by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 10, 2021
As the Covid state of emergency for the Tokyo area is extended until March 21, Japanese newspapers are reporting that overseas visitors will not be permitted to attend the Olympics there this summer.
Japan plans to limit the number of people allowed into the country at about 2,000 a day, with exceptions allowed once the state of emergency is lifted in Tokyo. The figure includes Japanese nationals returning to the country. In the meantime, exceptions for foreign athletes to train in Japan have been suspended.
The official decision on foreign spectators is expected by the end of March. But already an edict is in place that there can be no chanting or singing in the Olympic stadiums due to the fear of spreading Covid. A majority of Japanese citizens are against having foreign nationals come in as spectators for the Olympics.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 9, 2021
In the wake of Spruce Meadows cancelling its summer shows, Tom Struzzieri, president and CEO of HITS, said an upgrade to FEI 4-star for HITS on the Hudson’s July and August shows is designed to “fill the void for grand prix riders in the U.S. and Canada, who depend on the upper-level FEI events in the summer for FEI ranking points and top prize money both.
“I’ve had the opportunity to talk to lots of grand prix riders showing with us in Ocala, and some in Wellington, and the response to the upgrade has been super. We look forward to a great season of competition.”
There will be $2 million in prize money offered this spring and summer at the shows in Saugerties, N.Y. Each show is also FEI, while the final competition of the season is a 5-star as always, but there are big changes at the facility, including in the footing.
“Stay tuned as we release more information on one of the biggest makeovers to date,” stated the advice from HITS.
The September five-star will offer the $500,000 AIG Grand Prix, as well as Diamond Mills $250,000 Hunter Prix Final, the Platinum Performance $100,000 Hunter Prix Final, the $15,000 Green Hunter Prix and the $25,000 Jr/A-O/Am Jumper Prix.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 6, 2021
You know their names.
Five top professional female equestrian show jumpers will talk on Zoom about equality in the sport to commemorate International Women’s Day. The session begins at 6 p.m. Monday March 8
The program features Hannah Selleck, award-winning show jumper and founder of Descanso Farms; Georgina Bloomberg, Pan American Games medalist and founder of The Rider’s Closet; Laura Kraut, 2008 Olympic team gold medal winner who also rode on the gold medal team at the 2018 World Equestrian Games; Mavis Spencer, ambassador for U.S. Equestrian and Karen Polle, award-winning show jumper who is a member of the Japanese National Show Jumping Team. The panel moderator will be Sarah Appel, editor of Horse & Style.Register here
The panel will raise money and awareness for the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF), which exists to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sport and life. Donate directly by texting WSFHORSE to 91999.
Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, WSF strengthens and expands participation and leadership opportunities through research, advocacy, community programming and a wide variety of collaborative partnerships. The foundation has positively shaped the lives of millions of youth, high school and collegiate student-athletes, elite athletes and coaches. The Women’s Sports Foundation is working towards a future where every girl and woman can #KeepPlaying and unlock the lifelong benefits of sport participation. All girls. All women. All sports.® To learn more about Women’s Sports Foundation, visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 4, 2021
Kenneth Wheeler Sr., a famed trainer who was also a top hunter rider, has died at age 93.
The Virginian knew how to spot equine talent and was involved with many of the most famous hunters and young horses over the decades, including the legendary Isgilde, Spindletop Showdown, the eye-catching Stocking Stuffer and Super Flash, among dozens of others that came out of his Cismont Manor Farm in Keswick.
After he stopped riding in shows, he became a legend showing horses in hand. Kenny was a perennial winner in the Best Young Horse category at the Devon Horse Show, where the Gold Ring was renamed in honor of him and his late wife, Sallie Busch Wheeler.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 1, 2021
Now the Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1 non-neuropathogenic strain) of the disease that shut down showing in most of Europe has emerged in New York state.
Two EHM (myeloencephalopathy) and 2 EHV-1 cases are quarantined and isolated at a stable in Brewster, N.Y., after one of the EHM horses competed in equitation on March 5 at Old Salem Farm in nearby North Salem. It started showing symptoms on March 7.The stable has already implemented strict biosecurity measures, temperature monitoring and has been very cooperative during this investigation and situation. The origin of the disease is unknown and still under investigation. Old Salem Farm has no known cases of EHV-1 or EHM at this time. Show management is cleaning and disinfecting the facility and following appropriate EHV-1 biosecurity protocols.
Earlier this month, EHV-1 struck in California. A 12-year-old warmblood gelding in Los Angeles County displaying neurological signs was confirmed positive on Tuesday.
Following an assessment of the facility where the gelding lives, 45 potentially exposed horses have been quarantined with enhanced biosecurity measures and twice-daily temperature monitoring. The owners of all exposed horses have been notified and no additional cases have been identified..
There also are seven horses under special quarantine at a boarding facility for show horses in Chester, Pa. The quarantine was triggered by detection of EHV-1 in multiple febrile horses on the premises. Investigation is ongoing, but due to a possible connection to an EHM case NOT located at this premises, the Department is issuing an official quarantine and is working with the very proactive barn management and private practitioners to monitor the health of the horses on the premises.
Earlier in the Keystone State, a horse showing neurological signs of Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHV-1) was euthanized at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center.. The limited number of potentially exposed horses have been identified and are being contacted by New Bolton Center and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.This case has no known association with international travel, transport, or shows.
