German Equestrian Team Suspended as Olympic Doping Scandal Escalates in International Spotlight

by Fran Jurga | 28 May 2009 | The Jurga Report

Die Goldenen Reiter, a huge gilded statue in the city of Dresden, Germany became a symbol of Germany's drive for Olympic gold medals in 2008; Flickr photo by Lanchutt

Before you read this post, take a minute and watch this wonderful short video:
http://www.die-goldenen-reiter.com/film.html
Make it full screen; turn up the volume. All the way. Hit play.

You see, less than a year ago, I was preparing to blog the Olympics, and the German team sent me a link, so I could watch a terrific music video they had made to pump up the national spirit to get behind the Germans' push to come home with gold medals in all three sports at the Olympics equestrian games in Hong Kong.

I loved the video and its quick edits. I loved the idea of the team members singing along. Loved seeing some of my favorite horses and riders. Really loved the action closeups of the hooves with all those big studs digging into the grass. The song is really catchy. It was a big hit in the 1980s in Germany and the rock star who sang it is an icon--sort of a Billy Joel, German-style.

I watched the little video again after I spent Thursday tracking down the news from Germany and I saw something else, entirely. What do you see?


The international horse sport community will be reeling on Friday as the world wonders what is going on in Germany. And maybe in their own backyards. I wonder, too.

Thursday afternoon, the national equestrian federation of Germany, FN Verlag (FN), announced the suspension of all riders who represented Germany at the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong's equestrian events, where Germany won three gold medals. In effect, FN Verlag and the German national sport federation have dissolved, disbanded, and suspended its equestrian teams for FEI-level events. To use one of my favorite German words: "kaput!"

This story began back on May 11, when the FEI reported that German Olympic show jumper Marco Kutscher told German reporters that his horse had been illegally treated with arnica and lactanase during the Olympics at Hong Kong in August. Kutscher's confession and subsequent accusations initiated a cascade of events that will probably not end with Thursday's drastic action, which affects not just jumping but also dressage and eventing. Dressage superstar Isabell Werth even made a callous offhand remark that what she does to her horse is the concern of her and the owner and no one else, thank you very much.

What began as an investigation of a single rider and the team veterinarian is now affecting a dozen riders' careers and reputations.

My German is not the very best, but I think I know what the German press release is saying: each of the riders is going to be thoroughly investigated and must apply to be reinstated. Only after assurance that the rider will be a leader for a clean sport will that rider be allowed to represent Germany ever again. There is no indication of how long this process might take, nor how long the FEI's own investigation might take. There is a comment that time is not a concern.

All this with the World Equestrian Games coming up in just over a year. What more can the FEI do to police the barns and schooling rings? Are veterinarians the advocates of the horse and the rulebook or are they under too much pressure just as the riders are? And just where does that pressure originate?

Germany has been double-shocked by statements made by show jumping champion Ludger Beerbaum this weekend, including his assertion that he would do whatever it took to win and understood that he just was not supposed to get caught. The FN press release mentions Beerbaum--and only Beerbaum--by name.

The scandal reaches higher; FEI Bureau Member, judge and former Secretary General of FN Hanfried Haring has been associated with the scandal and may lose his position.

Be careful about what news sources you check on this story. HorseandHound.co.uk is usually tops for European news and you can follow their headlines via Twitter @horseandhound.

Come on, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, and Sixty Minutes. You love a good scandal: do you have a reporter who speaks German? Here's your chance. What can the FEI say in its own defense, that these things have been going on in spite of rules and inspections and tests?

Equestrian sports woke up with two black eyes this morning. The elephant in the room got loose.

To refresh your memory about the Olympics in Hong Kong and the Germans' ups and downs there, please read my Olympic blog: The World Rides in Hong Kong. I feel like I should start the blog up again and write "The Rest of the Story".

Hong Kong Revisited: Spend an Educational Evening with Olympic Rider, Horse, Nutritionist and Vet

You are cordially invited to join the US Equestrian Team for an evening of informative discussions about the United States Equestrian Team's "Olympic Story 2008". The evening is presented by Somerset Feed & Grain and sponsored by Pennfield Equine Feeds and Kentucky Equine Research

DATE: October 22, 2008
TIME: 5 PM to 9 PM
LOCATION: The USET Foundation Headquarters at 1040 Pottersville Road in Gladstone, New Jersey
Hors D'ouveres will be served from 5 PM to 6 PM
Photo Session with Philip Dutton and Olympic Mount Connaught 5 PM to 6 PM

Featured Speakers: Nutrition Expert Joe Pagan, B.S.A., M.S., Ph.D; Philip Dutton (Olympic Rider, US Eventing) and Brendan Furlong, D.M.V. B., M.R.C.V.S., US Olympic Team Veterinarian.

In the coming months Pennfield, KER and the USEF will host a series of additional nutritional lectures, USEF fund raisers and programs to educate equine enthusiasts from different riding disciplines by giving them opportunities to meet, learn, and even train with top athletes in the sport.

On the other side of the globe, Dr Peter Huntington and Australian eventer Megan Jones will make a similar presentation at the Equitana Asia Pacific on November 20th.

King-Dye Responds to FEI Ruling, Disqualification of US Team at Olympics

The following is an excerpt from a press release issued tonight by Phelps Media Group on behalf of US Olympian Courtney King-Dye. The text as issued by the FEI is in the post that follows this one. Click here to go to the FEI post.


Courtney King-Dye, a member of the U.S. equestrian team's three-member dressage squad that competed at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, China, rode Mythilus to a 13th place finish individually and helped the U.S. to finish in fourth place overall by placing seventh in the Grand Prix, the team round of competition. King-Dye was the highest placed U.S. rider in the Grand Prix. She qualified for the Grand Prix Special and then was one of only 15 riders to qualify for the Grand Prix Freestyle. King-Dye earned an overall score of 70.175%.

Today, the FEI Tribunal issued a decision that disqualified King-Dye from the Olympic Games and as a result, the U.S. dressage team is also disqualified and loses its fourth place finish.

King-Dye responded to the FEI Tribunal decision today, saying, "Although I was very aware that the Zero Tolerance Rule would make it nearly impossible for the FEI to clear my name from this illegal medications use charge, I was still somehow extremely disappointed when I received their ruling this morning. In the FEI press release, the Tribunal clearly acknowledges my innocence and lack of negligence in their ruling. But the fact is that they have to punish me according to the FEI rulebook because I cannot prove where the drug came from. I can't prove it because I don't know."

