From Biosecurity Queensland's Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Ron Glanville:

As part of the response to the equine influenza (EI) outbreak, Biosecurity Queensland in the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries has undertaken a major communication and education program to help horse owners and carers work with us to protect their horses and to protect Queensland from the potential impacts of EI.

The program to date has involved more than half a million dollars worth of newspaper advertising, dozens of media releases and media interviews, an e-newsletter with 28,000 subscribers, a website which is updated daily, countless community service announcements on ABC and commercial radio, roadside signage and public meetings.  We also have six Community Resource Centres established in areas affected by EI where local residents can talk to staff about issues related to EI.

But the feedback from many people at the meetings and in their contacts with our call centre have indicated they wanted more detail and many wanted information in hard copy - not electronically.

In response, the community engagement section of our biosecurity team prepared and distributed 235,000 packages of information to all households near infected premises across the Brisbane Valley from Gatton to Ipswich, Esk to Boonah, through Logan, Tamborine, Beaudesert, Warwick, Clifton, Millmerran, the Western suburbs of Brisbane as well as Belmont, Capalaba, Thornlands and Gumdale.

The package contained a cover letter and three fact sheets, including information about the virus, advice on what horse owners should do to protect their horses and a page devoted to explaining the assistance packages that are available to individuals and families facing hardship as a result of EI.

The cost for printing and collating the material, the envelopes and delivery amounted to less than $127,000.   This translates to a cost of 54cents per household. From start to finish, the project took less than a week - so it was extremely fast and effective. Further mailouts in other areas are being planned.

In response to the outbreak of Equine Influenza in parts of Australia, New Zealand Bloodstock would like to advise all prospective buyers to New Zealand for the forthcoming NZB Ready to Run Sale (20 & 21 November) of the restrictions currently in place.

Visitors to New Zealand

Persons travelling to New Zealand from overseas (particularly Australia) are requested to observe the following protocols:

1.     Ensure you declare to Customs & Agriculture Officials on arrival that you have travelled from a horse environment;

2.     Avoid bringing any used horse gear or equipment to NZ. Any gear or equipment brought to NZ must be scrubbed with soap, detergent or disinfectant prior to arrival in NZ AND declared at NZ Customs. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) requires that all jockeys intending on riding in NZ are not permitted to bring gear to NZ. All gear must be purchased or borrowed from within NZ.

3.     Avoid travelling to any horse area in Australia on the same day as any visit to any horse area (stables, salegrounds, racetrack) in New Zealand;

4.     Please shower, wash your hair, and wear new or freshly cleaned clothes (including hats, jackets, glasses, etc) and shoes not previously worn around a horse area.

Horses Purchased at the Sale

New Zealand is EI free and buyers to the Sales are therefore advised that they can purchase horses at the forthcoming Ready to Run Sale in New Zealand and export them to Australia.

However, please be aware of the following:

1.     Horses DO NOT have to be vaccinated to be exported to Australia. However, buyers may elect to have their purchases vaccinated either in New Zealand or in Australia upon arrival.

2.     In accordance with Australian regulations, buyers importing horses to Australia require a permit to move horses from the airport to their destination. New Zealand Bloodstock will make this application on the buyer's behalf upon receipt of instructions from the buyer.

3.     In the case of horses being imported from NZ to Western Australia, buyers must observe the inter-state quarantine requirements currently in place.

Please note that favourable GST regulations apply to horses purchased by non-NZ residents and those horses left in New Zealand for up to 24 months (unless on-sold prior) are zero-rated for GST purposes.

For any questions about the movement of people or horses between New Zealand and Australia please contact New Zealand Bloodstock Airfreight Manager Greg Northcott (+64 9 2980055 or greg.northcott@nzb.co.nz).

SITUATION UPDATE

There are currently 4602 Infected Properties (IPs), 450 Dangerous Contact Properties (DCPs) and 453 Suspect Properties (SPs).

Most new infections are occurring in the Purple Zone with some local spread occurring in the buffer zones at Wellington/Dubbo and Forbes.

The Australian Horse Industry Council has developed a survey to identify uninfected horses located in the Red and Purple Zones. They are collecting data on all industry groups to establish the location of these horses. This information will be used to develop a future vaccination strategy. If you have uninfected horses in these zones please complete the survey by 7pm Tuesday 16 October 2007.  This information will be used to identify uninfected pockets within the Red and Purple Zones. To complete the survey see: http://www.surveymaster.com/AHIC/Q1.asp

Community Meetings

New community meeting dates have been set for Tamworth, Gunnedah, Gulgong, Mudgee, Blayney, Bathurst, Oberon and Rylstone.

