Horse flu blamed for smaller foal crop

With the thoroughbred breeding season now over, Upper Hunter breeders say next Spring's foal crop will be five to 10 per cent smaller, due to the impact of equine influenza.

International shuttle stallions will leave Australia in coming days after completing the horse flu interrupted breeding season.
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia president John Messara says it is still not known how badly the flu has affected fertility levels in local horses.
"I think it ended up a lot better than it could have," he said.
"Peak fertility will be down a little bit, particularly in New South Wales and in Queensland.
"Nobody knows the final figures yet.
"We're still waiting on final pregnancy tests, but I 'm suspecting that it will be down about 5 to 10 per cent, at least for the season which means we will have a smaller foal crop next year."

Vaccination for other horses to meet movement permit conditions

On 13 December 2007, new movement requirements for horses were agreed nationally and are being implemented in New South Wales. The movements are subject to various conditions to minimise the risk of disease spread. Some movements require the horse to be an approved vaccinate as well as meeting other movement requirements.
A very limited amount of vaccine has been made available to be used on horses which are outside the scope of the department’s previous EI control programs, but which need to be vaccinated in order to meet these movement conditions.

Applications for vaccination will be considered where there is a demonstrated need to move a horse, e.g. for welfare reasons, or, in some circumstances, to attend sales or competitions (where a nomination has already been accepted); for breeding purposes; or for relocation (in the case of, for example, property sales, change of jobs, or horse purchase/sale).
The owner or agent must also be able to meet all other movement requirements, such as pre- and post-movement quarantines and testing.
All applications require the approval of the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO).
All horses must be microchipped at the time of initial vaccination unless the horse is already microchipped, or is a thoroughbred foal that has not received its stud book microchip.
Vaccination and all associated costs including microchipping will be at the horse owner's expense.
Horse owners or their agents may apply for vaccination through their veterinary practitioner, who must be authorised by the CVO to administer the vaccine. The veterinary practitioner completes the, who will then fax the application form which is faxed, accompanied by supporting documents, to Industry Liaison at SDCHQ on 02 6391 4706. After assessment, the application form will be faxed back to the veterinary practitioner. Vaccine can only be ordered after the CVO has approved the application.
For further information, call Industry Liaison (part of NSW DPI’s EI response team) on 6391 3176 or 6391 3739.

New infected premises in the week up to 22nd December

**Click to enlarge**

Changes to the Purple Zone as of 14th January 2008

UP TO 14TH JANUARY 2008
Events that involve the movement of horses: Events may be held provided all horses come from within the Purple Zone. Note: Horses may have been previously introduced from other, lower risk zones, prior to the event. However, the more stringent conditions will apply to these horses before they can be moved back out of the Purple Zone.
Riding schools: Riding schools may operate as usual as long as any horses brought in are from the Purple Zone only.
Re-introduction of movement restrictions in the purple zone in January
The next step of the recovery phase will be the reintroduction of movement restrictions in the purple zone in January. These restrictions will include a Travelling Horse Statement system and stricter requirements for events in the Purple zone.

This will enable the NSW DPI teams to commence lengthy surveillance and resolution testing in purple zone.

The dates that these restrictions will take place are as follows:

* Introduction of THS: 14 January
* Registration of events: 14 January
* Requirement for quarantining IPs: 14 January
* Requirement for immune horses to travel and the conditions for this: end January

Quarantined properties in Purple Zones

To prevent the continued spread of equine influenza to the remaining susceptible horses in the Purple Zone, all properties on which equine influenza is suspected or diagnosed after 14 January 2008 will be quarantined. Movement restrictions will apply to these properties. See "What happens if my property is quarantined" for details.
www.dpi.nsw.gov.au

Toowoomba Showjumping Club – Australia Day Championships Saturday 26th January 2008.

Entries are closing on the 5^th January 2008 (that’s in 3 days)

Contact Dave & Robyn Berman on bandcoot@tpg.com.au or phone 46 306646 for a copy of the program & entry form. There are 13 classes to suit all horses & riders from under 13 to 1.3m & a Future Stars Futurity. Three rings including the Indoor. No camping is permitted. Nominations can be made on line, but remember there cannot be any late entries.
Simon Goddard – DPI Project Officer (Event Committee Confidence Package) has advised that there is no chance of a lockdown situation (like Morgan Park) as this competition is being held in the Red Zone (horses will be sent home as per Biosecurity Plans adopted from racing).
Hope to see everyone there, Happy New Year!!! Here’s hoping 2008 is EI Free & full of many clear rounds!

Almost $14 million in CHAPs payments to performance andd pleasure industry

As of the 20th December, the extraordinary CHAPs effort, administered by the EFA NSW, has seen almost $14 million of Federal Government funds paid out to 1130 individual applications, involving 10,099 horses, across the entire performance and pleasure horse industry in this state since September. The EFA NSW CEO would like to thank the staff of the CHAPs Call Centre and the EFA NSW staff working daily to get this money out to those affected by EI. Also a huge thanks to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and its staff for the financial and administrative support given to our equestrian community.

