The Horse Flu Thread

[DIEHARD]

Horse flu spreads to harness horses

NEW South Wales harness racing authorities have launched an investigation into how equine influenza (EI) spread to the Bankstown standardbred population after it was confirmed today that eight horses returned positive tests to the virus.

Harness Racing NSW chief executive Max Pool confirmed that an investigation was underway and said authorities were looking into reports that a Bankstown trainer visited a veterinary clinic at Randwick last Thursday before returning to his stable that night.

?The stewards' investigation is underway,? Pool said.

?As part of managing EI, you have got to find out where it came from so that you can lock things down and stop it spreading.

?There are various sources as to how it could have got there including the trainer who had transported a horse to a veterinary clinic in Randwick, but at this stage all of that is unconfirmed but it will be investigated.

?We won't be in a position to know more about where it came from until early next week.?

Adding to the disappointment of the positive test results was the fact the Bankstown horses were scheduled to be vaccinated today.

?There were eight samples taken and all eight have come back positive,? Pool said.

?There are a lot of very disappointed and dejected people in Bankstown at this time.

?It changes our vaccination strategy, we were supposed to have Bankstown horses vaccinated today but Menangle will now take priority because EI will just go straight through Bankstown now.

?We weren't holding out any hope given the number of horses that were showing elevated temperatures yesterday.?

Last night's five-race meeting at Bankstown was abandoned following reports of up to 10 horses showing signs of EI yesterday morning.

More than 140 trotters and pacers are trained at Bankstown and the harness racing industry was relying on them to eventually get the sport back up and running at Sydney's Harold Park circuit in Glebe.

?Harness racing is all at the Riverina now, we've got Wagga tonight but you will not get anything in the metropolitan area until December at the earliest,? Pool said.

The six-race harness program at Wagga tonight is proceeding because that area of NSW is in a green zone with no confirmed cases of EI.

http://www.news.com.au

[DIEHARD]

Don't be surprised if QLD greyhound prizemoney is greatly reduced in the coming weeks...

[travop]

man this is destructive
there hasn't been much media coverage on the impact on the equestrian industry, they too have livelihoods that involve horse

[DIEHARD]

man this is destructive
there hasn't been much media coverage on the impact on the equestrian industry, they too have livelihoods that involve horse

Yep absolutely. They are hurting just like the rest of us, but don't get the coverage.

The Outback Spectacular continues though.

[DIEHARD]

Iemma Government Relief and Recovery Package for Racing Industry

The Iemma Government will provide an additional $7.5 million in direct assistance to the stricken NSW racing industry to help it recover from the effects of the devastating Equine Influenza outbreak, Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald and Gaming and Racing Minister Graham West said today.

Minister Macdonald said the Relief and Recovery Package would come on top of the estimated $8.3 million the Iemma Government would spend on containing and eradicating horse flu.

?The State Government is coming to the aid of the racing and equestrian industries as investigations into how the exotic disease slipped through Federal quarantine continued,? he said.

Minister West said the package demonstrates further support for the recovery of horse racing industry.

Key details of the Assistance Package are:

? $3.5 million in New Industry Assistance to ensure the ongoing viability of the Thoroughbred and Harness Racing industries. The fund will be allocated following submissions from Racing NSW ($2.5 million) and Harness Racing NSW ($1million)
? $1.2 million in grants of up to $2000 per household for eligible workers in the racing industry such as stable hands, strappers and others.
? $2 million in unclaimed Keno prize money to be used to establish a Capital Grants Program to help regional and rural race clubs across all three codes.
? $500,000 to the Greyhound Racing Industry in recognition of its carrying the bulk of racing during the crisis.
? $300,000 to the NSW Equestrian industry to help stage a series of major events.

Minister Macdonald said the new package was on top of the $525,000 Horse Industry Promotion and the special mortgage assistance program ($12,000 per loan) already announced by the Government.

?This assistance package will help alleviate some of the damage caused by the horse flu outbreak while also investing in the long term future of racing in NSW,? Minister Macdonald said.

?The Iemma Government has worked hard with the industry to put together a package which helps those most affected by the horse flu outbreak through no fault of their own.?
Minister West said the package will provide for industry assistance and maintaining employment in areas not currently covered by the Federal Government package.

?This package will ensure ongoing employment by helping all those who depend on the industry for their livelihoods ? for example stable hands and strappers.?

