WITH a panel assembled for the opening season of chairman Des Leadon, IEC; Turf Club Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Lynn Hillyer; Dr Hazel Sheridan, the Department of Agriculture’s Senior Superintending Veterinary Inspector; HRI’s Director of People and Industry Education Carol Nolan; CEO of Weatherbys Ireland, Ronan Murphy; and Ringfort Stud owner Derek Veitch, who is also as a veterinary surgeon, there were no excuses for the audience to leave the ITBA National Seminar in Clonmel on Friday week last without the answers they sought.
It was immediately clear that the greatest concern facing breeders are the impending visits from the Turf Club anti-doping team, the Department of Agriculture and the Work Relations Commission inspectors. Fortunately, Dr Hillyer, Dr Sheridan and Carol Nolan were able to set minds at ease with practical advice, and the reassurance that these visits are designed to help breeders and not attack them.
trust
Dr Hillyer has worked closely with the ITBA and the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association to ensure that pre-race testing and out-of-training testing causes maximum benefit to all concerned and the least amount of inconvenience. “Why is the Turf Club involved? Because breeders asked us to be,” she pointed out. “We are making sure our house is in order and making sure that other people can see that we are keeping our house in order, which is vitally important.”
“We’re a small country dependent on an export market built on trust,” Dr Sheridan agreed. “Our job is to persuade the countries we trade with that our systems are in place, to confirm compliance and detect non-compliance, and to give people confidence in our product.”
task force
The anti-doping strategy has been in discussion with all industry stakeholders for a year and Dr Hillyer explained that nothing has been rushed into. Of 20 points at issue, 14 have been agreed and four are still being discussed.
Anabolic steroids are two very emotive words, but it is acknowledged they can be used for therapeutic use and the contentious Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) remains under discussion between Dr Hillyer and the ITBA.
We do, however, all sing from the same hymn sheet when it comes to prohibited drugs. “These substances are on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) list of drugs prohibited at all times and they are drugs that have no place in breeding or racing,” Dr Hillyer made it clear. “They are the real nasties such as EPO and growth hormone.”
Only foals and yearlings will be tested and Dr Hillyer herself will probably be carrying out the testing on stud farms. “The amount of advance notice given to breeders for these inspections is a fine balance between the element of surprise and not inconveniencing breeders. If our analysts detect substances from WADA’s prohibited substances list, if there is evidence of illegality, it is our duty to pass on the information to the Department.”
medication
Dr Sheridan came under fire from the audience regarding legislation pertaining to medication and inspection of premises. “If it states on the data sheet that comes with a medication that it is a veterinary practitioner-only product (VPO) then that medication can only be administered by a veterinarian,” she emphasised. The onus is very much on the breeder or veterinary surgeon to read and be clear about the specific instructions for each individual product and no exceptions can be made for a VPO.
“It is a legal requirement, as is the proper and appropriate disposal of medication,” Dr Sheridan reminded breeders. “Our investigations team has the power to enter premises where authorised officers believe there are medicines, or animals that have been administered medication, on that premises.” They may not enter the house without a warrant.