Breed Associations and Competitions Breed Associations and Competitions
Just had a thought - small local clubs are wary of organising competitions and events due to the chance that a lockdown could occur, exposing the club, venue owners and committee members to unacceptable costs.
With most horses in previously infected zones being either Recovered or Immunised, the chances of an EI infection surfacing at an event are low, but still unacceptable.
In Green zones, EI is not present, and horses from other zones are currently not permitted to travel into Green zones. Chances of an outbreak there are also low, but again, committees would be unable to cover the costs of a quarantine lockdown.
My suggestion is for the big Breed Associations - in our case, the AQHA - to underwrite the costs to local affiliated clubs should a lockdown occur at a sanctioned event. Likewise, for Dressage and Junping comps, the Dressage Council, EFA etc could come on board.
This initiative would allow showing and other events to get back underway, without the threat of the (slim) possibility of astronomical costs to small clubs in the event of positive swabs and a period of enforced quarantine.
The big associations have the financial resources to subsidise lockdown costs, and getting events underway would also bring in their extra revenue from lagging membership renewals, transfer applications and so forth, further offsetting any outlay.
It would be great PR for the Breed and discipline associations, and a very practical way to assist in getting horse activities back on track.
KM
posted by Horse Deals at
1:13 pm
2 Comments:
Good Luck KM! What a great idea, but can't see it happening. I am a member of Australia's largest recreational and pleasure horse breed society in Australia. At the moment we can't even run any event in Australia (even WA!), so I can't see them popping their hand up to help the local show run a breed class for us. Unfortunately they are happy to take our membership $'s but I know I won't be paying my hard-earned $'s until I have an event to go to!
Far a I know there isnt an ag society game enough to hold a show with horses bar the sydney royal. and the list of who isnt going to have classes is longer than the list of who can go.
Really the putting on to show organisers to have to pay in the event of a lockdown is just another case of the government shirking its responsibility for the entire EI debacle.
They permitted its entrance to australia because of non existant biosecurity, read the callihan report if you are still in any doubt over that one. the head of AQIS was too busy to call a meeting to address the issues requesting amendment to the import protocols sent to her in 2004 to implement said request.
THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE FOOTING ANY LOCKDOWN BILLS. or if they really are too strapped for cash after opening the floodgates for the millions spent on advertising then how about it comes out the super package of said head of AQIS?
Show societies didnt bring EI into australia let those responsible for this utter mess foot the bill.
FULL STOP END OF STORY.
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