Because of concerns about news of recent cases of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1), the Appaloosa Horse Club wants to assure members and exhibitors that the Youth World Championship Show and National Appaloosa Show will go on as scheduled, July 4-16 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We’ve had conversations with Dr. Michael Herrin, Acting State Veterinarian for Oklahoma, who has been working with the Expo Square facility to review biosecurity procedures, sanitation and issues response mechanisms. All are up-to-date and effective, according to the review. Dr. Herrin emphasized that there were no horses at the Tulsa facility that had been at the Western National Championships in Ogden, Utah, on April 30 – May 8, 2011, where the most publicized cases of EHV-1 were identified. He adds that there was a veterinarian at Expo Square inspecting horses and none have been identified to date to be EHV-positive. Because there is a remote possibility that some of the horses arriving in Tulsa for the recently cancelled Breeders Invitational/Mercuria World Series of cutting may have inadvertently been exposed to some horses in attendance at the show in Utah, Tulsa Expo Square is cleaning and disinfecting all stalls and barns as a preventative biosecurity measure. With the quarantine period and swift job of all officials involved, as well as the thorough cleaning of Expo Square facilities, we are confident that the facility will be safe for all horses attending the upcoming National Show/Youth World Show.

As a reminder, all horses entering the ApHC event in Tulsa are required to have a current (within 12 months) proof of negative Coggins test and current (within 30 days) health certificate. We further recommend that all horses be vaccinated for influenza, rhinopneumonitis and West Nile Virus.

There are several useful resources to help you address questions or concerns regarding the EHV disease or transmission. Visit www.aaep.org http://www.aaep.org/ to obtain a fact sheet, biosecurity guidelines and additional information about this and other infectious diseases.

ApHC will continue to monitor this situation closely and provide updated information as needed on our Web site at www.appaloosa.com.