• British Horseracing Authority’s precautionary measures remain in place
• International movement of horses now affected
British Horseracing has issued an update on its position regarding the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak as at 6pm on 7th August 2007.
The precautionary measures introduced from 4th August remain in place. Under Rule 1A (xviii), the British Horseracing Authority will not, until further notice, accept any declarations to run in a race for any horse which is trained from premises (based on the yard) lying within a Defra designated Surveillance Zone.
Trainers have been notified to this effect, and will be responsible for establishing whether or not their premises fall within a Surveillance Zone and if they do, trainers must not make declarations to run until notified to the contrary. Trainers must also immediately notify the British Horseracing Authority Licensing Department if they believe they fall within a Surveillance Zone.
The Tripartite Agreement governing horse movement between Britain, France and Ireland has also today been suspended, meaning that there is no longer free movement of horses between those three countries. Additional health papers from Defra will be required for horses travelling abroad from Britain that demonstrate they conform to interim protection measures with regard to Foot and Mouth Disease.
Similarly, horses travelling into Britain for a period of less than 15 days from France or Ireland without a TRACES certificate must obtain in advance a private veterinary declaration stating that they have not been in contact with horses suffering from infectious or contagious disease in the 15 days prior to the declaration. This will then allow an Official Veterinarian to sign a certificate when the horse is moved from Britain back to France or Ireland, or another EU Member State within 15 days of arrival within Britain.
British Horseracing’s position is being reviewed continuously in liaison with DEFRA.
For further information please call Paul Struthers, PR Manager, on 07966 590105 or Will Lambe, Communications Manager, on 07816 914409.
Trainers with specific queries on the overseas movement of horses are advised to contact the National Trainers Federation on 01488 71719.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
A map of the latest Protection and Surveillance Zones can be found at www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/