Please note the change of dates for Moree and Narrabri.

For information about community meetings and future meeting dates see:

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/horse/influenza/community-meetings

Vaccinations

The vaccination buffer framework is now almost complete.  New vaccination centres will be established at Scone and Tenterfield.

3,000 doses of vaccine are being made available to the Equestrian Federation of Australia for the vaccination of EFA registered horses in the Purple and Red Zones.

NSW DPI has employed local, experienced horse handlers and administrative staff at local vaccination centres to provide local knowledge to ensure the effective operation of the vaccination program.

Thank you to the private veterinarians who have made themselves available to assist with the vaccination/eradication program currently under way around the state.

Australian National Field Days, Orange

An EI display will be at the Orange National Field Days this week as part of the NSW DPI exhibit. A range of current information will be available and NSW DPI staff will be on-site to answer any questions.

IN THE NEWS

Confirmation of equine influenza infection (EI) in horses at Gidginbung near Temora has resulted in Cootamundra and Junee local government areas being moved from the green zone into the amber zone.

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/aboutus/news/recent-news/agriculture-news-releases/cootamundra-and-junee-amber

A community meeting at Moree to keep the public fully informed on progress being made to eradicate equine influenza (EI) has been changed to Wednesday October 17 at the Moree RSL on Tuesday, starting at 7.00pm.

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/aboutus/news/recent-news/agriculture-news-releases/change-of-date-moree

A community meeting at Narrabri to keep the public fully informed on progress being made to eradicate equine influenza (EI) has been changed to Tuesday, October 16 the Narrabri Bowling Club, starting at 7.00 pm.

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/aboutus/news/recent-news/agriculture-news-releases/change-of-date-narrabri

RESOURCES

The following resources are available on the NSW DPI website. Print out and distribute what you can. The further the message spreads the better.

• Vaccination   www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/equine-influenza/vaccination

• Movements   www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/equine-influenza/movements

KEY CONTACTS

NSW equine influenza hotline: 1800 675 888

Website: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/equine-influenza

Australia's most popular sale, the Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions Yearling Sale, will run as planned from March 24 next year over nine sessions.

Magic Millions Managing Director, David Chester said, "The sale dates of March 24 to April 3 were the best available for the Gold Coast event."

"We tried hard with the rest of the industry to come up with the right dates, always bearing in mind that Magic Millions sets a scene for the New Year with a sale built around its precocious quality entries."

"Easter seemed just the right time to get the selling season rolling," Chester added.

"We, like the rest of the industry, were troubled by the short preparation period between our sales at Easter and other sales in late April but strong vendor feedback kept telling us to go at Easter, given the extraordinary circumstances of the Equine Influenza outbreak and its effect on delaying the 2008 selling year."

Magic Millions will kick off on Easter Monday with its world famous $4.1 million Magic Millions race day, which should give a huge boost of enthusiasm to the sale.

Selling will begin Monday evening and followed by four sessions through till Thursday 27 March. Session Five will start on Sunday the 30th March through to Session Nine on the 3rd April.

"The year 2008 will be crucial to the whole thoroughbred industry as it seeks to recover from the damage of 2007. Magic Millions will bring all of its marketing and firepower to bear to ensure the best start possible," Chester added.

"Furthermore, our sales are renowned for their high clearance rate and the strong local and international buying bench, and in 2008 we will make super efforts to maintain these features."

Any vendors interested in nominating further yearlings because of the later time slot should contact the Bloodstock department at Magic Millions now.

All other dates for Magic Millions sales in 2008 will run as scheduled.

CARNIVAL PROGRAMME AT A GLANCE

• Monday 24th March (Easter Monday)
  Magic Millions raceday - featuring the $1.5 million Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions 2YO Classic and $1 million Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions 3YO Trophy
  Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions Yearling Sale - Session 1 (night session)
• Tuesday 25th March
  Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions Yearling Sale - Session 2
• Wednesday 26th March
  Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions Yearling Sale - Session 3
• Thursday 27th March
  Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions Yearling Sale - Session 4
• Sunday 30th March
  Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions Yearling Sale - Session 5
• Monday 31st March
  Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions Yearling Sale - Session 6
• Tuesday 1st April
  Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions Yearling Sale - Session 7
• Wednesday 2nd April
  Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions Yearling Sale - Session 8
• Thursday 3rd April
  Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions Yearling Sale - Session 9 