At the hearing at FEI headquarters in Lausanne two weeks ago, King-Dye presented testimony and legal arguments on her behalf. King-Dye noted that Mythilus was treated at the clinic in Hong Kong Jockey Club prior to the start of competition nine times for heart fibulation, a disorder in which the rhythm of the heart is disrupted, but Felbinac was not part of the treatment. King-Dye could only speculate as to how the drug entered her mount's system. King-Dye further cited the Equine Anti Doping and Medication Control Rules, which contain an exception to a medication rule violation in case of an environmental contamination. She presented the argument that the exception should apply because Felbinac did not appear on the Equine Prohibited List as a threshold substance and no specific criteria was established for it on that list. King-Dye also pointed out that she had gained no competitive edge, and because of the nature of Felbinac and the minimal concentration detected, there were no findings that Mythilus underwent any maltreatment.

"I cannot place blame or resentment anywhere," King-Dye said. "My vet, my groom, my Federation and Team, and I did everything right, carefully and according to the rules. The FEI and the Tribunal handled the hearing professionally, proficiently, and well. I feel everyone involved did their best to follow the rules and to do the right thing in accordance with their jobs, and I am grateful that the Tribunal clearly acknowledges my innocence. They are bound by the wording of a rule, and it is their job to uphold the rules to the letter to the best of their ability.

"It is my hope that the wording of this rule will be re-evaluated. All people who use medications illegally should be punished, but the rules should also provide a way to vindicate a person who has demonstrated clear adherence to the rules and who is simply entangled in a strange situation."

King-Dye expanded on the 'strange situation' of this case explaining that Felbinac is a topical anti-inflammatory used mainly on humans. It is not approved, manufactured, or available in the U.S. It is mainly used as an over-the-counter ointment for humans in China, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom. It is also sometimes used as a coupling agent in ultrasound gels and lubricants in those countries.

"When we first learned about that use, we suspected that Myth might have been exposed to Felbinac during his treatment for his heart in the Hong Kong Jockey Club," King-Dye said. "However, after doing more research on the drug and having a bio-chemist analyze the data, we learned that the trace amount found in Myth's system could occur from something as distant and arbitrary as a person using Felbinac on their knee then using a broom, then someone else uses the broom and shakes my groom's hand, and then my groom touches my horse. In the sampling, 14 nanograms per milliliter were found. It takes 7,500 to 100,000 nanograms per milliliter to have an effect on a rat."

Commenting on the ordeal, King-Dye remains positive about the sport and is looking forward to the future. "Though I am left with the feeling that this was rotten for me to have to go through, a terrible shame that both I and the Olympic Team are stripped of our placings, and my name now has a tarnish on it - I'm over that," King-Dye said. "Everyone did everything right, and it's just one of those things you have to go through sometimes. The heavy feeling that remains is that this will happen again to someone some day, and I do hope that we will take some measures to avoid that."

Guilty as Charged: Mythilus and King-Dye, US Dressage Team Punished in Olympic Medication Violation Decision

Because of the serious nature of this story, I will share with you the decision as it was issued by the Federation Equestre International (FEI) today. Sorry I can't report a happy ending to this ongoing story.

Thanks to Malina Gueorguiev of the FEI who writes:

Today the FEI Tribunal has issued its decision in the Positive Medication Case involving the horse MYTHILUS ridden by Ms Courtney King-Dye, the person responsible ("PR"), and representing the US Dressage Team at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong.

The horse was sampled at the Olympic Games on 19 August 2008 and tested positive for Felbinac. Felbinac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to reduce inflammation and pain and, accordingly, is classified as “Medication A” Prohibited Substances under the FEI Equine Prohibited List (VR Annex III).

At a preliminary hearing held during the Olympic Games on 22 August 2008 it was decided to maintain the provisional suspension until the final decision of the case.

The hearing in this case was held at the FEI Headquarters on 7 September 2008. Before and during the hearing the PR presented testimonies and legal arguments and the United States Equestrian Federation ("USEF") requested that in case of a decision against the PR, the US Dressage Team does not forfeit its 4th place at the Olympic Games.

The Tribunal was satisfied that the laboratory reports relating to both the A-Sample and the B-sample reflect that the analytical tests were accurately performed in an acceptable method and that the findings of the laboratory were accurate. The FEI Tribunal was satisfied that the test results evidenced the presence of Felbinac.

The Tribunal did not accept the PR's argument that the exception contained in Equine Anti Doping and Medication Control Rules ("EADMCR") Article 2.1.3 to a medication rule violation in case of an environmental contamination should apply, since Felbinac did not appear on the Equine Prohibited List as a threshold substance and no specific criteria was established for it on such List as a contaminant.

The Tribunal repeated its stand that the FEI policy in regard to doping and medication does not only intend to ensure a level playing field but has the additional policy consideration of ensuring that the welfare of the horse is maintained and that horses compete only when they are physically fit and capable of competing. This requires doping and medication rule violations to be strict liability or no fault offences. The PR's arguments that she had gained no competitive advantage and that the findings did not constitute any maltreatment of the horse, due to the nature of the substance and the minimal concentration detected, were therefore not relevant.

The Tribunal accepted the FEI's position that, under the clear language of EADMCR Article 10.5, in order for the PR to prove that she bears no fault and no negligence and that the sanctions should be eliminated, she must demonstrate how the substance entered the horse's systems. While elaborate, the explanations furnished by the PR were only speculations.

As a result of the foregoing, the horse and the PR are disqualified from the Games and all medals, points and prize money won at the Olympic Games by them are forfeited. Such disqualification is automatic and is not considered a sanction; rather it is an automatic mechanism used to ensure a level playing field.

As a result, the US Dressage Team with its remaining two competitors is also disqualified and loses its 4th place. The Tribunal did not accept the arguments of the USEF that the resulting disqualification of its Team, when the sampling was carried days after the end of the Team competition, is a "sanction" which is inappropriate in this case and should not be imposed. The Tribunal noted that the resulting disqualification was automatic.

In regard to sanctions, the Tribunal considered the fact that the PR is an experienced sportswoman and that the behaviour of anyone at the top of the sport and particularly at the Olympic Games must be faultless since the eyes of the world focus on performances at such events.