New Dressage Events to be held at Werribee Park 13 & 20 January 2008 - entries close tomorrow

EFA Vic Dressage are running 2 events in January 13 & 20th at Werribee Park .

Note: The office will be closed from 22 Dec until the 2nd of January, we need everyone to enter ASAP .
If you have any questions, please attach to your entry form and we will contact you before we process the entry.
Click here for the program

Hamag EFA Vic National Young Dressage Rider & Pony Dressage Championships

Including:
CDI-Y (World Cup Qualifier)
Open Inter II, Grand Prix & Grand Prix
Freestyle

25, 26, 27, 28 March 2008
Entries Close: Monday 25th February 2008
Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre
170 K Road, Werribee Victoria
On behalf of the Equestrian Federation of Australia Victorian Branch
Click here for the program

HORSE EVENTS PERMIT SYSTEMS AMENDED

EFA(SA) have been negotiating with PIRSA and are very pleased to advise an amended permit system will be available on the PIRSA website very soon.
PIRSA permits are STILL required with adherence to appropriate biosecurity measures but the application process has been streamlined and simplified.
We thank PIRSA for their support in making the system more accessible for our members. Contact PIRSA on 1800 675 888 or their website http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/horseflu for latest information and permit applications or phone the EFA(SA) office on (08) 8234 2700 if you need help completing the application process.

Resumption of Riding in NSW Green Zones

Effective as of 1st January 2008 events in the Green Zone of NSW can recommence for ATHRA affiliated clubs. Clubs must abide to both DPI and ATHRA conditions as outlined in the document which provides basic step by step instructions.

Click here to see the conditions

Horse owners happy with flu ban turnaround

The Hunter's equestrians have welcomed a turnaround on a decision to ban horse events at Sydney's Royal Easter Show because of equine influenza.

After earlier cancelling the events the Department of Primary Industries says the traditional competitions will now go ahead.
The Hunter Valley Equestrian Centre's Shaun France says it is great news and will reinvigorate the leisure horse industry.
"It will mean a lot of positive energy within the industry, and it will give people incentives to start working with their horses and get back on the road of what we would call normal life where we are competing often, as well as boost the whole industry financially," he said.

Agisted cattle didn't cause anthrax outbreak: owner

An Upper Hunter property owner affected by the current anthrax outbreak at Rouchel does not believe it started because of agisted cattle.

More than 30 head of cattle and one horse have died from the disease, eight local properties have been quarantined and more than 1,000 head of stock have been vaccinated.
It is the first outbreak of anthrax in the region in about 60 years.
Keith Miles says while some of his cattle had been agisted in the known "anthrax belt" in western New South Wales during the drought, he doubts that is the cause of the outbreak.
"Some of them were on agistment there," he said.
"They have been back here for over six months and so far as I know we haven't had any deaths in those cattle so trying to draw a connection there is a long bow."

Meanwhile, the anthrax outbreak has forced the postponement of a campdraft planned for nearby Gundy today.
It was to be the first non racing event involving horses to take place since the equine influenza crisis and organiser Dan Floyd is hopeful it can be rescheduled for February or March.
"We thought we were on top of the flu and all our paper work was all [completed] unfortunately with the anthrax outbreak we thought best be safer, cut our losses and not take the chance of spreading anything," he said.

Trainer's campervan holiday in horse flu quarantine

HARNESS racing legend Brian Hancock turned 60 yesterday. And as one does, he spent it relaxing under the awning of his motorhome.But Hancock's van wasn't parked at a beachside resort. Nor was he surrounded by loved ones, enjoying the sun, sand and surf.

