Lexington, Ky. – As we have learned over the last few years, viruses can impact both human and equine athletes. They constantly evolve and are outside of our control. The U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) has been in daily contact with state and federal officials managing the current vesicular stomatitis (VS) outbreak to evaluate risk and determine what measures are necessary to protect the health of our equine athletes through the implementation of necessary biosecurity measures....

There is always a risk that your horse(s) will become ill due to an infectious disease. Because diseases caused by bacteria and viruses (such as Strangles and Equine Herpesvirus) are prevalent in the horse population, they can have a severe impact on a horse’s health and welfare. Although vaccination and current medical therapies can decrease illness, using biosecurity knowledge and techniques is the most effective way to prevent infectious disease and spread. With the support of the...

Lexington, Ky. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Merck Animal Health and ByoPlanet, two companies both committed to advancing animal health through innovative products and technologies. “We are proud to partner with USEF and ByoPlanet to showcase our cutting-edge products and further our commitment to protecting the health and welfare of animals," said Dr. Bryant Craig, associate director of scientific affairs...

Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian President Tom O’Mara and CEO Bill Moroney spoke during the General Session presentation to members and staff on January 13 th at the US Equestrian Annual Meeting. They looked back at progress made by US Equestrian in 2022 and laid out three priorities for 2023 with the theme of Working Together for Our Future. “Each year, we take this time to review our progress from the prior year, reassess where we stand, and establish the key goals and strategies...

Lexington, Ky. – Last spring, California’s show season was cut short due to an outbreak of equine herpes virus (EHV) cases across the state. While it was an inconvenience for some, others suffered the loss of their equine partners. Industry experts have been reviewing the events, revising protocols, and exploring new technologies to learn from this experience and hopefully mitigate future outbreaks. EHV is endemic in the equine population and outbreaks can occur wherever horses...

Lexington, Ky. - Due to international vaccine supply shortages, September 8th the FEI Board approved temporary measures to require vaccine boosters every 12 months vs. every six months, and not within seven days of arrival at the FEI event, effective October 1, 2022 to April 1, 2023. The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) will comply with the implementation of the temporary FEI vaccination changes but will still require horses that are competing in national classes adhere to GR844 (USEF...

In accordance with the FEI Veterinary Regulations , as of January 1, 2022 all Horses competing at all FEI Events worldwide must fulfil the Horse Health Requirements via the FEI HorseApp . The Horse Health Requirements were devised and implemented in response to the severe EHV-1 outbreak in mainland Europe last year, and are vital for the health and welfare of horses at FEI Events by providing an important biosecurity system to reduce the risk of an outbreak of an infectious disease. Sanctions...

A recent outbreak of an aggressive strain of the neurological form of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) has resulted in the immediate cancellation of international events in 10 countries on the European mainland through March 28, 2021. The outbreak originated at a competition in Valencia, Spain, and is present in at least three other countries in Europe to date. There are no current EHV-1 outbreaks related to the Valencia competition evident in the U.S. at this time, but USEF is recommending members...

Lexington, Ky . - The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has issued an Extension of Recommended Caution for California Equine Events . The California State Veterinarian recommends that all equine events of any discipline continue to be postponed through March 31, and all non-essential horse movements also be postponed at least through March 31. In line with this extension, USEF-licensed competitions in California scheduled to take place during this window have taken the...

Lexington, Ky . - USEF continues to work closely with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), competition organizers, and participants to manage the EHV-1 situation in CA and provide updates to our membership. The information provided below is based on information available to USEF at the time of distribution. In an effort to mitigate the risk of further spread of EHV-1, all USEF Licensed competitions in CA were suspended through March 17. In line with the CDFA release issued...