We know this is another thing for busy trainers and staff to manage, but it is important that everyone plays their part. These steps are being put in place to help keep racing and trials going, protect horses, and reduce the risk of strangles spreading any further.

In simple terms, please keep the following in mind:

• There are no current plans to stop, reduce, or regionalise racing or trials.
• Daily temperature checks are the backbone of these protocols. They are the simplest and most important way to pick up a possible issue early, before a horse travels or mixes with others. That is why temperature checks must be recorded and a declaration completed.
• There are no current plans to stop horses moving in or out of the Waikato.
• Horse movement in or out of the Waikato can continue where the required protocols have been followed. If a horse has had its temperature recorded twice daily for five consecutive days, has shown no temperature spike, and has then returned a negative SAA test, the chance of that horse carrying strangles is considered low.
• Other horse movement can continue, as long as the general requirements in the attached notice are followed.
• At this stage, trainers should plan for these requirements to be in place for at least one month.

We appreciate that this creates extra work, but the way the industry has responded so far has been very encouraging.

If everyone follows the requirements, records temperatures properly, completes the required declarations, and acts early when something does not look right, we give ourselves the best chance of keeping racing and trials going while managing this outbreak properly.

View the Updated Directive

View the Strangles Health Declaration

NZTR has set up a Strangles Web Hub: Strangles - NZTR