Flu outbreak cancels show horse events - Dec 12 2007

Theaustralian.news.com.au

THE equine influenza (EI) outbreak has claimed another victim, with the cancellation of horse competition from next year's Royal Easter show in Sydney.

Organisers today said they were left with little choice when faced with uncertainty over when the statewide restrictions on horse transport would be lifted.

The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) president Rob Vickery said the 2008 Sydney Royal Horse Show had been cancelled.

"While it was our greatest desire to accept entries for the Sydney Royal, the reality is that come March the disease may not be at the stage where horses can be easily moved between zones, without extraordinary quarantine and biosecurity arrangements and some inherent risks," Mr Vickery said.

The Sydney Royal Show will not be totally devoid of horses however, with horse activities to include carriage displays, saddler and farrier demonstrations, along with horse and pony displays.

Quarantine zones remain in place across NSW, with testing for EI continuing on properties that have had direct contact with infected horses.