The disease also has spread to the racing industry. Three barns at Maryland’s Laurel Park have been quarantined because of the Equine Herpes virus. All horses in residence must stay on the grounds until further guidance is offered. One horse tested positive at Laurel. Also in Maryland, there was an unrelated infection of a horse in Cecil County, That animal was euthanized.
On March 1, international equestrian competitions in 10 European countries were cancelled by the FEI until March 28 due to the rapid evolution of a very aggressive strain of the neurological form of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1), which originated in Valencia, Spain and already has led to related outbreaks in at least three other countries in Europe.
At the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, a horse who spiked a fever which led to a quarantine of Barn D turned out to be EHV-1 negative. Based on that, the State of Florida, WEC veterinarians and management lifted the quarantine on the 16 horses housed in Barn D and horse showing will continue as scheduled.
As of today, no horses have tested positive for EHV-1 on WEC property. Moving forward, horses that have traveled to another Florida competition venue and horses who have been exposed to horses that have been at other Florida competition venues in the last 10 days will not be allowed on WEC grounds.
All equines entering the property must present a health certificate or statement of health from a licensed veterinarian within 7 days to the horse show office.
Until further notice, ship-ins (those working from trailers) will be restricted from the property. A dressage show scheduled for this month at WEC already was cancelled, but next month’s dressage show–with several top Olympic contenders scheduled to compete–will be held.
Shows in Florida have issued restrictions and new measures to insure the safety of horses on their grounds after a horse in Ocala came up positive for EHV-1 earlier this month. The horse was not at a show venue when its symptoms appeared, and it was not shipped in from Europe.
It was doing well after being treated at the University of Florida large animal hospital, according to the Chestnut Hill Farm Facebook page. A second horse whose stall was adjacent to the index horse while at the farm has also been confirmed positive.. The second horse is not exhibiting neurologic symptoms, although it has been febrile and is being treated at the separate isolation facility.
The farm’s horses that were at WEC were evacuated as soon as the positive test was revealed. Owners are working with state veterinarians and and inspectors as well as the University of Florida to achieve a tight quarantine.
The message concludes by saying, “If anyone has any questions or concerns please contact Kyle or Kathy (Dewar).. We hope to lead by example and do the best thing possible for our horses and the horse community.”
The European cancellation decision applies to all FEI disciplines. It covers events in France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Poland, Netherlands, Germany and Slovakia.
“This was not an easy decision to block events in mainland Europe, particularly after the major disruption to the FEI Calendar caused by the Covid-19 pandemic”, FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said, “but this EHV-1 outbreak is probably the most serious we have had in Europe for many decades and our decision is based on clearly identified epidemiological risk factors.
“This strain of EHV-1 is particularly aggressive and has already caused equine fatalities and a very large number of severe clinical cases. We need to keep our horses safe. We are also aware that a large number of horses left the venue in Valencia without an official health certificate, meaning they had an unknown health status. Some horses were already sick, and the risk of transmission from these horses is a major concern.
“Cancelling these competitions in mainland Europe, with the exception of the ongoing jumping tours in the Iberian Peninsula and Italy, limits the number of horses traveling internationally and therefore reduces the likelihood of this very serious virus being transmitted on an increasingly wider scale. We also strongly recommend that the affected member federations should also cancel their national events.
“We are very conscious of the fact that this is a very stressful and distressing time, and that this is potentially hugely disruptive for those athletes aiming for their Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MERs) or confirmation results for Tokyo, but we are looking at ways to alleviate that in order to assist athlete/horse combinations in getting their MERs or confirmation results once the events in mainland Europe are allowed to resume.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 1, 2021
(updated)
The unpredictable nature of the Covid situation in England has led the Badminton Horse Trial’s organizers to cancel the 5-star event, even though it was to be held behind closed doors–that is, without spectators.
A statement explained, “Following consultation between Badminton, Public Health England and South Gloucestershire Council it has been deemed that due to the scale and location of the horse trials, it is not possible to secure the surrounding area in the proximity of the event site.
“The health and safety of all those involved in the event and the local community remains Badminton’s priority and the level of operational and public health risk posed by the horse trials was agreed by all concerned to be unacceptable.”
“The announcement of last October to run behind closed doors was with the optimism that it would be possible, so the decision that we are not in a position to continue to plan to run the event at the beginning of May has not been taken without significant thought and consideration,” said Badminton Director Jane Tuckwell.
“I am sorry that the 2021 event has become unworkable despite our best efforts, but I am so grateful to all those that have offered support and encouragement over the past few months.”
The Badminton development makes the Land Rover Kentucky 5-star in April even more important. Kentucky was cancelled until a grassroots fundraising effort led organizers to reverse their February decision and determine they could go ahead with the event, though likely without the spectators whose ticket purchases have funded a great deal of the cost. Last year, only one 5-star event was held, when Pau in France ran during the fall. The U.S. is scheduled to host a new 5-star in October at Fair Hill, Md.
Meanwhile, the Spruce Meadows summer series in Calgary, Canada, has been cancelled, as organizers explained the decision was made because of “the Covid-19 pandemic and its related impacts and restrictions.”
Spruce Meadows is committed to planning and organizing a series of CSI and CSIO tournaments, beginning in September. The revised calendar dates for competitions are currently scheduled to be September 2-5, September 7-12 and September 14-19.
Further detailed information will become available as the Organizing Committee continues to work with sport, health and government authorities in developing its plans.
