A POPULAR agricultural show will feature horses and pony classes despite an increasing number of confirmed cases of equine influenza in the northern region.
Organisers of Bowes Agricultural Society Show, announced this week entrants to the 101 horse and pony classes will be required to undergo mandatory flu vaccinations to compete.
Although schedules, distributed two weeks ago, make no mention of the requirement, the show committee clarified the situation on their social media page.
They state: “With cases of equine flu increasing, the show committee has a responsibility to protect the health and welfare of all exhibits, therefore, the committee requires all horses, ponies and donkeys competing at Bowes Show 2019 to be fully vaccinated.
“Any horse, pony or donkey not reaching the full vaccination requirements will be refused entry onto the show field. Passports will be inspected. No refund will be given.”
Last week, the Mercury reported how the Dales Pony Show scheduled for last Saturday had been cancelled due to the spread of equine flu.
Bowes Show features a range of ridden and in-hand classes for horses and ponies as well as categories for donkeys and driving classes.
The show plays host to first and second round qualifiers for London International Horse of the Year Show in December.
Horse and pony secretary for Bowes Show, Jennie Lamb, said: “Unfortunately, the schedule gets put together and printed a month ahead of time.
“We have put a system in place to check passports once entries are in.
“We will be including with the show passes which get sent out, information regarding the requirement for vaccinations and if competitors wish to withdraw at that point they will receive a refund for entries.
“Unfortunately, we may lose some competitors who didn’t start their vaccination programmes earlier enough. Anyone turning up on the day and is not covered won’t receive a refund, and will be turned away.”
The closing date for entries to Bowes Show is September 4.
Committee member and vet, Richard Spooner, advised entrants to follow manufacturer guidelines on vaccinations.
Equine influenza is a highly infectious disease of horses caused by strains of Influenza A virus.
It is the most potentially damaging of the respiratory viruses that occur in UK horses.
Symptoms include high fever, coughing and nasal discharge.
The total number of confirmed outbreaks of equine influenza has now reached 213 compared to just two in 2018.
Dr Richard Newton, director of epidemiology and disease surveillance at the Animal Health Trust, said if horse owners continue to adhere to veterinary advice and horse shows and competitions insist on a vaccination policy for competitors with passports being checked and rules enforced then there could be a downturn in the number of confirmed outbreaks this month.
