THERE are currently no new reported outbreaks of the neurological Equine Herpes Virus-1 linked to show jumping tours in Spain, the FEI confirmed on Thursday. The figures remain static at 31 outbreaks in a total of 10 countries.

In Ireland, increased testing for the virus has thrown up some positive cases of the indigenous EHV but none are related to the deadly neurological form of EHV-1 detected in Spain.

Horse Sport Ireland confirmed that the rollout of the EHV vaccines would begin in yards with FEI horses from this week. As previously reported, some 10,000 vaccines for EHV were imported from America thanks to Coolmore Stud and Fethard Equine Hospital with the support of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, who moved rapidly to provide the AR 16 license required to import veterinary medicines in exceptional circumstances.

The sport horse industry got 4,000 of those vaccines and it is hoped a second bigger shipment will come to fruition. Acting CEO of HSI Joe Reynolds, said: “We sent out a Survey Monkey to all our FEI registered athletes, to get a handle on their competition horses and their other horses and, so far as we can, we would try to vaccinate all of those horses.

“Depending on what is left, we will make it more widely available to others and are also looking at a second shipment to keep it going. The next highest risk category is the young horse classes going to two-day shows where they would be stabled. Not everyone will be happy, I know everyone wants it but we don’t have that luxury.”

FEI return to competition protocols

The FEI has begun hosting stakeholder consultation sessions to review comprehensive draft ‘Return to Competition’ protocols, aimed at minimising the risks associated with the restart of FEI competitions in mainland Europe on April 12th next.

FEI President Ingmar De Vos reiterated that there will be a full and thorough investigation into the outbreak and the findings will be published. “Our goal is to learn from this and not to point fingers,” he said.

He thanked participants for the incredible team and individual efforts to contain the outbreak and stressed the continued need to work together. “The measures we put in place and especially how effective they are, will depend on our ability as a community to collaborate, to agree to the same set of principles and to fully endorse and implement them in each of our respective areas of responsibility. This outbreak in Europe has been devastating. But everyone in this virtual room has shown great solidarity so far, and I am confident today will be another milestone in our collective effort to overcome this, to learn from it and to make us stronger for the future.”