A quarantine to isolate sick horses from WEG

Kentucky.com - Full Article

Thursday, Sep. 16, 2010

Before touching a blade of bluegrass, animals must spend 2 days in isolation
By Janet Patton - jpatton1@herald-leader.com

When the horses from Europe and the Middle East begin arriving Thursday at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, they probably won't feel like they are in Kentucky for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

They might feel as if they are in limbo.

Technically, they are. They will be in quarantine, isolated from U.S. air, water, soil and other animals until the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture have determined they are free of a set of rare diseases with deceptively benign-sounding names (like glanders or dourine) that are generally incurable and often fatal.

Read more here:
http://www.kentucky.com/2010/09/16/1436997/a-quarantine-to-isolate-sick-horses.html#ixzz0zhg9zoQ2

WNV: Second Kentucky Horse Confirmed, Euthanized

Thehorse.com - Full Article

by: Megan Arszman, The Horse Photo/E-Newsletter Editor
September 10 2010, Article # 16934

A second horse in Kentucky was confirmed this week with having West Nile virus (WNV). The 6-year-old Morgan stallion, located in Shelby County just southeast of Louisville, was found down and unable to rise and was later euthanized.

Just as with the first Kentucky horse, this WNV-affected horse was not vaccinated for the mosquito-borne virus. In 2009 eight horses in Kentucky were confirmed with having WNV, with six confirmed as unvaccinated. So far there have been 27 WNV cases in the United States and 150 confirmed cases of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), according to the USDA's National Animal Health Surveillance System.

As the seasons begin to change, horse owners are encouraged to discuss vaccination boosters for their horses for WNV and EEE. You can read more about boosting your WNV and EEE vaccinations on TheHorse.com.

Great Britain: WEG Endurance Overview

Equestrianteamgbr.co.uk - Full Article

2010-09-13

Endurance riding has a history that dates back to when horses were first used to travel long distances as a means of transport. As a form of competitive sport though, endurance riding first emerged in the USA in the 1950s, and reached Europe in the 1960s. In 2010, it’s a real test of both horse and rider fitness with events covering distances of up to 160km, which means many hours in the saddle.

As a nation, Great Britain has taken an Endurance team to every World Equestrian Games (WEG) since the first in 1990, where they won Team Gold. Since then, results haven’t been quite as strong but this year’s team represents our best chance of bringing home a medal for many years. Beccy Broughton-Booker, Ros Clapp, Janice Cockley Adams, Christine Yeoman and David Yeoman make up a strong team with plenty of experience at Championship and International level.

Liz Finney, Endurance Chef d’Equipe discusses the team’s prospects and preparation in the lead up to the Games which start on 25 September in Kentucky, USA.

“We have a really strong team of five riders going to WEG who all have competed successfully in International rides on many occasions. After winning Gold in Stockholm, our results haven’t been quite as good but we’re hoping for a strong show in Kentucky which will help put British Endurance back at the top of the sport.

“The horses have all proved that they are capable of the speeds necessary nowadays to win team medals and we will be competing with a real chance of a top team position. The team has all worked really hard over a number of years as members of the British squad, to produce well trained and very fit horses...

Read more here:
http://www.equestrianteamgbr.co.uk/news-detail.php?id=546

New Zealand: Endurance Team Preparing in Kentucky

September 11 2010

The New Zealand Endurance Team's three Endurance horses arrived in Kentucky two weeks ago and have settled in well at a private stable 10 minutes from the Kentucky Horse Park.

The riders along with Team Manager Madonna Harris and trainer Ray Tylee and three grooms are settling into their training and build up to going into the Kentucky Horse Park on the 24th September, two days prior to their competition.

The rest of the Endurance groom Team members leave New Zealand on Tuesday.

First Group of Horses Arrive at the Kentucky Horse Park for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Lexington, KY - September 10, 2010 - With just 14 days until the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, the first group of eight horses arrived at the Kentucky Horse Park on Friday afternoon. This first group of equine athletes will compete at the Games in the World Championship of Endurance presented by Meydon, representing Chile and Guatemala.

The horses have been quarantined in Miami since their flight to the United States and have traveled via trailer to Kentucky. While the athletes are not arriving with these horses, this first group of equine athletes arriving to the park signifies that the Games are getting underway!

The first of the horses from Europe will be arriving at next week and will be in quarantine in Northern Kentucky.

Florac

Persik - 1969-2001

Friday September 10 2010

One of the most famously hard rides in Europe will take place tomorrow in southern France for the 30th time: the 160-km Florac. It is also the pre-ride for next year's European Championship. This region of The Cevennes is known as "Persik's Land" - named after the famous endurance Arabian stallion and sire Persik, who was the only horse to win Florac twice, in 1975 and 1976.

The course is one big loop over 6 stages, beginning at Ispagnac at 500 meters (1600 ft), travelling through the Cevennes National Park, climbing to Mont Aigoual, at 1567 meters (5141 ft) and eventually returning back to Ispagnac for the finish.

Despite the 350 Euro entry fee, approximately 87 foreign riders have been entered, hailing from Bahrain, Qatar, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Slovakia, Spain, Norway, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Hungary, Uruguay, Brazil, and Russia. 92 French riders are entered, for a total of 179 horses and riders.

The start is tomorrow morning at 4 AM.


Persik the day after winning Florac in 1976

- Merri Melde

Portugal: Heading for the WEG

September 10 2010

Portugal is sending 3 horse and rider teams to the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games to participate in the World Endurance Championship in Lexington, Kentucky, to be held September 26, 2010.

The riders are João Raposo with Titanic (the Portuguese champions 2010), Ana Margarida Costa with Gozlane du Somail, Paulo Branco with Ken du Moulin. The chef d´équipe is Vasco Lopes Avó, and the team veterinarian is Dr. Pedro Jorge.

The Portuguese team won the bronze medal in the last World Equestrian Games that were held in Aachen in 2006.