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DEVELOPING & PROMOTING
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
CHALLENGES OF INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT OF HORSES INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE
BERNARD VALLAT, DIRECTOR GENERAL, OIE
Challenges of International Movement of Horses
International Alliances
Bernard Vallat
Director General, OIE Paris
IFHA General Assembly and 47th International Conference,
Paris, 7 October 2013
Content
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Introduction
International Alliances
Perceived constraints to international horse
movement
Issues specific to the racehorse industry
The HHP proposal
Conclusions
Introduction
The mandate, scope and structure of the OIE
 The process of standard setting
 The obligations of OIE member countries
 The notifiable equine diseases
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Black Caviar (AUS) – horse of the year 2013
INTRODUCTION
Historical:
OIE Mandate
“To prevent animal diseases from
spreading around the world”
The 5th Strategic Plan 2011/2015
extends the OIE’s global mandate to:
“Improve animal health, veterinary
public health, animal welfare, and
consolidate the animal’s role
http://www.oie.int/en/about-us/directorworldwide”
general-office/strategic-plan/
CHRONOLOGY
An intergovernmental organisation preceding
the United Nations
1924
1945
Creation of the
Office
International des
Epizooties (OIE)
Headquarters in
Paris (France)
2003
Creation of the
United Nations
World Organisation
for Animal Health
In 2013
6 Regional
Representations
6 Sub-Regional
Representations
178 Member Countries in 2013
Africa: 52 – Americas: 30 – Asia, the Far East and Oceania: 36
Europe: 53 – Middle East: 20
Some countries belong to more than one Region
Regional and Sub-Regional Representations
These representations closely collaborate with Regional
Commissions and are directly under the Director General’s
authority
10
Governance structure of the OIE
SCAD & TCC
Commission)/
Consultant Editor
General Process
for developing
Chapter for the
Terrestrial Code
Comments
Authors (Experts)
Consultant Editor
Review by the TCC with the
help of the editorial team
1
DELEGATES
&
2
other peer reviewers Assembly
Inclusion on the next edition
of the CODE/OIE website
Adoption of the Chapter
Obligations of Member Countries
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In order to ensure transparency and enhance
knowledge of global animal health situation (incl.
zoonoses),
Members shall submit information on animal
disease situation (incl. zoonoses) in their territory
- in the most timely and transparent way,
Using the World Animal Health Information
System (WAHIS) coupled with the World Animal
Health Information Database (WAHID) interface.
Categories of equine notifiable diseases
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“Official disease status” : FMD, CBPP, BSE, AHS, PPR, CSF
“Self declaration” by the country:
Dourine, EI, Glanders, VEE, Rabies, WNF
“Follow recommendations for importation as given in respective
disease chapters in the Code”
African Horse Sickness **
Contagious equine metritis
Dourine *
Equine encephalomyelitis
(Western and Venezuelan *)
Rabies * , WNF *, VS, JE and Anthrax
Equine infectious anaemia
Equine influenza *
Equine piroplasmosis
Equine rhinopneumonitis
Equine viral arteritis
Glanders *
** - Official disease status; * - Self declaration
INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE
International Alliance
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MoU between IFHA and OIE and FEI and OIE
Grant provided by FEI to the OIE
Engagement in Public-Private-Partnership to address movement
constraints:
 International movement of race and FEI horses within the EU
and between EU and selected approved third countries is
already facilitated
 Challenges exist in countries and regions not governed by
these regulations
International Alliance addresses these challenges at global level
Perceived challenges to travel internationally
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Application of excessive, inconsistent sanitary regulations
Differing approaches to quarantine, laboratory testing
Lack of knowledge/skills/interest/low priority for Veterinary
Services
No national regulations for temporary importation
Race horses import follows permanent import regulations in
some important countries
Issues specific to the racehorse industry
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IFHA has a structure in place to provide a framework to
support the “high health status” horse concept
Guidelines to facilitate the temporary movement of registered
racehorses for international races
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Racing circuit is well established
UK –France – USA – Australia – Japan – Hong Kong – Singapore - Dubai
Wise Dan (USA)
2nd world best
Black Caviar (AUS)
world best
The HHP initiative might open up this closed circuit
to other countries or regions, wishing to expand their racing industry

IFHA Annual
Report 2011
Proposal for
The
Facilitation of International
Competition Horse Movements
Based on
OIE Standards and approaches
OIE principles
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The OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code lists 11 equine
diseases and 5 multiple species diseases
Members have reporting obligations!
Zoning, Disease Free Zones, and Compartmentalisation
are defined in the Code
Animal identification and Traceability described in the
Code
Global Model Health Certificates
Quality of Veterinary Services and the PVS Framework
Compartmentalisation
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Compartmentalisation - the establishment and
maintenance of a sub-population of animals with a
specified disease free status
Based on sound management and biosecurity
measures
Conceptually could be applied to HHP horse
movements
If ID, traceability, management, biosecurity in place
If public-private partnership is endorsed
The High health «sub-population»
“High health, high performance”
(HHP) sub-population
Sport horses
Other horses,
Incl working horses
HHP sub-population complies
with these principles
Based on 4 pillars:
1. High Health status: vaccinations, tests, quarantine, health
certification
2. Performance and activities
3. Identification and traceability
4. Biosecurity
(biosecurity Guidelines for HHP in view of
compartmentalisation principle have been developed)
Operationalisation of the proposal
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Formation of an OIE ad hoc Group on the
International Movement for Equestrian Sport
AHG is examining definitions, standards,
biosecurity, EDFZs, PVS Performance
Indicators, Welfare during transport
And has developed a 3 years work
program
IFHA represented by Dr Anthony Kettle and
Dr Kenneth Lam
Expected outcomes
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Based on the OIE standards currently under development,
importing countries that are hosting international equestrian
events or horse races are advised to:
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Develop temporary importation requirements
Reduce the Pre-export quarantine period to a very minimum, or
not request at all
Recognise the biosecurity level at the venue or race course to be
equivalent to Post-arrival quarantine if biosecurity measures are
applied in line with OIE provisions
Establish EDFZ at the venue where necessary (as done
successfully for Asian Games 2010)
Conclusions (1)
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Clear socio economic benefits can be gained from the
expanding HHP horse industries, also in “non-classical”
countries/regions
There is a demand for OIE standards to
support safe international movements of the HHP horse
The HHP sub-population is designed to participate in FEI
international competitions and IFHA Group/ Graded races
HHP horses have high health status and sound management
underpinnings
Conclusions (2)
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Veterinary Services complying with OIE standards are
essential to the implementation of OIE Standards and to
provide credible certification
Regulatory services should work with industry organisations
(e.g. IFHA and FEI) through Public-Private Partnerships
The development of OIE Standards for HHP horses is a
logical progression from the current OIE general Standards
OIE Standards’ for HHP horses can be elaborated if based on
science, the process is transparent and dialogue between
public and private sector takes place
Thank you for your attention