Equine Influenza
WA has been spared the devastating consequences that have so badly affected some of the Eastern States due to equine influenza. On your behalf there have been and continues to be extensive consultations between the equine stakeholders and government authorities within WA.
There has been a quantum shift with regards to vaccination. The Federal Government providing 750,000 vials to help ensure that should the virus spread to other areas there will not be such serious consequences for the racing industry and performing horse activities. The Department of Agriculture has requested that we advise them on the number of horses the EFAWA requires to be vaccinated in WA. Our advice was that all our registered horses were to be vaccinated. We further sought confirmation that they were going to continue their efforts of confinement of affected horses. They advise that this was still their major strategy and that they were committed to an equine influenza free Australia.
We have yet to receive confirmation that they will be able to provide us with our requested demand for the vaccine.
We believe we have the support of the dual approach of confinement and provision of vaccination. The performance and pleasure horse activities were in danger of being marginalised with all efforts being centred on the racing industry. Through the efforts of Dr Warwick Vale who was our technical representative at the Department of Agriculture meetings, and as requested by myself, as well as the WA Horse Council, we have convinced the State that performance and pleasure horse industries are extremely important to the Government and a significant proportion of the population.
In addition, the Chairman of the EFA, Geoff Sinclair and the CEO, Franz Venhaus we have had strong representation at the Federal Government level including Federal Ministerial meetings. This is particularly important as a question of vaccination costs will be decided by the Federal Government.
Through email blasts, the EFA has guided virtually all of the performance and some of the pleasure horse industries and I would like to thank the staff for their efforts with regards to Equine Influenza.
There has been serious discussions with regards the effectiveness of confinement at an event should it be determined that an infected horse has been admitted onto the grounds of the event.
While this is an extremely unlikely situation for WA, we have considered the protocols to be adopted.
Our current position is that in the absence of Government regulatory requirements we would adopt the position of quarantining the event until the test results of the suspect horse is made available (6 – 8 hours) and then determine a process whereby the horses can be transported to their home base or other areas which the owners of the horse have managed to secure.
The lessons learnt particularly in Queensland indicates that a containment of all horses at the event site is extremely difficult, expensive and probably unrealistic, especially if the event site is in a metropolitan area.
The EFA and the EFAWA deal directly with the Federal and State Governments. We realise that many affiliated and non-affiliated equine sport associations and clubs depend on our technical assessment and documentation for running events. We shall be continuing our email blasts and updating both EFAWA member affiliates and others of any future information with regards the vaccination program or bio-security procedures to be used at events or during transportation of horses.
Please be advised that Dr. Warwick Vale, the EFAWA technical delegate, nominated by us to interface with the State Government, will be attending and speaking at a WA Horse Council EI information night to be held at the SEC on 8th November @ 7:30pm.
While we maintain a cordial and cooperative approach with the WAHC our procedures and protocols for various EI related matters will be determined by our technical delegate, the Board of the EFAWA, advice from our National Body the EFA and regulations or requests from the State and Federal Government.
Mike Caplehorn
Chairman EFAWA
6th November, 2007
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