Mr West said the $1.2 million in grants would further assist families most affected by this crisis.

?This is a one-off payment for those that are doing it tough,? he said.

?The Government will provide a one-off payment per household of up to $2000 for people who are directly dependent on the racing industry ? for example a track work rider or strapper ? and who have insufficient income or cash reserves to get them through this crisis. It will be administered through the Department of Community Services.

?I have also approved the release of $2 million in unclaimed Keno prize money for capital works to help all three racing codes in regional and rural areas.

?The EI crisis has had a terrible impact on many of these clubs and grants of up to $100,000 will now be made available for new capital works projects ? improved amenities will hopefully see a bigger turn out for race meets in the bush.?

Minister Macdonald said that while horse owners from Moonbi and near Parkes were being allowed to return to homes in the red and purple zones of NSW today the crisis was far from over.

?I think it?s important to note that while we have worked to contain this disease the Government has also spent about a million a week on stopping the spread of EI,? said Minister Macdonald.

?We have more than 28,000 horses infected on more than 3,100 properties in NSW,? he said.

?Over the Long Weekend we saw the Government initiate the first round in its vaccination program, with another 130,000 shots to arrive in Australia in a week?s time.

?While the State Government works to contain this disease, the Federal Government should be focusing on just how it let the disease get into NSW for the first time.

?I also note the Federal Government Assistance Package will run out on November 16 ? I would urge the Howard Government to extend its assistance as a matter of urgency.?

Media Contacts: Minister Macdonald - Jason Bartlett 0438 209 281 / Brett Fifield 0427 029 511; Minister West - Michelle Schofield 0434 565 094

[DIEHARD]

Qld horse flu rally

The Queensland horse breeder whose mare died from equine influenza is organising a public rally west of Brisbane against the Queensland's Government's handling of the crisis.

Penny Toft, a breeder and exporter of Arab performance horses, had to have her pregnant mare euthanased last night due to complications resulting from EI.

The mare valued between $50 000 and $75 000 was just a week away from delivering her foal, which also died.

Ms Toft is critical of the Department of Primary Industries handling of the outbreak, saying it hadn't warned horse owners how severe the virus could be and hadn't done enough to help.

New South Wales has also had one death attributed to equine influenza, with an elderly racehorse put down last month, near Tamworth in the state's north-west.

This comes as horse owners are given the all clear to leave a south-east Queensland equestrian centre that has been in lock down for more than a month.

The horses will be moved under strict conditions and the entire operation is expected to take several days while vehicles, equipment and people are decontaminated.

SKYNEWS

[stormside]

Total lockdown and movement of horses....humans having to take extreme measures after contact with horses.....How could she not have known it was dangerous to horse health.

[DIEHARD]

Overseas horses competing in this year Melbourne Cup have begun to be flown into Australia.

I hope the Spring Racing carnival gets off without a hitch!

[DIEHARD]

Racing NSW to call for national vaccination

THE board of Racing NSW will call for an ongoing national policy on vaccination against horse flu, which has ravaged racing in the state this spring.

Today's board meeting also determined that next year's Golden Slipper showpiece event would be held on April 19, five weeks after its original date, with the Doncaster Handicap and AJC Australian Derby moved to April 26.

Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys said it was imperative the industry put a vaccination policy in place to ensure such a crisis did not happen again.

"The board will approach other jurisdictions on an ongoing vaccination program,'' V'Landys said.

"We should take no risks of this happening again and will make the necessary communications to the Australian Racing Board to establish a policy on vaccination.''

NSW and Queensland have been hit hard by equine influenza (EI), which was first detected in Australia in late August.

The Sydney spring carnival was abandoned after EI spread to Randwick Racecourse where more than 700 horses are trained.

The virus has since closed Warwick Farm and Rosehill and the major provincial centre of Newcastle to the north.

Those horses not affected were vaccinated two weeks ago with booster shots currently being rolled out.

But while the spread of the disease appears to have slowed, it is still reaching other parts of the state with horse owners in parts of south-western NSW on alert after more positive tests in the Riverina region.

Two horses at Gidginbung, near Temora, today were confirmed to have the virus.

The results follow confirmation last week that EI had spread to Barmedman, around 20km from Gidginbung, in what was previously an EI-free green zone.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) responded to the positive tests by changing the Cootamundra and Junee local government areas from green to amber zones.

"NSW DPI tracing and surveillance teams are now working to identify how the disease found its way to the property,'' NSW deputy chief veterinary officer Steve Dunn said.

