Biosecurity Notice From the Ute Mountain Round Up

by ProRodeo.com | May 30, 2014

We want to announce that the Ute Mountain Roundup in Cortez, Colorado, will be held as scheduled! We welcome all contestants and friends to our event and will do all in our power to make it as enjoyable as possible.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture’s most recent status report on EHV-1, as of 5/28/14, reports the following:

There are no new EHV-1 affected premises in Colorado. The quarantine is still in place at the affected stable in Rio Grande County. The second positive horse is still being monitored and is under quarantine. It no longer has a fever and continues to show no signs of neurological disease at this time.

No additional movement restrictions have been put in place for horses moving into or within Colorado. Horses moving into Colorado are required to have a certificate of veterinary inspection / health certificate issued within the last 30 days and a negative Equine Infectious Anemia test (Coggins Test) within 1 year. Specific horse events may require more recent health certificates and other requirements, so participants are encouraged to contact the event manager prior to leaving for equine events to get updated entry requirements.

The May 15, 2014 update from the Colorado Department of Ag is as follows and this is what prompted our rodeo committee to put in extra precautions to protect all of the horses participating in our event:

1 confirmed and 1 suspected case of horses with EHV-1

• One horse, which tested positive for EHV-1, was euthanized after showing severe neurological signs associated with the disease.
• The second (suspect) horse resided with the first horse and attended some of the same barrel racing and rodeo events as the horse confirmed with EHV-1.

The EHV-1 positive horse and its stable-mates have a history of travelling to events within Colorado over the last few weeks and there is a potential link to other horses that have attended the National High School Rodeo and Colorado Junior Rodeo Association events located in:

• Henderson (April 26-27)
• Eagle (May 2-4)
• Rocky Ford (May 10-11)

The Colorado State Veterinarian’s office is in the process of contacting all Colorado contestants that were involved in these events.

As of this date, there are no cases in Montezuma County or any Colorado county bordering us. We are very encouraged by this update and hope that the quick action of everyone involved, including the Colorado Department of Agriculture and horse owners across the west, has helped control the spread of this disease.

We, the committee of the Ute Mountain Roundup pledge that we will do everything we can to prevent the spread of EHV-1 at our rodeo. We also want to make every contestant entered as comfortable as possible who is bringing horses to our rodeo.

Our plan of attack is as follows:

Our Fair Grounds were closed to all horses effective May 19th and will remain closed until Honeycutts arrive with their stock the week of the rodeo.

While the arena is closed, all pens, stalls and water tanks have been disinfected.

We will take the following steps to minimize contact between horses:

1. The pens, corrals and water tanks behind the chutes will be only for Honeycutt’s stock. No other horses will be allowed in this area without prior approval by Honeycutts. It will be particularly important that no one else water their horses at those water tanks or dip their buckets into those water tanks.
2. Our stalls will be inside buildings and will be arranged with 40’ separation between stalls.
3. Disbursed parking (40’ separation) will be encouraged for contestants transporting horses.
4. As an additional measure, disinfectant baths for both human shoes and horse hooves will be provided at entrances to buildings where stalls are located and the livestock pens behind the chutes. Hand sanitizer will also be available at each of these locations.
5. All people entering the fairgrounds with horses from outside Colorado will be required to comply with Colorado law and any other regulations in effect at the time of the rodeo. At the current time this includes a negative Coggins test within the past 12 months, and a health inspection within the past 30 days.
6. All horses being brought to the fairgrounds by contestants, members of the Roundup staff, royalty, volunteers, etc. must be inspected by our rodeo veterinarians, Dr. Gerald Coppenhafer, DVM and/or Dr. Kelleen Ramsey, DVM at the time they arrive at the fairgrounds.
7. Owners of any horses that were present at the following High School Rodeos are to bring the temperature record for their horse(s) and present it to our veterinarians upon entering the fairgrounds:

Henderson, CO Rocky Ford
Eagle, CO Colorado High School Rodeo Assoc. Finals

All contestants, contractors, volunteers and other participants in the Ute Mountain Roundup are strongly encouraged to do everything they can to insure that no infected horse is brought to the fairgrounds the week of the rodeo. They are further strongly encouraged to do everything in their power to insure the highest practicable level of biosecurity possible at our fairgrounds the week of the rodeo.

If any further cases are confirmed in Colorado, the Ute Mountain Roundup may impose additional measures to protect your horses by strengthening our biosecurity. If that becomes necessary or if there are any other changes, we will communicate them through the PRCA and directly to those contestants who request a direct email. TO REQUEST DIRECT EMAIL NOTIFICATION OF ANY CHANGES, PLEASE NOTIFY US BY EMAIL TO slim@centurytel.net.

Again, we welcome all contestants, companions, families and other rodeo lovers to our rodeo! Join us for a great event and help us prevent the further spread of this disease!

Thanks for your participation!
The Ute Mountain Roundup Committee

Courtesy of PRCA