact the various Rodeo Associations and rodeo stock contractors and get the true story.

All associations have Animal Welfare Code of Conduct policies which are strictly enforced.

I've seen many cowboys battered and bruised, but in 40 years just one horse seriously injured and no bulls harmed at all, when I've attended rodeos.

Cheers
Jan Elder

Horse movement allowed

I am confused again. I just read on the channel 10 news in a one line news flash that travel of horses between NSW and Victoria is allowed. I can't find any other information on this, except here with regards to racehorses moving (surprise, surprise). Will someone please tell me what is going on? I have a horse here that has been waiting 4 months to go to his new owner in Tasmania and it would be nice if the person could get him for Christmas.
If the horse has to be quarantined and tested in NSW, Victoria and then be able to travel to Tasmania, I am wondering who foots the bill??

Incidentally, we are in a NSW green zone and have never had EI to date. And what's the latest on horses going to Tasmania anyway as they don't seem to have changed their updates and are still not permitting horses to enter from NSW or QLD according to their website. Looking at the dpi website there is conflicting information on travelling interstate.

Lesley Inkson