"The next closest infection point was at Barmedman, where a buffer zone has been established, and all horses in the zone have been vaccinated.''

While the continuing spread of the disease is a concern, the Racing NSW board is looking forward to a possible resumption of metropolitan racing in December.

"We are developing a strategy for a return to racing and that should be out in the next week or so,'' V'Landys said.

New Zealand is now the only country in the world with a large commercial horse population not to have experienced EI.

All other countries inoculate commercial horses against the disease.

An inquiry into how the virus infiltrated Australia will resume in Sydney next month, with estimates of losses already in the tens of millions of dollars.

The first case was detected in a stallion awaiting release from Sydney's Eastern Creek quarantine centre after it had travelled from the northern hemisphere.

http://www.news.com.au

[travop]

how would you feel if you where the person that didnt wash after coming out of that quarentine center. you would feel like a bloody idiot

[DIEHARD]

how would you feel if you where the person that didnt wash after coming out of that quarentine center. you would feel like a bloody idiot

People just don't care, I've seen dozens of people flaunt DPI regulations...

[hugebrianfan]

its a shame about the horse flu..a lot of roads are getting treated for it

[DIEHARD]

EQUINE VIRUS FORCES GREYHOUND PRIZEMONEY CUTS

THE Queensland Government will make an ex gratia payment of $250,000 to the state?s greyhound racing industry to assist with the losses it has incurred as a result of the Equine Influenza Virus.

?We sincerely thank the Treasurer, Andrew Fraser, the Minister responsible for Racing, for considering our urgent request for financial assistance and the understanding he and his staff have displayed,? Board Chair Phil Bennett said today.

?The $250,000 will go some way to cover the losses of around $400,000 that the GRA and the race clubs have incurred since the EI outbreak commenced on 25 August 2007? Bennett said.

The losses have occurred as a result of the downturn in turnover on UNiTAB and the requirement of the greyhound industry to continue to pay prizemoney and racing costs. Since the EI crisis began there has been a sharp increase in the turnover on greyhound racing such that in the month of September greyhound racing provided more than $1million additional income to the Queensland racing industry than it received back in distributions.

This situation is expected to continue until the end of November, at least.
The industry has also staged additional race meetings to bolster the declining turnover on the nations TAB?s.

GRA revenue comes from a fixed return from all race product turnover, not just greyhound racing, and so any fall in turnover due to the EI crisis directly impacts on the income of the Queensland Greyhound industry.

The GRA suffers the additional impact of being required to pay prizemoney which the other codes do not do while horse racing is suspended.

The assistance only partially covers the losses incurred to this time and it is anticipated there will be further losses incurred until the EI virus is eradicated and thoroughbred and harness racing are back to normal.

The downturn in income is expected to continue into the 2008 calendar year.
The GRA sought the assistance of Queensland Race Product Co Limited (Product Co) at its meeting on October 15 so the industry can continue to produce race product and feed funds into the racing industry.

The other two racing codes have either considerably reduced their prizemoney costs or are not incurring such costs, which are the single biggest cost items for racing control bodies.

They would be in a position to support the greyhound industry but have declined to do so.

The GRA will implement the following reductions in prizemoney and other benefits to participants across the State to protect our financial position.
These reductions are effective October 22:

? The abolition of unplaced prizemoney (5th?8th) at TAB meetings.
? Halving prizemoney for Young Guns Series finals at all tracks.
? Ceasing payment of QDog Incentives and bonuses. (QDog finals scheduled for the following week, bonuses will be paid if applicable)
? Downsizing of 2007 Greyhound of the Year function.
? In addition, there will be a decrease in allocation of $210,000 to the Brisbane Club for the 2007/08 financial year.

These matters have been discussed with representatives of the four SEQ clubs and the QGBOTA.

The GRA has repositioned some race meetings to maximise turnover and will continue to examine the above measures and other ways to mitigate the losses.

There will be no additional TAB meetings scheduled.

The GRA hoped it would not have to make these reductions to participants but feels it cannot continue to absorb losses as it is uncertain how long the EI crisis will continue and where it will strike.

These reductions will remain in place at this stage until 30 June 2008.

GRAQ

[DIEHARD]

BRISBANE GREYHOUND CLUB IRATE
.
THE Brisbane Greyhound Club today harshly criticised the dramatic cuts to its funding due to the downturn in UNITAB Distribution as a result of the Equine Influenza crisis.
The Club is hardest hit by the cuts announced by the GRA today.