* session details are provisional

2007/08 MAGIC MILLIONS SALE DATES

• Magic Millions Perth Horses in Training Sale - 16 October 2007
• Magic Millions Gold Coast Horses in Training Sale - 25-28 November 2007
• Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale - 15-22 February, 2008
• Magic Millions Tasmanian Select Yearling Sale - 25-26 February, 2008
• Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale - 10-13 March, 2008
• Magic Millons National Weanling Sale - 26-28 May, 2008
• Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale - 2-6 June, 2008
• Magic Millions National Yearling Sale - 10-13 June, 2008

Find following a memo from ARB secretary Andrew Harding:

The TTRC has just received a call from the CVO Rod Andrewartha who advised that the test results from Geelong are negative.

Rod advised that two independent tests were conducted at the Mt Pleasant laboratory in Tasmania and both were positive to EI, but the two independent test conducted at Geelong were both negative .

The horse in question is being tested again to seek absolute confirmation.

The standstill on the movement of horses within Tasmania for the moment remains in place. The TTRC expects the DPIW to show its hand on this very shortly.

The TTRC is currently working with the DPIW on the possibility of progressing with the meetings on the weekend.

Source: ARB 12/10/07

The policy is still to contain and eradicate Equine Influenza as quickly as possible. There have been a few escapes into the green zone which is disappointing. We have responded to contain the new outbreak. Although there are people who think that the task is impossible, many experts are surprised that we have been able to contain it at all. This has been mostly due to the wonderful cooperation of the horse community in complying with our restrictions.

There are currently 4121 Infected Properties (IPs), 401 Dangerous Contact Properties (DCPs) and 464 Suspect Properties (SPs).

The number of IPs being reported daily in Tamworth, the Hunter Valley and the Sydney basin are all showing promising signs of decline. This has resulted in a levelling of the overall numbers of IPs across the state.

The control and eradication of EI now relies on diligent reporting by horse owners of possible new infections and strict compliance with recommended decontamination and disinfection procedures. For more information see:

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/horse/influenza/information/preventing-ei-disinfection-procedures

Vaccinations

Over 2500 vaccinations have been administered in the buffer zones across the state. The first round of vaccinations has been completed in the Mittagong and Gloucester buffer zones. Vaccinations in the Barmedman, Dubbo, Wellington and Armidale buffer zones are near completion and are continuing in the Forbes, Parkes and Mudgee buffer zones.

Zones & movements

• Overview
• Find your zone
• Zones: Green, Amber, Red,
  Purple, Buffer
• FAQs

Permits & registrations

• Types of permits
• Travelling horse statements (Green Zone)
• Travelling horse statements (Amber Zone)
• Horse events
• Horse registration (Red & Purple Zones)
• FAQs

Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald, today announced changes to the State Government’s four-colour equine influenza (EI) zoning system, expanding the purple zone to incorporate Camden, Maitland and Tamworth.

“This common-sense decision frees up movements for thousands more horse owners and breeders in the heavily infected expanded purple zone,” Minister Macdonald said.

“After exhaustive tracing and surveillance by NSW DPI, we now have the intelligence that allows us to revisit the boundaries of the purple zone.

“Expanding the zone will greatly reduce the economic impact this contagious disease is having on our horse industries and allow the multi-million dollar horse breeding industry to resume.

“It means activities such as show jumping, dressage, pony carnivals, and three-day events can go ahead – as long as the horses are fit and healthy and stay within the purple zone.

“It also means drought affected horse owners, who were previously forced to buy in feed for their horses, will now have the opportunity to agist them elsewhere in the purple zone.

“Under the new zoning arrangements the purple zone will stretch from Tamworth to Camden, linking known highly infected areas in between.

The purple zone includes all or part of the following Local Government Areas:

• Penrith, Liverpool, Camden, Wollondilly
• The Hawkesbury, Gosford, Wyong,
• Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens Great Lakes,
• Cessnock, Maitland, Dungog, Singleton, Upper Hunter and Muswellbrook,
• Tamworth, Liverpool Plains.

“I want to make it absolutely clear from the outset that the purple zone still represents an area of high infection where lateral transfer between properties is happening at a substantial rate,” Mr Macdonald said.

“Horses can move into the purple zone with a permit but cannot leave until authorised.”