On the other hand, the Tribunal found the evidence of the PR and the US Dressage Team Vet to be credible and believed that neither the PR nor anyone on her behalf or related to the USEF had knowingly administered the medication to the horse. The Tribunal further accepted the PR's and USEF's arguments that they have done almost everything in their power to ensure that no rule violation shall occur. The Tribunal also considered the type of Medication A substance involved and its therapeutic applications, the fact that the same substance may not be considered as a doping substance, the specific circumstances relating to the horse's hospitalization in Hong Kong and the possibility of contamination, the excellent stable management practiced by the US team and measures placed to try and ensure the no horse with prohibited substances participates at the Olympic Games, the efforts made by the PR and the USEF to determine the source of the positive finding, the impeccable record and reputation of the PR, the PR’s cooperation in the investigation and the hardship already caused to the PR including the fact that the US Dressage Team has already lost its 4th place at the Olympic Games.

As a consequence, the Tribunal imposed on the PR a one month suspension, which has commenced on the date of the application of the provisional suspension and ended on 21 September 2008, fine and costs.

The Games Aren't Over Yet: US Olympic Dressage Horse Tests Positive for Banned Substance

Courtney King-Dye and Mythilus; photo kindly loaned by Susan J. Stickle (thanks!)

The FEI today communicated that an additional doping/medication case at the 2008 Olympic Games has emerged. The charges concern US dressage rider Courtney King-Dye and her horse Mythilus, who tested positive for the banned substance Felbinac, considered a "medication class A" prohibited substance.

Felbinac is applied topically for the relief of local pain and inflammation and belongs to a group of medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

King-Dye, who placed 13th individually in the Dressage competition, was officially notified on the morning of 22 August of the positive test result and the decision for provisional suspension was upheld that evening at a preliminary hearing before one member of the FEI Tribunal.

Later today, the US Equestrian Federation released information that Mythilus had been treated in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Clinic for artrial fibrillation as a result of stress from his trip. USEF's team veterinarian, Dr. Rick Mitchell, attended to the horse in close cooperation with the Veterinary Commission.

King-Dye and Dr. Mitchell believe that during treatment at the clinic, he may have come in contact with Felbinac. In discussion with King-Dye, USEF vets, grooms and physical therapists, no other explanation or conclusion was able to be drawn.

“Neither I nor my vets had ever heard of the drug Felbinac until we got the call about Myth's positive test,” said King-Dye. “We were stunned and baffled. We spent the entire day doing internet research on the uses for this drug and how it could possibly have gotten into my horse's system.

"As far as we could find it is not even manufactured, approved, or available in the US. My horse has had no soundness problems whatsoever, and I would have no need for an anti-inflammatory.

"Anyone who knows me knows whole heartedly that I would never dope my horse intentionally. It is cheating; it is not putting your best against the other’s best. I have never been in a more torturous and frustrating situation; trying to prove innocence is very hard. It saddens me beyond description that my whole reputation could be blackened because of this situation,” she said in an official USEF statement released today.

The FEI Tribunal stated in their Preliminary Decision that “there are circumstances in this case that makes it difficult to clear out how the Prohibited Substance entered into the horse’s system.”

“The USEF stands behind the FEI's initiatives to rid the sport of doping and to protect the welfare of our horses. We are equally supportive of Courtney in this situation as this substance was unknown to any of us until a few days ago,” said USEF CEO John Long. “It seems clear that Mythilus came into contact with it without Courtney's or Dr. Mitchell's knowledge.”

----

© 2006-2007-2008 The Jurga Report: Horse Health Headlines. All rights reserved.
http://special.equisearch.com/blog/horsehealth/

To email this post to a friend (or yourself), click on the envelope icon in the tool bar below.

To leave a comment or contact the author, click on the “comments” word link in the tool bar below.

Four Olympic Jumpers Test Positive for Capsaicin; Liniment Suspected

From the FEI, governing body of Olympic equestrian sports, comes this official notice just hours before the show jumping individual medal finals:

The following combinations will not be competing in the Jumping individual final competition held tonight (Thursday, 21 August). They have been provisionally suspended by the FEI further to doping/medication control tests that indicated the presence of capsaicin in each horse.

Bernardo Alves (BRA) on Chupa Chup
Christian Ahlmann (GER) on Cöster
Denis Lynch (IRL) on Latinus
Tony Andre Hansen (NOR) on Camiro

Capsaicin is classified as a "doping " prohibited substance, given its hypersensitizing properties, and as a "medication class A" prohibited substance for its pain-relieving properties.

As previously communicated, the FEI provisionally suspends all competitors who test positive in doping or positive medication cases at the Olympic Games in the interests of the integrity of the sport.

Christian Ahlmann was notified of his suspension yesterday evening (Wednesday, 20 August) further to receipt of the test results by the FEI from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Laboratory yesterday afternoon.

A preliminary hearing was held at 10h00 this morning (21 August) before a member of the FEI Tribunal who confirmed the suspension.

The other riders--Tony Andre Hansen, Bernardo Alves, and Denis Lynch--were notified earlier today (21 August) further to receipt of their positive test results this morning. All three of them were provisionally suspended.

Preliminary hearings were held with the respective National Federations in the following order: 14h00 – Brazil; 15h00 – Ireland; 16h00 – Norway. The hearings were held before a member of the FEI Tribunal who confirmed the suspension.

FURTHER STEPS

Confirmatory analysis of the B-samples will be carried out very shortly according to the accelerated procedure in place for the Olympic Games. Upon report of a positive B-sample result, evidence and written submissions will be requested from the rider, and a three member panel of the FEI Tribunal will be appointed. This panel should take a decision as to the applicable sanctions as early as possible further to the accelerated procedure, and providing for a hearing to be held as necessary. The competition results will be amended as indicated in the Tribunal’s final decision.

(end official notice)

Blogger's note: Capsaicin is the element of hot peppers that is so effective in many "heating" liniments for humans. (Think: "Deep Heet"). According to undocumented stories from other news sources, the riders are claiming that they did not know that capsaicin was in the liniments they use.

One of the questions about capsaicin is if it relieves pain effectively, does it also deaden sensitivity on pasterns and forelegs? Many show jumpers are accused, rightly or wrongly, of attempting to heighten sensitivity on the pasterns and forelegs so horses will not want to brush against a jump or rail.

Horse Sport Ireland claims that Lynch used the linment Equiblock under his saddle pad.

Norway may be stripped of its team bronze medal. This is the first Olympics with the capability to test for capsaicin. No eventing or dressage horses tested positive for it.

