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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 10th December 2012
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Animal health experts head to Panama for sport horse summit
Talks hope to find a solution to current import and export procedures

A summit on the international movement of horses will be held this week (11-13 December) in Panama City. Over 60 government representatives and veterinary and horse experts from 23 countries will be attending.

The summit has been organised by the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) and the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). It comes at a time when participation in equestrian sport has reached a record high in South America and the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games are on the horizon.

Talks will be held over current import and export procedures and finding new solutions. The current procedures in place do not take into consideration the lower risks of “high-health” sport horses, and which are restricting the growth of top-level equestrian sport in the region.

The experts heading to Panama City will focus on updating their current biosecurity protocols, put in place to protect animal and human populations against the risk of disease spread. In turn this allows “high-health, high performance” sport horses to travel safely and swiftly across borders.

Over 300 equestrian events governed by the FEI have taken place in South America this year, with worldwide competitions growing by 27% since 2008 to more than 3,000 a year.

The clock is also ticking towards Rio 2016, when in 1,336 days South America will host its first Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian competitions. 


“Horse sport in South America already has a huge economic impact, creating tens of thousands of jobs and sustaining many industries associated with the sport,” explained HRH Princess Haya, FEI President and OIE Goodwill Ambassador, ahead of the talks.


“In the run up to the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, there will be several thousand more equestrian events across South America but to sustain and promote this growth, horses must be able to move without difficulty across borders to compete while we ensure biosecurity protocols are adhered to.” 

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Webinar to explore history of KC breed registers

News Story 1
 A free webinar exploring the development of the Kennel Club's registration system and the evolution of closed breed registers has been announced.

Hosted by Dr Alison Skipper, veterinary and research advisor at the Kennel Club, the webinar will delve into the development of the registry and how the changing landscape of scientific knowledge has shaped breeding practices. It will also look at what this means for the future of pedigree dogs.

The session will culminate with a look at The Kennel Club's ongoing and future engagement in this area, with a chance for attendees to put forward their thoughts and questions for discussion.

This event takes place on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, 10 June at 7pm. To learn more, visit events.teams.microsoft.com  

Click here for more...
News Shorts
UK's BSE risk status downgraded

The WOAH has downgraded the UK's international risk status for BSE to 'negligible'.

Defra says that the UK's improved risk status recognises the reputation for having the highest standards for biosecurity. It adds that it demonstrates decades of rigorous animal control.

Outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, have previously resulted in bans on Britain's beef exports.

The UK's new status could lead to expanded trade and better confidence in British beef.

Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "WOAH's recognition of the UK as negligible risk for BSE is a significant milestone and is a testament to the UK's strong biosecurity measures and the hard work and vigilance of farmers and livestock keepers across the country who have all played their part in managing the spread of this disease.