Instead, Hancock was quarantined in the cement cauldron of Harold Park, on his own and under a blazing new year sun, due to ongoing equine influenza prevention strategies.
"I never pictured myself sitting outside my campervan at Harold Park on my 60th birthday," Hancock joked yesterday.
"They say you finish up where you begin, and although I'm far from finished, it kind of feels like I'm back where I started."
While one million Sydneysiders enjoyed the New Year's Eve fireworks on Sydney Harbour, Hancock had a decidedly low-key celebration minding his star young pacer, Flightpath.
A seven-time winner of both the Harold Park trainers and drivers' premierships, Hancock agreed to seven days in isolation at the Glebe circuit so Flightpath can travel to Melbourne to compete in the Group One $150,000 Victorian Derby at Moonee Valley on March 1.
Horses set to travel to Victoria for harness racing's InterDominion or Victoria Derby must spend one week in quarantine in NSW followed by another week in a quarantine station at Geelong.
"Harold Park has been good to me over the years so it is not much of a problem to spend a week here," the South Coast-based Hancock said.
Hancock's phenomenal record at Harold Park has not landed him any favours over the New Year period, with the champion trainer-driver becoming a part-time track curator.
He's found himself in charge of watering Harold Park, with fellow trainer Peter Rixon controlling the grater to keep the surface in top order.
At present, Harold Park quarantine station resembles a ghost town.
Harold Park CEO John Dumesny and trainers Michael Day and Jeremy Quinlan are the only other inhabitants at Ross St.
Rixon is with his star pacer Divisive, the state's only hope in the $750,000 Group One InterDominion, which culminates with the final on March 1.
Michael Day is caring for Iron Realm and Jeremy Quinlan has Boom Boom Becker and Em Maguane, two Victorian horses who have been stuck in Sydney since the the outbreak of EI.
While Hancock is holidaying in his luxurious campervan, his compatriots have transformed the ambulance room at Harold Park into a neat studio apartment.
"All the boys have bonded so well and everyone is doing their bit to help the time go smoothly," Hancock said.
Flightpath is aiming to follow in the footsteps of Lombo Pocket Watch (2006), Divisive (2005), Emmas Only (2004), The Sentry (2003) and Bellas Boy (2002) as the sixth consecutive horse to win the two-year-old colts and geldings Australian Pacing Gold Final-Victoria Derby double.
If Hancock is correct about Flightpath's ability, a real holiday could be just around the corner.

New York City's carriage horses may disappear

A New York City tourist attraction, the carriage horses lined up at Central Park may soon become a thing of the past if the City Council adopts a proposal to ban it as a tradition cruel to animals.
Council member Tony Avella, a Democrat, introduced the bill in mid-December and Council President Christine Quinn has yet to include it on the board's agenda on an unspecified date, said Avella's press office.
The Horse and Carriage Association of New York representing carriage horse owners has the support of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who considers the quaint transport an integral part of the Big Apple's tourist appeal.
All decked out in plastic flowers for the New Year festivities, some 70 carriage horses do a brisk trade as they parade non-stop up and down the streets of the city.
"I cannot talk, I'm going to reach 15 rides today, it's a record," said a young Turkish coachwoman who came to the United States four years ago.
"Tourists give good tips, we make good days," she added as she led her horse to a drinking trough while a Mexican moved his horse up behind her.
Carriage horses are among the city's most popular tourist attractions, along with sidewalk artists and double-decker bus tours. The rides cost 30-40 US dollars (20- 30 euros), warm blankets are provided and convertible tops keep business thriving even if it rains.
After simmering for years, the controversy resurfaced in September when a horse, spooked by the loud drumming of a break-dancing group, bolted and hit a tree, injuring itself so badly it had to be put down.
Avella, who tried to have the carriages restricted to Central Park in a 2005 measure that never took off, relaunched his cause, this time with the support of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
"As the primary enforcer of New York CityÂ’s carriage horse laws, the ASPCA can no longer accept the status quo," said the society's president, Ed Sayres.
"Increased accidents, the recent death of a carriage horse and the city comptrollerÂ’s report all underscore the urgency to get these horses off the streets."
Harking back to quieter days, the horse and carriage has fallen victim to real estate speculation that has seen its historical stables on Manhattan's Upper West Side close down, turned into garages or lavishly renovated into historical monuments.
The remaining stables are cramped and the long daily rides through legendary New York traffic jams pose a danger to the animals and a source of annoyance to motorists.
"You don't abolish taxis when people die in the traffic," complained carriage driver Henry, from New Jersey.
"We have a very good security standard, we make one million rides a year, accidents can occur but they are extremely rare," he added.
Sensing the changing times, small business groups in the city have launched a promising human-powered mode of transport in Manhattan: bicycle rickshaws.

THE GRASS IS GREENER OVER THE BORDER!

In preparation for this coming weekend's, Junior / Young Rider Bio – Beta Showjumping event. The Mount Gambier Showjumping club has been busy preparing the two jumping arenas at the Mt Gambier Showgrounds. The new venue has been chosen especially to comply with EI regulations. There is plenty of water underground and with two large water tankers the arenas are getting a good daily soaking.

Grassed jumping arenas will be something different for the many Victorians venturing over the border, as they have been indoors at Tonimbuk since the Melbourne Cup Weekend. For the South Australians it will be really something different, ie: an actual show!

One rider who has had plenty of competition recently will be Jonathan Smith of Birregurra Victoria. Jonathan has been competing for Australia in a team's event in India over the Christmas / New Year period. Jonathan son of former international Chris Smith is bringing 3 horses to the event.

Interest is very high for these two days, two rings and with prize money of $4,000.

Strict bio security will be adhered to. All events are post entries on the day. The Programme and Bio Security procedures can be downloaded from the Horse Deals Web Site, click here to download the program, or the clubs web site www.mtgambiersjc.equestrian.org.au