USA Team Vet Reports on Horse's Condition, Health

Everyone in the USA who follows dressage was shocked yesterday when US dressage rider and Olympic veteran Debbie McDonald and her veteran horse Brentina scored the lowest grand prix test of their career in the arena at Sha Tin. The horse was uneasy and difficult to ride, so a thorough vet check was performed. This morning, Joanie Morris of the US Equestrian Federation released a statement on the 17-year-old Hanoverian mare.

A thorough examination by US team veterinarian Dr. Rick Mitchell of Fairfield Equine Associates in Connecticut proved that Brentina is sound and well, further reiterating McDonald's comments immediately following her ride.

“Brentina was thoroughly examined by a panel of three veterinarians per our selection process prior to entering quarantine in Germany,” said Dr. Mitchell. “Furthermore we had the opportunity to observe this mare training twice daily for six weeks, and we evaluated the soundness of all the team horses on a daily basis. There was never any question during that time or now about any aspect of her soundness.”

Dr. Mitchell also explained that per the IOC rules, he evaluated each of the three horses one hour before their dressage test because a replacement was available up until that time. Brentina never demonstrated any evidence of soreness and lameness, and passed the horse inspection prior to the competition without any question.

The plan has always been that Brentina would be retired after these Olympic Games. The veteran medalist from 2006 World Equestrian Games and the 2004 Olympic Games has had her typical phenomenal performances all spring building up to these Games. Her performance in the ring here is unexplainable but everyone connected to Brentina is happy that the mare is fit and sound and will live out her retirement at River Grove Farm in Hailey, Idaho, with her owners Parry and Peggy Thomas.

A comment was published in the international press allegedly attributed to an official who criticized McDonald and said that Brentina did not belong in Hong Kong, implying that the horse was somehow obviously unfit.

© 2006-2007-2008 The Jurga Report: Horse Health Headlines. All rights reserved.
http://special.equisearch.com/blog/horsehealth/

To email this post to a friend (or yourself), click on the envelope icon in the tool bar below.

To leave a comment or contact the author, click on the “comments” word link in the tool bar below.

Tropical Storm Blows Through Hong Kong; Australian and Saudi Arabian Horses Detour to Dubai to Wait Out the Storm

A Swiss horse goes for a walk out in the windy Hong Kong weather. (New York Times photo)

None of the Olympic equestrian horses in Hong Kong have been affected by the heavy rains and winds brought in by Severe Tropical Storm Kammuri, a spokesman for the Equestrian Company said today (Wednesday, August 6).

“The horses have taken advantage of the wet weather and are resting peacefully in the stables. Many are sleeping and in very good condition,” the spokesman said.

Training in the outdoor areas has been postponed, but dressage training in the indoor arena opened at 10 am today. All arenas will reopen when the No. 8 signal is lowered.

Only slight damage to the arena in the Sha Tin Equestrian Venue has been reported. 

According to the New York Times, a special shuttle was set up to get riders and staff to the stables to be with the horses.

The arrival of two planes with a total of 24 horses has been delayed. Fourteen horses from China, the United States and United Arab Emirates were offloaded from a plane before departure in Amsterdam and are resting in a quarantined animal quarters nearby. Another 10 horses from Australia and Saudi Arabia en route to Hong Kong from Amsterdam were offloaded in Dubai and are resting there in quarantined animal quarters.

All are expected to arrive in Hong Kong as soon as weather conditions improve.

Much more information about the Olympic equestrian events is available on the "World Rides in Hong Kong" blog, compiled for you by Fran Jurga. An RSS/Atom feed is available so you can keep up with the news from Hong Kong! Equisearch.com has an entire web site set up for the Olympics, including blogs from dressage rider Debbie MacDonald and eventing groom Max Corcoran.

Hong Kong Retrains Track Thoroughbreds for Equestrian Pursuits

Olympic horses find new lease on life
Uploaded by scmp888

Thoroughbred racing in Hong Kong is an obsession and, on closer examination, there are many aspects of how it operates that could be instructional or even inspirational to American racing.

One aspect that was recently brought to my attention is Hong Kong's retraining program for suitable retiring Thoroughbred race horses.

By the way, the number of Thoroughbreds competing in the Olympics this year is impressive. Those who said that the transition of eventing from the long to short format would be the end of Thoroughbreds in the sport weren't counting on the Olympics being held in hot, steamy Hong Kong. I'm not sure that body type was part of the criteria for team selection in any of the disciplines, but Thoroughbreds are filling those planes headed to Hong Kong from around the world!

Thanks to the South China Morning Post for this video.

Did you know...that you can read Fran Jurga's blog about international Olympic riders and horses, as part of Equisearch.com's Olympic coverage? Click here to read the blog and subscribe to the RSS/Atom feed.

Post-Arrival Drug Testing Offered for Olympic Horses

No one wants to lose a medal won at the Olympics because of a bad drug test on a horse. And it has happened...remember Athens in 2004?

Many horses are treated with legitimate medications, while others have been treated with medications that are not allowed for competition. One of the tricky aspects of preparing a horse for competition is knowing when the drug's traces will leave the horse's symptoms. Vets have guidelines to go by, but it is always a gamble.

Another thing that happens at competitions is that trace elements show up in drug tests that are a complete mystery. We hear all sorts of conjecture about substances that may be on feed tubs or that the horse absorbs through the skin from rubdowns or hoof treatments. There is also the implied threat of sabotage.

This year at the Olympics, horses are being offered optional drug tests upon their arrival. These tests have to be made by collecting urine within 12 hours of arrival in Hong Kong.

These drug tests are not legally binding, but riders and coaches and owners will know if a horse tests for a given substance. Some horses may be coming off medications and have plenty of time to be "clean" by the time that the competitions begin. An example would be lidocaine, a local anesthetic, or a steroid used to clear up a skin condition.

The system is called PAET, for Post-Arrival Elective Testing, and this is the first time it has been offered.

First Group of Olympic Horses Landed in Hong Kong Today

Malina Gueorguiev of the Federation Equestrian Internationale (FEI) shares this news today:

The human and animal kingdoms may be enjoying a quiet summer / winter weekend, depending on the hemisphere, but it is a key one for the horses taking part in the equestrian events of the 2008 Olympic Games. Indeed, on Friday 25 July the first horses left from Europe (Amsterdam, NED) and the North American continent (Atlanta, USA) on three flights to Hong Kong.

