Archive - Wednesday, 8 August 2001


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Concern prompts show change

LOCAL concern over recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease around Brecon has resulted in the organisers of the inaugural West Wales Show Jumping Club show rethinking its format.

The show will now be solely targeted towards competitors in Pembrokeshire and will include showing classes.

The BSJA (British Show-Jumping Association) classes have been cancelled, in case they attracted competitors from outside the county.

'Due to concern expressed regarding the possibility of competitors travelling from outside the area, we have re-designed the schedule of the show to eliminate people travelling from outside Pembrokeshire,' said one of the organisers, Jen James.

Jen and her husband Nick own Mallards Reach Equestrian Centre at Camrose - the venue for the two-day event on August 15th and 16th. The show will take place in the slot where the now-cancelled County Show would normally have been held.

Jen said: 'The range of classes has been extended to encourage a greater variety of Pembrokeshire competitors and encourage them to support the newly-formed West Wales Show Jumping Club.'

'The usual cash prizes for unaffiliated classes will be given, but supplemented by generous vouchers to be spent in local equestrian retailers.'

She said competitors would need to confirm their intention to compete before the show, although further entries can be made by those competitors on the day.

All entrants also have to present their DEFRA (MAFF)- approved compliance certificates on arrival at the site.

But the club has emphasised that horses do not get foot and mouth disease and are no more likely to carry the virus than humans or dogs. 'The risk is minuscule,' said Jen, adding that recent events like Ascot and Goodwood had been held without any problems.

The show will have stringent precautions according to DEFRA (MAFF) guidelines. These will include concrete drive-through disinfectant baths, manual wheel-arch sprays and disinfectant pads for horses' hooves and pedestrians' feet.