WHILE thoroughbred industry leaders are keen for ongoing vaccination against Equine Influenza, Upper Hunter equestrians Blair and Nikki Richardson are among those who maintain it is not in the nation’s best interests.

Mr Richardson said since Australia was officially declared EI-free on April 4, vaccination should not be necessary.

Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Andy Carroll has said that assuming there are no further cases of EI, on June 30 Australia will confirm that the EI virus is no longer present and international animal health bodies would be notified.

But Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and the Australian Racing Board want ongoing vaccination on a permanent basis.

Thoroughbred Breeders Australia President John Messara said ongoing vaccination was essential.

“We believe that quarantine goes hand in hand with vaccination to safeguard Australia from the economic loss which another incursion of EI would cause,” Mr Messara said.

However, Mr Richardson said ongoing vaccination would impose an unreasonable burden on horse owners and would severely hamper movement between Australia and New Zealand – the only other country in the world with a significant horse population that is EI free.

Mr Richardson and his wife Nikki, who operate a thoroughbred breaking and pre-training business as well as a busy equestrian business at their newly-established Vantage Hill property in Scone, pointed out that the Trans-Tasman three-day event is a crucial stepping stone to the Olympic Games for Australasian riders.

Nikki won the prestigious event in 1995 en route to the 1996 Olympic Games and Blair, who has competed in England and Europe, won the Trans-Tasman in 1997.

“If we have permanent vaccination then we accept that we have EI permanently and it would make Trans-Tasman travel with horses prohibitively expensive with substantial costs for pre-export and post-export quarantine,” Mr Richardson said.

“This would discourage people from participating in an event that that is one step down from the Olympics and World Championships – it is an important event for young riders and vaccination would make it too difficult to go,” he said.

“We have always been pro-eradication and we were disappointed last year that there was movement of horses. If we have to vaccinate then we will do it, but EI-free status is what we are after,” Mr Richardson insisted.

“It would also impact on young riders at pony club level, it is an extra expense and we need to be encouraging our young riders and nurturing their talent, they are the future of our sport,” he added.

“At the moment the Federal Government is saying they have eradicated EI and I think we should try to be EI-free.”