All 33 horses – coming from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Korea, the Netherlands, and Switzerland – accompanied by 15 attendants arrived in fantastic form to begin their acclimatisation. All the horses behaved properly on the flights and travelled very well.

The disembarkation process of the horses, their attendants and the vast amount of equipment that was flown in ran extremely smoothly. The horses underwent preliminary tests immediately upon arrival and were declared to be remarkably well. They were in the stables less than two hours after landing. So, while human passengers were still queuing to have their passports checked and collect their luggage, the horses were enjoying a good roll in the shavings.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club and FEI veterinary teams will continue to closely monitor the horses to ensure they remain healthy.

The horses will now undergo a ten-day Post-Arrival Isolation during which training is possible.

Two-hundred and nineteen horses will be flown to Hong Kong for the Olympic equestrian events over 13 days. The last ones are due to arrive on 6 August.

UC Davis Husband-Wife Vet Team Will Serve at Olympics' Equine Hospital

UC Davis' husband-and-wife veterinary team of Jack Snyder and Sharon Spier are headed for Hong Kong, where they will coordinate medical and surgical aspects of the equine veterinary facility for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. The pair has served at the summer games since the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea.

Snyder and Spier, both professors in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, will join an international corps of 30 "staff" veterinarians, who will advise the "team" veterinarians accompanying the horses. They will be prepared to evaluate lameness, treat injuries and even perform emergency surgeries. Snyder will be in charge of surgical procedures while Spier, an internal medicine specialist, will deal with infections and internal diseases.

Because the horses cannot leave the Olympic compound for medical treatment once the games begin, a full equine clinic, complete with a pharmacy, must be provided. This specially built veterinary facility is located at the core equestrian venue at Sha Tin, next to the Hong Kong Jockey Club racetrack and close to the city center.

In addition, a temporary veterinary clinic will be located 35 minutes away at the Beas River venue for the cross-country event.

There will be six veterinary teams located on the cross-country course along with three roving teams and mobile cooling units. Eight horse ambulances and four recovery trailers will be available on the day of the cross-country event.

NBC Announces Olympic Broadcast Schedule for Equestrian Events

It's getting closer! Have you ordered cable tv? Have you sold the family china on eBay so you can go to the big box store and bring home a wide-screen tv? Do you have all the takeout menus together in one drawer?

Oh, and it will be August: maybe invest in an air conditioner, too. You can always put it in your horse's stall when the Games are over.

Today NBC announced the broadcast schedule for equestrian events, if you can call it that. It's pretty loose. For some events, they just give a 12 hour broadcast slot and indicate that the event will be shown in that zone. In some cases---several cases--it's in the midde of the night.

Here's what they are promising right now:

Friday, Aug. 8
NBC and NBC HD, 8 p.m.-Midnight — Opening Ceremony

Saturday, Aug. 9
USA and USA HD, 2 a.m.-2 p.m. — Women's Soccer (LIVE); Women's Basketball (LIVE); Equestrian - Eventing Dressage; Beach Volleyball; Women's Fencing; Women's Shooting; Badminton; Women's Weightlifting


Sunday, Aug. 10
USA and USA HD, 2 a.m.-2 p.m. — Men's Soccer; Men's Basketball - (LIVE); Tennis (LIVE); Beach Volleyball; Equestrian – Dressage (Eventing, Day 2); Women's Archery; Men's Weightlifting

Monday, Aug 11
OXYGEN, 6-8 p.m. — Equestrian - Eventing Cross Country

Tuesday, Aug. 12
OXYGEN, 6-8 p.m. — Equestrian - Eventing Gold Medal Finals (Show Jumping)

Wednesday, Aug. 13
OXYGEN, 6-8 p.m. — Tennis; Equestrian - Team Dressage

Thursday, Aug. 14
OXYGEN, 6-8 p.m. — Tennis - Semifinals; Equestrian - Team Dressage Gold Medal Final

Friday, Aug. 15
OXYGEN, 6-8 p.m. — Equestrian - Jumping Competition; Tennis Semifinal

Saturday, Aug. 16
MSNBC, 5 a.m.-5 p.m. — Men's Soccer (LIVE); Baseball; Women's Wrestling (LIVE); Beach Volleyball; Men's Badminton; Equestrian - Individual Dressage

Sunday, Aug. 17
NBC and NBC HD, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. — Women's Basketball (LIVE); Beach Volleyball; Women's; Cycling; Women's Table Tennis; Equestrian - Team Jumping Competition; Rowing

Monday, Aug. 18
OXYGEN, 6-8 p.m. Equestrian - Team Jumping Final

Tuesday, Aug. 19
OXYGEN, 6-8 p.m. — Synchronized Swimming; Equestrian - Individual Dressage Gold Medal Final (my schedule says that would be the freestyle)

Wednesday, Aug. 20
Day Off!

Thursday, Aug 21
NBC and NBC HD, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. — Men's Swimming; Gymnastics; Women's Water Polo; Equestrian - Individual Jumping Gold Medal Final; Softball

As you can no doubt tell, these will almost certainly not be broadcast live, but at least some will be in high definition. NBC's web site says that they will be streaming many events live, but their web site has some pretty high tech requirements for hardware and operating systems. Most of us would need an expensive upgrade, if not a whole new computer and broadband connection, to make their specs.

So: you have two weeks to find the remote...And don't forget to send a donation to the USET! Visit www.uset.com and do it online!

Video: Watch Dutch Dressage Team Horses Enter Quarantine for Olympics

There are two women in the world who can get away with the appellation "dressage queen" without it being an exaggeration. Both are about to embark on the trip of a lifetime to Hong Kong, and are likely to be one-two/gold-silver (ah, but which one on top?) at the Hong Kong Olympic Dressage competition next month.

The horses of both Germany's Isabel Werth and the Netherlands' Anky van Grunsven are settling into quarantine. Anky's horses are in Handel, Holland for isolation and observation before they are flown to Hong Kong. They will be in isolation for the next eight days.

Luckily for us, Dutch television filmed the departure of Anky's Salinero and Painted Blank, and you can see a little behind-the-scenes glimpse of the training center for Anky and Svef Jepsen, the Dutch chef d'equipe. The horse vans are amazing; the "Hunter Douglas" one really is related to those honeycomb blinds in your house. The company sponsors the #2 horse on the Dutch team, Hunter Douglas Sunrise, a beautiful mare ridden by Imke Schellekens-Bartels. That combination will surely be at or near the top in Hong Kong.

You will see the vet taking swabs from the nostrils of the horses before they are allowed to unload at the quarantine facility.