Minister Macdonald said key horse breeding areas were within the existing purple zone including the Upper Hunter and Sydney regions.

“This re-zoning will take in many more horse studs – including Quarter Horses, Arabian horses and performance horses - allowing the movement of non-thoroughbred mares to stallions during the current mating season,” Minister Macdonald said.

“Strict hygiene requirements will apply to horse floats and trucks leaving the purple zone.

“Horse associated people in the purple zone and red zones are asked to apply strict hygiene and biosecurity measures when leaving the highly infected purple zone.

“This follows an outbreak of the horse flu at Barmedman which can only be attributed to a human spreading the disease from an infected property.

“As a result the NSW DPI has responded swiftly, creating a red zone around the infected property and has started vaccinating horses within a declared buffer.

“As a precautionary measure, the nearby Young Local Government Area has been changed from green to amber, due to its proximity to the Barmedman outbreak.”

The zones are:

Green - Protected Area - no disease, aim to keep free. Currently includes the Far West,  Riverina and Eden-Monaro areas. Travelling Horse Statement required and a permit for events.

Amber - Restricted Area - no confirmed disease, suspect horses to be investigated as quickly as possible. Based around large parts of the Central West and North Coast areas. Movements may be authorised for racing and breeding. Movements to other events prohibited.

Red - Restricted Area - area of at least 10 km around Infected Premises, high containment and biosecurity to be applied to individual premises and area. Limited permits within the red zone, current movement restrictions stand.

Purple - Special Restricted Area - largely infected. Biosecurity applied to movements of people and vehicles out of area. Horses must not leave the zone. Includes the area stretching from Camden to Tamworth.

The Tasmanian Thoroughbred Racing Council has reported a suspected equine influenza positive in the far North-West of Tasmania.The horse in question is a recreational horse and has apparently been involved in a degree of travel around the State involving horse shows, but is currently in isolation. Swabs have been sent to the Geelong AAHL laboratory which will hopefully be able to confirm by noon today whether the horse is indeed infected with EI. No horses have been permitted to enter Tasmania since 25th August, 2007, and unless this ban on imports has been circumvented then the only possible means of infection will have been transmission by a human agent i.e. either a person carrying the disease or transporting equipment / articles that had the disease on their surface. The Tasmanian Thoroughbred Racing Council immediately suspended all training activities until clarification of the test is available.

Source: ANZ Bloodtsock News 12 October, 2007

Over the past week directors of Inglis, Magic Millions and Aushorse have been engaged in discussions to improve the spread of sales dates for buyers and vendors in 2008. It is widely agreed by industry participants that an 11-day gap between the revised dates for Magic Millions and the Australian Easter Yearling Sale is not ideal. In summary, the only change coming from discussions so far is agreement by Inglis to move the Easter and Classic yearling sales back one additional week to provide buyers and vendors with a little more relief. The Australian Easter Yearling Sale will now commence on Sunday April 20, the day after the Golden Slipper. President of Aushorse John Messara has been consulted in relation to the new sales dates and said, “ the extra week will help.”

Inglis managing director Mark Webster said " We originally moved the Easter sale back to mid April to allow Magic Millions to sell in either February or June and provide an 8 week gap between our sales. The move was also in line with a delayed start to the Sydney Autumn carnival. As everyone knows, last week Magic Millions announced their plans to take our old Easter dates in March which was surprising noting buyers will also be in Sydney for the Autumn carnival. I have expressed my concern that in doing so they only provide an 11-day gap between our two sales. At the Aushorse meeting on Monday, both parties were asked to move their sale dates or change their sales format to widen the gap. Inglis have done this but to my knowledge Magic Millions have not agreed to any further changes or concessions at this stage. Inglis was also asked by Aushorse to consider moving the Classic sale back into February. At this stage I’m reluctant to do this due to the current EI situation. It’s still a consideration, but I will need to be convinced that all yearlings will be vaccinated in time and be allowed to cross state borders. I will also need to be convinced that Sydney trainers will be ready to buy in February.”

Antony Thompson from Widden Stud said, “ Inglis have been very co-operative in trying to find a better solution for next years sale schedule. They have consulted major breeders and have given ground when requested to help the industry.”

