What was to be the first show jumping Nations Cup held on the west coast of the U.S. has been cancelled due to the EHV-1 outbreak in California, even though the competition was not scheduled to be staged until more than two months from now.
The event, sponsored by Longines, was to be the only Cup scheduled for the USA as a q
As we find ourselves in the middle of this uncertain and fluid situation, there is no realistic way for international teams invited to the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ USA, to commit to the logistical preparations necessary to compete in early May. It is also only fair to ensure the athletes can plan their competition schedules, at the highest level of the sport, early and effectively. Therefore, we are announcing with great regret, the cancellation of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ in San Juan Capistrano.
The Blenheim team is currently working to restructure the schedules for the remaining two weeks of the Spring Classic series that, if allowed, will be held under the highest standards of biosecurity and horse health protocols.
Nations Cup final in Barcelona this fall. The Nations Cup held yesterday in Wellington, Fla., was presented at a Rolex-sponsored facility and is not a Barcelona qualifier. Ireland topped 11 teams in the competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Canada was second and the young U.S. team (the first ever with all riders age 25 or under) finished third; a tie for second with Canada was broken on the time the riders took to complete their rounds.
To reduce the spread of EHV-1, the California State Veterinarian last week recommended that all hunter/jumper events (the most affected group) be postponed for the next 28 days, all equine events (including clinics) be postponed for the next 14 days, and all non-essential horse movements be postponed for at least 14 days.
In an effort to mitigate the risk of further spread of EHV-1, all USEF-licensed competitions in California were suspended for the next 14 days. USEF does not have any hunter/jumper competitions taking place for the next 28 days; the Desert International Horse Park last month canceled the rest of its winter season in the wake of EHV-1.
Blenheim EquiSports, which was presenting Nations Cup, explained the reason for cancellation so far ahead of the competition date.
“As we find ourselves in the middle of this uncertain and fluid situation, there is no realistic way for international teams invited to the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ USA, to commit to the logistical preparations necessary to compete in early May. It is also only fair to ensure the athletes can plan their competition schedules, at the highest level of the sport, early and effectively. Therefore, we are announcing with great regret, the cancellation of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ in San Juan Capistrano.
The organization’s first Spring Classic show also was cancelled because it falls within the 28-day window. The Blenheim team is “working to restructure the schedules for the remaining two weeks of the Spring Classic series that, if allowed, will be held under the highest standards of biosecurity and horse health protocols.”
Bill Moroney, CEO of the U.S. Equestrian Federation, explained the decision this way: “The safety and welfare of our members and their horses is our top priority and most important responsibility, and while we are disappointed for the Blenheim EquiSports management team and all of the athletes, we are fully supportive of this decision while the mitigation and containment efforts for EHV-1 are still ongoing in California.”
Meanwhile, two more horses were put down in the midst of the EHV-1 wave. A 22-year-old Thoroughbred gelding in Orange County displaying neurological signs starting Feb. 28 was confirmed positive for Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) secondary to equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1 non-neuropathogenic strain) on March 3. Another horse on the premises, a 22-year-old warmblood gelding displaying neurological signs starting March 1 was confirmed positive for EHM secondary to EHV-1 on March 3.
Both geldings were euthanized due to severity of clinical signs. Additionally, six other horses on the same premises displaying fever only or mild clinical signs have positive tests for EHV-1. The 350 exposed horses on the home premises have been isolated and quarantined. California Department of Food and Agriculture will continue to closely monitor the situation.
Remember that last year European shows were cancelled for six weeks because of an outbreak of EHV-1 in 10 countries, with 18 horses dying in the epidemic, so it’s important to consider possible consequences and make sure you obey the rules.
As the return to competition protocols are implemented, more horses will be tested which will result in more positive test results for horses. EHV-1 lives dormant in many horses. The increase in positives is expected as asymptomatic horses are tested for EHV-1. The additional testing will allow the USEF community to mitigate the spread of the virus and safeguard horses.
Dr. Nicola Pusterla, professor of medicine and epidemiology, University of California Davis Veterinary Medicine explained, “We all recognize that horses with clinical EHV-1 disease (fever, nasal discharge and even neurological signs) are high risk when it comes to risk of transmission. What most people forget is that infection does not always translate into disease, meaning that adult horses can shed EHV-1 without displaying any abnormal clinical signs.” The expected increase in confirmed positive EHV-1 cases is not necessarily alarming if the horse is asymptomatic.
As a further measure to protect horses and facilitate tracking, USEF will be providing an EHV-1 Declaration Form to competitions for competitors to complete when they arrive on competition grounds.
USEF will also make available an EHV-1 Test Result Form to be submitted to EHV@usef.org along with evidence of negative test results. These documents will be required under the return to competition protocol in order to get a horse’s ineligibility status lifted. This return to competition protocol applies to any horse that has been on the DIHP or Rancho Murieta showgrounds, or any horse that has been exposed to a horse confirmed positive for EHV-1 off competition grounds in the past 14 days. This will allow the horse to be released from the EHV-1 Ineligibility List.
FEI Return to Competition Protocols
In order for a horse to return to FEI competition, the following requirements must be met:
• FEI horses MUST have a negative EHV-1 PCR test to return to competitio
• Two negative PCR tests within 14 days, one at Day 7 and one at Day 14
OR
• One negative PCR test within 21 days, at Day 21
USEF Return to (National) Competition Protocols
In order for a horse to return to USEF (National) competition, the following requirements must be met:
• Two negative PCR tests within 14 days, one at Day 7 and one at Day 14
OR
• One negative PCR test within 21 days, at Day 21
OR
• 28 days without a test, if the horse has been isolated for a minimum of 28 days