The Olympics will be here before we know it!

TIME Magazine Mourns O'Connorless Olympic Eventing Team...and the Loss of Theodore

Theodore O'Connor, ridden by Karen O'Connor at the 2007 and 2008 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

There are three O'Connors whose names are missing from the roster of the 2008 US Eventing Team for the Olympics in Hong Kong. Multiple medalist David O'Connor has retired from competition, and his wife Karen is an asterisk to the team as a third alternate with her horse Mandiba. To head to Hong Kong without the O'Connors' experience and talent is a first. It has been decades since neither of them was on the team. Some people reading this blog have never seen an Olympics eventing competition that did not feature one, and usually both, of the O'Connors.

But it's the absence of the third O'Connor, Theodore, that made international news this week. "Teddy", aka the bionic pony and Pan Am Games gold medalist, was euthanized after a terrible accident at home in Virginia a month ago.

Among those pausing to remember him and to mourn the O'Connorless team is Sean Gregory, writing in this week's TIME Magazine. No, Teddy, didn't make the cover but I can't remember the last time that TIME dedicated an entire article to a sport or pleasure horse.

Click here to read TIME's tribute to Karen and Teddy and also to Max Corcoran, Teddy's groom and best pal. It's a classy read, and not what you'd expect to see in a newsmagazine full of Presidential election politics, Middle East crises, and economy coverage.

Just like Teddy: not what you'd expect, at all.

Video: Get to Know What's Different About the Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Games

These two short videos give you a glimpse into how some countries did their homework for the Big Trip to Hong Kong next month for the 2008 Olympic Equestrian Games. Produced by the host, the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the first video takes you back a year to the 2007 "test events", where horses and riders and coaches and staff learned about the facilities and the weather. Would heavier warmblood horses be able to handle the heat? Would lighter Thoroughbred-type horses just sweat out their energy? A month from now, we will see the lineup of what horses were selected by which countries, and perhaps learn how the Hong Kong conditions affected decisions by team selectors to choose one horse over another.

This is definitely an interesting way to approach the world's top eventing, dressage, and show jumping horses. If you were a handicapper, you could have some fun figuring out how level the playing field will be in Hong Kong. I think there is a chance that an Underdog country may slip into the medals. What's your guess? Will the same old flags be flying?

The second video is a news report about the test events from the local news media in Hong Kong. You can see some faces of some of the "Hong Kong Heroes" who will be in the news a month from now!

Video: Virginia Tech Professor Will Be One of 20 Official Olympic Vets

David Hodgson BVSc, PhD, DipACVIM, FACSM, MACVSc is an Australian veterinarian working in the United States...and he's on his way to Hong Kong! The noted sports medicine expert and researcher is one of 20 official veterinarians who will serve at the Olympic Equestrian Events in Hong Kong next month. He needs to be on the ground and ready to work when the planes full of horses start to line up on the runways.

This short video clip from the local Roanoke, Virginia television station gives a little insight into Dr Hodgson and his mission to Hong Kong. Good luck, Dr Hodgson!

Hong Kong Turns to Horse Town as Olympic Equestrian Events Approach

A museum exhibit with 40 segments is open to the public in Hong Kong this week, as the island province prepares its citizenry to welcome (and understand) the frenzy of the 2008 Olympic Games' equestrian events, which will be held there. Posters and television spots educate the people about the individual disciplines and there is a spirit of giddy gaiety in anticipation of an unprecedented influx of tourists and athletes, both equine and human. This photo links to the China Daily web site, which has more photos of people visiting the exhibition.

2008 Olympics: Hong Kong Riding High with Equine Special Effects

This is just for fun: Hong Kong television is promoting the tiny island province as the ultimate horsey tourist destination for the equestrian sports sector of the 2008 Olympics Games this summer. Watch this little :30 commercial for some creative special effects! See anyone you know? You might want to watch this twice, some of the effects are pretty subtle...and very well done!

2008 Olympics Politics: Anky Speaks Out

Olympics Gold Medalist and World Champion dressage rider Anky Van Grunsven of The Netherlands has posted a statement on her web site regarding her view of the political impact of Chinese human rights violations in Tibet and how riders should respond at this time:

"Of course I follow the situation in Tibet. Sporters (riders) should know what is going on there. But I think the human rights aspect gets more attention because of the Olympic Games. Hopefully it will work out in a good way and it would be nice if we, sporters, could help a little bit to make the situation better."

I know it is hard for Americans to imagine this, but Anky is a "brand" of her own in her home country, with her own line of clothing, interviews with the prime minister, and guest appearances on every imaginable television program. The logo above emblazons her web site and says it all.

She doesn't need a last name.

2008 Olympics Protest: German Equestrians, Mindful of History, Will Gallop On

Argentinian show jumping rider Gregorio Werthein carried the Olympic torch through Buenos Aires yesterday. (Reuters.com photo)

Germany has decided that it will continue with plans to compete in a multitude of sports at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, in spite of pressure to withdraw in protest against Chinese oppression of Tibetan human rights.

But German athletes are among the most outspoken on their distaste for Chinese politics. The German water polo team has announced plans to wear bright orange terry-cloth robes poolside, evoking the orange prayer robes of Buddhist monks protesting in Tibet. German pole vaulter Anna Battke is planning a protest during the opening ceremony, according to the Germany newsmagazine Der Spiegel. She is urging athletes to participate in the ceremony dressed either as monks or Chinese government officials. At some point in the ceremony, athletes representing the two groups would simultaneously bow and shake hands, symbolizing peace between them.

The cover of this week's Der Spiegel (similar to our Time magazine), shows the Olympic rings but, if you look closely, the rings are actually handcuffs.

As always, it pays to take a spin around the web to some of the foreign-based news web sites that have English versions. You will certainly see a different spin on the news from what you will hear and see on the US television news. On the AsiaOne website you will read: "I have considered whether I can compete in China under these conditions," attributed to German show jumper Ludger Beerbaum.

Germany is perhaps the birthplace of the political Olympics, going back to Adolph Hitler's controversial hosting of the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. US participation in those games were hotly protested by Jewish Americans who were outraged by the persecution of Jews under the Nazis. Germany did not allow Jewish athletes to represent their country and Hitler did not recognize African-American Jesse Owens' remarkable feat of winning four gold medals.

In the equestrian events in 1936, Germany won team and individual gold medals in all the sports; the Spanish Riding School's Alois Podhajsky won the bronze medal in dressage for Austria. Horses with the Trakehner brand won six gold medals.

