International Horse Movement Issues

1. International Horse Movement Issues Brian Stewart Chairman of the IFHA International Movement of HorsesCommittee (IMHC)

2. What are we trying to Achieve? • Primarily, the facilitation of the temporary international movement of equine athletes for group and graded races • Promotion of international racing is a key strategic objective • International movement of horses for sporting competition must: • Be safe, both for the individual horse and the national horse populations • Cause minimum disruption to training

3. What are the Constraints we Face? • International horse movement is under the control of national veterinary authorities, not racing authorities. • Countries have a responsibility to protect the health status of the national horse population • Government veterinarians tend to be very risk aversive. • Horses are a small (but highly valuable) component of international animal trade • Specialist equine infectious disease expertise is very limited, especially in developing racing regions • Logistic problems, especially the limited number of suitable cargo routes

4. What can we do? • All protocols for horse movement and the management of International Racing are based on Risk Assessment and Risk Management • It is critical that we build expertise, regulations and transparency within the industry that minimize the risk of infectious disease within racehorse populations and build trust between the industry and government authorities • The power of trust and transparency....but trust and verify!

5. Examples of what the IMHC does • Develop personal relationships between key players.....OIE, government veterinary authorities and the industry • Provide models of best practice..model health certificates, guidelines for the operation of isolation stables, racing biosecurity guidelines • Education and dissemination of information

6. Helping Ourselves: the Importance of funding Research and Education • As an example, the Racing Victoria sponsored AHT Equine Influenza Study on the effectiveness of disease testing and vaccination in minimizing quarantine periods and maintaining safety of movement • The racing industry cannot rely on other institutions to provide all the answers to the equine disease management problems......it must be proactive in identifying and supporting projects. • A role for the IMHC in identifying, prioritising projects and then linking industry and with researchers?

7. Winning Trust: Isolation / Training Facilities • Some form of Quarantine / Isolation is essential and inevitable • Racehorses imported temporarily for competition require convenient access to quality training facilities.......expensive and often constrained by available land area • A very high standard of management expertise is required to ensure the confidence of government authorities • International guidelines for facility design and operations are necessary ....... the design and operation of the Victoria Werribee International Horse Centre provides an excellent model • Development of guidelines and SOP........a role for the IMHC?

8. Developing Veterinary and Isolation Management Capacity • Expertise in equine infectious disease is limited • Experience and expertise in the international movement of elite equine athletes for competition is limited • Quarantine / Isolation facility management expertise is limited • Capacity development (training and continuing education) is critical, especially in developing racing nations • Training, continuing education and networking is a role for the IMHC

9. The Risks to the Individual Horse • Shipping horses for prolonged periods entails an inevitable risk for the health of the horse • Although significant improvements have been made there is still an ongoing need for research and development to reduce these risks further

10. Harmonization of Medication Policies • Confusion among horsemen caused by inconsistent therapeutic substance control policies has caused numerous adverse medication incidents in International Racing • International harmonization of therapeutic medication control policy is major objective for the IFHA

11. The FEI High Performance / High Health Status Concept “It is clear that there is a need to define criteria for healthy high performance horses as a sub-population which reflects the low level of disease risk involved in movement of such horses” Bernard Vallat Director General of the OIE

12. A Great Idea but........... • High performance alone cannot be an adequate criteria for high health status, especially for EI • High Performance / High Health status premises may be achievable • For example, complexes such as the HKJC and the STC • Stables that commit to high biosecurity standards are registered by an authority and which are audited regularly may be able attain special status • If the concept is to work, racing authorities must deliver a biosecurity framework that ensures superior biosecurity practices at registered premises

13. Developing a Biosecurity Framework for High Performance / High Health Status Racehorse Premises • To be discussed at the upcoming IMHC Meeting in December 2013 • A major project and the main task to be tackled over the next twelve months

14. IMHC Priorities • High Performance / High Health Status Concept • Education and Network Building within the Industry • Building Relationships with the OIE and Government Authorities • International Race Isolation Facility Management • Equine Infectious Disease Expertise Development • Facilitating / Lobbying for Targeted Research, Vaccine Updating / Diagnostic Testing

15. Thank You