To assist with marketing and logistics, the format of the Australian Easter Yearling Sale will most likely be changed in 2008 to include two sessions. The first three days will be the Easter Yearling Select session; the second three days will be the Easter Yearling Classic session. All Easter Select and Classic yearlings will be catalogued together. This type of sale has worked well at Keeneland, Tattersalls and even on the Gold Coast so we are confident it will work for Inglis customers. It will also provide increased international buyer exposure for vendors of Classic yearlings. We are also aiming to lift the overall quality of Easter Classic yearlings from previous Classic sales and this is reflected in the quality of entries so far.

Inglis have also consulted the buying bench in setting new sale dates. In response to the new sale dates, John O'Shea said, " Sydney trainers and owners need as much time as possible to recover from the EI virus. I think the new dates for the Inglis Easter and Classic sales will work well for breeders and buyers as they will be held towards the end of the Autumn carnival around the Golden Slipper and Derby. For Classic, there's no better time to hold this sale than Derby week. I think the catalogue will probably be the strongest it’s ever been and it's being held in Sydney at a time when trainers will be more confident to spend. Some people may think February would be better for Classic, but as I said in the industry meetings in September it may be too risky at this stage."

Gai Waterhouse said, “ I’m supportive of the new sales dates being announced by Inglis. I think the Easter and Classic yearling sales are well placed around the Slipper and Derby and I will be attending both sales. I also think the Melbourne Premier sale in early March will be well supported by the industry. “

Anthony Cummings was also positive, saying “ trainers and owners in Sydney need more time to get back on their feet and I feel the new dates for Easter and Classic will work well. The revised dates for both of these sales will allow me plenty of time to inspect and buy yearlings whilst also keeping a close eye on my Autumn runners and spending time with my owners in Sydney.”

The revised schedule for major Inglis sales in 2008 is now as follows:

March 2, 3 & 4 - Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, Oaklands Melbourne (unchanged)

April 20 to 28 - Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Newmarket Sydney

• Select Session April 20, 21 & 22,
• Classic Session April 25, 27 & 28

May 4 to 7 – Australian Easter Broodmare Sale, Newmarket Sydney

• Select Session May 4, 5
• General Session May 6, 7

Dates for the Autumn Yearling Sale conducted at Oaklands and the Scone Yearling Sale will be advised in the coming weeks.

Noting there are less than three weeks between the Magic Millions sale and the Australian Easter Yearling Sale, vendors may prefer to split their drafts between the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale and the new Australian Easter Yearling Sale. There is a convenient 8-week gap between the Melbourne and Easter sales, which should suit vendors and streamline yearling preparation.

Mark Webster said, “Melbourne is home to some of the country's biggest yearling buyers and the racing thus far has been unaffected. Those connections will be in a position to reinvest in the yearling market in March. The Victorian Government has also been extremely co-operative and are assisting us to lift the profile of the Melbourne Premier Sale, further develop the Victorian breeding industry and grow export markets. They know there is an opportunity to bring their breeding industry up to the high level attained by their racing industry. Inglis, Vic Government, Racing Victoria and TBV will conduct the first of the joint trade missions to Japan next month to jointly promote the Asian Mile Challenge and Melbourne Premier Sale in March 2008. A major promotional event for Japanese owners and trainers has been scheduled for November 16 in Tokyo.”

2007 saw South Africa and Hong Kong including the HKJC as strong participants in the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. Sacred Kingdom, a $200,000 Premier graduate is a leading contender for the Hong Kong Sprint this year. Incumbent, Shrewd Rhythm and Caulfield Guineas favourite Weekend Hussler all emerged from the same sale.

Lee Freedman has added his support to the revised sales dates saying “ There is no doubt that yearling sales next year will be effected by the EI virus and a later start for the Sydney sales makes sense and yes I’ll be there. I’d also like to see the Melbourne Premier continue to grow. It’s important that I have the opportunity to take my Victorian based owners to the sale yards when buying yearlings and a stronger sale at home will help me achieve this. The Melbourne sale has been good to me producing champions such as Alinghi.”

Inglis will also be investing heavily in the marketing of all yearling sales. This will include greater emphasis on international inward buyer schemes and initiatives to assist buyers. We will also liaise with Aushorse over the coming months to see how they can compliment our international promotional activity. Vendors who would like to benefit from the revised Inglis sales schedule and Easter format are encouraged to make contact with Inglis Bloodstock staff at Newmarket (02) 9399 7999 or Oaklands (03) 9333 1422 to discuss the sale of their yearlings in 2008. Depending on the number and quality of additional entries, we will consider adding sale days in Melbourne and Sydney to assist breeders. Inspections are not yet complete and there is still time to modify your entries.

Equine influenza buffer zone plan