It's sad to look at the medal standings from 1936: once-great horse nations Poland, Hungary and Romania were up there in the medals. Poland won the silver in eventing ahead of Great Britain!

At the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany, politics and sport made deadly contact when Palestinian terrorists murdered 11 Israeli athletes and coaches.

On the bright side, it was the sport of table tennis and its international competition scene that initially brought China out of its withdrawal from the world stage back in the 1970s. One thing led to another, and now China is the most dominant force in international commerce.

So, it looks like the show will go on for the Germans in Hong Kong. German riders are among the favorites in all three Olympic equestrian disciplines. And most of the rest of the world will be riding German-bred horses. They have nothing to protest there. But watch for a strong German will to win in the eventing, as the Germans were disqualified and stripped of their gold medals at the 2004 Olympics in Athens when Bettina Hoy crossed the start line twice in the show jumping phase. An insightful article about Bettina's ongoing resentment can be read on the Reuters Olympics web site.

Tense Weekend in New Zealand as US Horse Imports (Falsely) Test Positive for Disease in Quarantine

Ever wonder what it would be like to see the international horse world instantly freeze in its own hoofprints? Is there anything that is more of a threat to the upcoming equestrian sports of the Beijing Olympics than the worldwide protests against human rights violations in China and the political situation in Tibet?

The answer is "yes" and it almost happened last weekend.

I held my breath before reporting on this story because it was THAT big news and I didn't want to start any panic or rumors.

Here's what happened: A group of horses traveling to New Zealand from the USA underwent routine disease testing on their arrival in Auckland last week. So far, this is normal.

If you have ever been to that wonderful tiny island nation as a human traveler, you know that they don't exactly welcome you with open arms. No, inspectors come on board your plane as soon as it lands and spray the whole thing down. Including you. Including the overhead bins. Including the plane itself. An island nation that depends on agriculture for its place on the world map can't afford to let a potentially dangerous virus, a fly, a caterpillar or anything else into their country. And you'd better not have any food in your luggage when you go through customs.

Somehow, New Zealand managed to dodge the Equine Influenza (EI) outbreak in eastern Australia last fall--an outbreak that shut down showing, rodeos, breeding and racing and cost the nation an estimated AUS$1 billion. The Kiwis protected themselves by slamming shut their doors and re-dedicating themselves to strict quarantine protocols. Lax quarantine procedures are being blamed for the leak of EI into the general horse population in Australia.

The American horses that landed last week must have sent the ag inspectors into orbit when their tests came back positive for EI. Of course, the horses had tested negative before leaving the USA. Give credit to the Kiwis' Biosecurity New Zealand agency, though, for deciding that a re-test was needed to confirm the results.

And the re-test showed that an error had occured and the samples had been contaminated by human error. The horses were not infected with EI, and their quarantine proceeded as usual.

Under import health standards, horses are required to undergo 21 days of quarantine before departure for New Zealand, including testing and vaccination, and a further 14 days in post-arrival quarantine in New Zealand, where they undergo further testing. Such stringent requirements are in place to ensure that horses entering New Zealand do not carry diseases like equine influenza.

But what if they had tested positive? An outbreak of disease in horses in Europe, the USA, or Australia/New Zealand could have a disastrous domino effect on international horse transport for racing, breeding and showing, and especially for the prospects of the Olympics coming up August.

Consider this: New Zealand is the only racing nation in the world that is free of EI.

Spin the globe and get another viewpoint: African Horse Sickness (AHS) killed more than 130 horses in South Africa this winter and is having a disastrous effect on horse exports there, as it has been for the past few years. Horses from South Africa ran away with two of the big races at the Dubai World Cup a few weeks ago, but breeders and trainers there would have a tough time selling horses anywhere right now.

Keep an eye on this blog. From now until the Olympics I will keep you posted on the world map of contagious horse diseases. It's a map that many health officials in Hong Kong are watching carefully.

Luckily, I live near Harvard University, where the International Society for Infectious Diseases runs its worldwide health monitoring system. I will be using their data reports, sifting through reports on diseases affecting monkeys and water buffalo and swans (not to mention humans) for news on horse disease outbreaks and other health issues that might threaten the Olympics. They provide a terrific service and I will pass on any news "as it happens".

At this point, I think that world politics are a much bigger threat to the Olympics than horse diseases. Please read the papers, listen to NPR, and scour good international news sources on the web (I recommend Reuters' News Agency excellent Olympics-specialty news channel) to take the pulse of world politics and sports politics. Tibet may not have an equestrian team but the plight of that beleagured nation can and will affect the horses that are out there schooling for selection trials to go to Hong Kong.

I am old enough to remember the ill-fated 1980 Olympics. At that time, the old US Equestrian Team's eventing training center was located down the road here on Boston's North Shore. How well I remember the heartbreak when the US team and coach Jack LeGoff were told that they would not be allowed to follow up their success at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, because the USA cancelled plans to participate in the Moscow Olympics for political reasons.

The Olympics are not just about sports. Please read the news with that in mind, and keep healthy horses on your wish list.

2008 Olympics: The Comeback Games

As the Olympics approach, the fairy-tale stories are emerging, and--thanks to them--the public will have underdog favorites to cheer and journalists will have plenty of stories to write. It happens every time.

This year, we have the Russian circus horse in dressage, and the comeback of gold medal old-timer Mark Todd in eventing. Some of the people competing against Todd weren't even born when he started winning medals.

But there's an even more colorful comeback story than Todd's. Look to Japan, not usually known as a dressage powerhouse nation, and meet Hiroshi Hoketsu. The last time you saw him was in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, if you were alive then.

Fifty-four years later, Hoketsu name shows up in the world standings for dressage, and he's out to set a new world record. No, he probably won't outscore Anky and Isabel, but if his horse stays sound/healthy and he makes it to Hong Kong, he will likely be the oldest Olympic competitor.

Hiroshi Hoketsu is profiled today in an unlikely place: the Wall Street Journal! The venerable financial daily also sent a video crew out to meet him.

According to the WSJ, Hoketsu was disqualified from the 1988 Olympics in Seoul when his horse became ill in quarantine.

Read the article; watch the video (below). It's time to start choosing your favorites for the Olympics...not just the ones who will medal, but the ones who will make it there, after a lot of hard work.

They're the ones who will be riding out the dreams of people like you and me.