General Manager, Luke Gatehouse said: ?We believe the actions taken by the GRA today have spared the massive cuts to prizemoney that the NSW greyhound industry has suffered, by spreading the reductions over the remainder of the financial year.

?The Club, Queensland?s principal greyhound racing club, is most affected by the reductions in distribution.

?While the changes announced by the GRA will impact on all greyhound racing clubs in Queensland, the Brisbane Club will carry an additional $210,000 in allocation reduction from the GRA.?

The Club criticised Queensland Race Product Co Limited, the organisation responsible for distributing funds to the three racing codes.

The greyhound industry has operated at full capacity during the Equine Influenza crisis, and has been paying prizemoney to participants throughout the crisis, while the two horse codes have been operating at minimal or no output, and hence their prize money commitments have been lessened.

?Queensland Race Product Co Limited could have easily mitigated the effect on the greyhound industry?s distribution, by quarantining the greyhound industry?s anticipated allocation and then distributing the remainder to the horse racing and harness racing industries,? Gatehouse said.

?It?s not as though the 9.5% distribution share that the greyhound industry receives is going to break the bank of Product Co., when you consider that horse racing receives 76% and harness racing 14.5% of the distribution.

?A decision to quarantine the greyhound industry?s funding would not only be just and equitable, it would show that Product Co is equally committed to all three codes of racing in Queensland,? Gatehouse said.

In outlining how the $210,000 budget reduction will impact on the Brisbane Club and greyhound racing participants at Queensland?s premier track, Gatehouse ruled out immediate reductions in prizemoney.

?We will not take the lowest common denominator of cost saving by immediately reducing prizemoney,? he said.

?That would be a huge slap in the face to industry participants who continue to put on the racing product for the benefit of UNITAB turnover, and who continue to face the rising costs of owning, training and breeding greyhounds.

?We are an asset-rich Club and will look to how we can utilise our asset base to ride out the storm during the Equine Influenza crisis. Our Business Plan is focussed on growing our business, and a cost reduction strategy does not fit within the Plan.

?The Club realigned our business during 2006/07 through reduction of unnecessary costs and focussing our resources on our core business of racing, and growing greyhound racing in Brisbane as an entertainment product.

?To devalue our product through prizemoney reductions for our City race meetings is not consistent with our Business Plan.

?Our business is growing at present through increased sponsorship and function income and significant increases in our on-course tote turnover. The actions we take as a result of the reduction in our allocation will not impact on growing these income sources either.?

The Club welcomes the Queensland Governments contribution of $250,000 to the greyhound racing industry, but will continue to lobby government for an increase in this contribution.

GRAQ

[DIEHARD]

Workers sue over horse flu outbreak

THOUSANDS of horse industry workers will be included in a planned class action suing the Federal Government for hundreds of millions of dollars in losses because of the horse flu outbreak.

Lawyers representing several horse associations said they were building a case against the Federal Government's Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service based on alleged negligence for failing to prevent the outbreak.

A law firm planning a class action, Clinch Neville Long Letherbarrow, is collecting details of financial losses from a range of people in the horse industry.

"They include vets, saddlers, riding schools, instructors, farriers, equestrian associations, suppliers and breeders," said a partner in the firm, Matthew Hourn.

"Tens of thousands of people lost their income.

"About 90 per cent of the several thousand people joining the plan for a class action are from outside the racing industry."

Mr Hourn said a class action against the Federal Government could begin in April, when retired High Court judge Ian Callinan is due to hand down his report into how equine influenza allegedly broke out from the Eastern Creek quarantine station.

But Mr Hourn warned if there were delays to the Callinan inquiry they might not wait for it to end before launching court action.

"The damages are astronomical," Mr Hourn said. "It's likely to add up to hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation."

Saddler Steve Fuller said his income had dropped 90 to 95 per cent since horse flu broke out. "I'll join a class action as it seems the only way to get some of the money back," he said.

Equestrian Federation chief executive Franz Venhaus hoped the Government would provide more assistance to the dressage and eventing sector before a class action became necessary.

"The Government has only looked after the racing industry because they have influence and the gambling revenue," he said.

The number of infected horses stands at 46,000, a jump of 10,000 in just one week.

fwalker@sunherald.com.au

http://www.smh.com.au/