Important Equine
Health Issue (possibly impacting Gallup and Farmington)
Some of you may have been
hearing about outbreaks of VS in horses that will impact the
horses coming to New Mexico for the WJHFR or the NHSFR. I
have been receiving calls from concerned parents and
directors all day today. I have this evening talked to both
Dr. Oldham (vet on grounds in Gallup) and Dr. Fly (New
Mexico State vet). Here is what I was told:
There have been one or two confirmed cases of VS in Texas
and one in New Mexico. The affected horses have been
quarantined. The quarantine in New Mexico is over 400 miles
from Gallup on the eastern side of the state. At this time,
only horses coming to New Mexico and onto the grounds in
Gallup from New Mexico and Texas will be stopped and double
checked. No other horses from any other states, provinces or
Canada will be stopped. There have been no orders issued
from the State of New Mexico at this time.
The horses from these two states will need to be checked for
the disease upon arrival.
The issue really comes into play more so on whatever your
home state, province or country puts on you as requirements
to get back home after being in New Mexico. The vets in NM
have no control over that. However at this time they are not
aware of any restrictions from any other areas. If that
happens and you have certain requirements to get back home,
the vets in New Mexico are prepared to help you with any
paperwork, tests or otherwise that you may need to get back
home. Dr. Oldham is a federally licensed vet and can do
blood tests on the spot if that happens to be a requirement
you may need to get back home. He said in most cases the
only additional requirement most will have would be to have
another visual check and health paper filled out in Gallup
to return home. They will have plenty of vets to do this if
that happens.
In 1995 when the last major outbreak occurred, that was the
most restriction anyone had to deal with. Dr. Fly is
contacting the Federal vets in Canada tomorrow to discuss
this with them and see what they are thinking in terms of
restrictions getting back home, if any. He will call me
immediately if anything is different than what he told me
tonight.
This is how it will be handled in Gallup and probably in
Farmington as well. The only difference will be if there are
more outbreaks or other issues prior to the finals in
Farmington as that is a couple of weeks after Gallup. Things
may change. If they do, we will be contacted immediately and
will pass that information along to all of you.
What we will ask of all contestants from Texas and New
Mexico is that they keep their horses in the stalls assigned
to them all week long. DO NOT MOVE YOUR HORSE TO ANOTHER
STALL FOR ANY REASON. The horse check in personnel will be
monitoring this and we ask for your cooperation in this
matter.
Dr. Fly told me “we are not worried” but if anyone is
concerned, has additional questions or needs to talk to him
directly, he has provided his cell phone and said that
anyone can call him to discuss this matter in more detail.
His number is (505) 263-6159.
We will keep you posted as we get more information.
Thanks and please pass this along to any concerned
contestants traveling to New Mexico with horses.
See you all soon!
KENT
Kent L. Sturman, Executive Director
National High School Rodeo Association, Inc.