The Organic Games: Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Events Will Require Largest International Movement of Earthworms in History

Hong Kong is a tiny island. So the pile up of manure and stable waste from the upcoming 2008 Olympic Equestrian Games could pose both an environmental problem and a health risk to the people and animals living there.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club's solution is an innovative manure treatment program. Each day, stable waste will be collected from the stables and “processed”, then “aged” for a week or so, at which time the organic matter will be turned over (literally) to some 80 million earthworms which Hong Kong is importing from Australia.

(No word yet why local Chinese earthworms can’t fill the job. Perhaps Australia has a thriving earthworm breeding industry?)

The numbers are staggering. According to Liu Daping, a spokeswoman for the Chinese affairs division of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), the worms’ castings (excrement) will be harvested and shipped to farms as fertilizer. Each day, 40 tons of fertilizer can be produced from 80 tons of stable waste and that is enough to fertilize a 20-hectare farm for a year.

During the 2007 Test Event in Hong Kong, the system processed 10 tons of stable waste per day. Presumably a new wave of immigrant earthworms will be headed to Hong Kong this summer. Currently 30 tons of stable waste from racehorses in Hong Kong is being recycled each day.

British Team Trains Grooms for Hong Kong Olympic Events

In January nearly 50 grooms of potential Olympic and Paralympic horses for the 2008 Beijing Games received training and advice from Great Britain's World Class Programme. It was also an opportunity for the grooms to give their opinions on a number of challenges that will be faced in Hong Kong.

Two separate conferences were held in order to share information and give guidance on preparing horses for the coming Games. The grooms of the horses in contention for selection to the Olympic and Paralympic Games will play a vital role in both preparing that horse in the run up to the Games and also during the competition, if selected. They were given an insight into the test event to which Britain took three horses to last August, including the lessons that were learned from that experience. They were also given advice on specific preparation steps planned for the potential horses, including monitoring, travel plans and climate issues.

There were presentations from experienced grooms, Jenny Ellis and Jackie Potts, who shared their views and experiences gained first hand from grooming at past Olympic events. Team Vets John McEwen and Jenny Hall spoke about veterinary information that grooms need to be aware of. The day also included presentations from Performance Director, Will Connell and Eventing Performance Manager Yogi Briesner.

The events were a great opportunity to share useful information with the grooms and also a chance for them to meet each other and share ideas and experiences. This is the first time World Class has organized an event such as this one; the positive feedback received indicates that they will definitely consider this approach in the future.

(news provided by British Equestrian Federation)

Note: The 2008 Olympic Games are especially important to Great Britain, since London will be hosting the next Olympics, in 2012.

On to Hong Kong: Detailed Report Download for TJR Readers

The FEI has kindly supplied a detailed synopsis of today's "On to Hong Kong" Pre-Olympic Workshop on Heat and Humidity. Included in the report are details about the predicted conditions in Hong Kong for August 2008, when the Olympic equestrian events will be held there. Transport, physiology, and stress are discussed in the report.

The synopsis is an 18-page PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file which can be downloaded by clicking here: FEIOntoHongKong.pdf.

Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat will be required to open and read the document.

Zara Phillips Comments on Olympics Health Risks for Her Horse After Swiss Team Quits

Reading the horse press from Europe this weekend makes it sound like someone finally got out a world map and saw where Hong Kong is. The equestrian part of the Olympics was moved from Beijing to Hong Kong out of concern for horse diseases and quarantine problems for foreign horses on the mainland.

Last week the Swiss announced that their dressage riders would not risk their horses’ health by making the long trip, which would be stressful, to the extreme heat and humidity of Hong Kong.

How hot is it in Hong Kong in August and September? So hot that they shut down racing for the health of the horses. And that's in a country where racing is a national sport obsession.

One person who is thinking a lot about the possibility of going to Hong Kong is former European champion eventer Zara Phillips of England. Phillips missed the Athens Olympics four years ago when her Toytown was sidelined by a tendon injury.

The Times (of London) caught up with Zara at Switzerland’s St. Moritz ski resort this week, where a winter festival of horse sports—including polo and show jumping, are played in the snow.

Here’s a clip from the article where Zara was asked if she shared the concerns of the Swiss riders:

“Yes, I do have concerns,” says Phillips. “But Toytown is my top horse and he is not going to get to another Olympics, and I might not myself. So what do you do? It’s difficult. I’ve racked my brains about it, but I know if Toytown was a person, he’d say, ‘Don’t be silly, let’s go’.

“We just need to get as much information as we can so that we can make the horses as comfortable as possible. You want them cool but not too cool, you’ve got to be careful about dehydration, but you don’t want to be pestering them all the time. It sounds a nightmare.”

2008 Olympics: Quarantine and Importation Updates

The rigors of travel and the exposure of hundreds of horses to each other and a new environment have been of great concern to the organizers of the equestrian events at the 2008 Olympics. The FEI announced today some updates on disease prevention and quarantine in Hong Kong, site of the equestrian events.

A 7-day pre-export quarantine (PEQ) at approved centers around the world and a 10-day post-arrival isolation (PAI) have been regulated. During the PAI, training can continue at specified times and the competition can commence.

At this time, it seems that the venue stables will be opened two weeks prior to the competition.

For an optimal flight recovery and acclimatization of the horses, it is strongly recommended that horses arrive as early as possible. This has the additional advantage that any horses suffering from travel sickness or respiratory problems after the flight can receive treatment and fully recover before the competition.

When horses arrive late, there is little time for treatment. Also, administration of certain medications can cause problems when the FEI Veterinary Regulations commence (normally three days before the first horse inspection for each discipline).

It is strongly recommended that all horses be given a booster vaccination against equine influenza between one and two months before entering the PEQ facilities, to ensure an optimal immune level and minimise the risk of influenza issues causing an importation problem. Horses suffering from influenza in the PEQ period will compromise not only their own travel to Hong Kong, but possibly also for all horses which are in that PEQ-facility at the same time.

Another disease for which vaccination should be made is Japanese encephalitis. The vaccine against this disease is being manufactured in Tokyo.

In previous FEI events, the percentage of horses suffering from travel sickness was rather low. Some figures: 2000 Sydney Olympics: no clinical travel sickness, 4 horses with fever, all recovered within 48 hrs post arrival. FEI World Cup Jumping Final in Kuala Lumpur: no cases of travel sickness.

To learn more about the equestrian events, visit a new web site developed specifically for those events, and published in English.