Posted, January 3, 2006

Gold Coast Dressage Association Opener CDIW/CDIY Cancelled

The Gold Coast Dressage Association Opener CDIW/CDIY , January 26-28, 2007 at the Horse Park at the Equestrian Estates in White Fences has been cancelled. Gold Coast Opener Revisited to be hosted February 17-18, 2007 at the Palm Beach County Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in W. Palm Beach, FL.

A GCDA Board Meeting was hosted this past weekend to discuss the current status of the Equine Herpes Virus (EVH-1) in Wellington, FL, and how this impacted the GCDA Opener CDIW/CDIY. In attendance were Noreen O’Sullivan GCDA President, Tracey Winter Vice President, Pam Wood DMV Vice President, Suzie Sook Secretary & Treasurer, Deborah Ferolito GCDA Publications & Staff Coordinator, Diane Sasscer Sponsorship Director and Arnelle Liblit GCDA Awards and Monica Fitzgerald, Show Secretary via conference call.

Upon review of the current updates, as well as feedback from the Board and our show’s competitors, The Gold Coast Dressage Association Board felt that the most responsible thing to do at this time was to cancel the CDIW/CDIY and reschedule the open national show, the Gold Coast Opener Revisited, to February 17-18, 2007.

“We have made this decision based on the best interests of the horses and our community,” stated Noreen O’Sullivan, President of GCDA and the Opener CDIW manager. The Opener is a long-standing tradition that has kicked off the dressage season for GCDA. “We feel that by postponing the open show to February, we are giving ourselves more time to initiate some added precautions for future shows to ensure the health and safety of the horses.”

Such measures include following the GCDA Entry Requirements To The Show Grounds:(Full details will be available on the GCDA website)

• , Requires a GCDA Certification Statement, signed by a licensed veterinarian, certifying current Vaccination for EHV-1, No Known Exposure or No Fever of Unknown Origin for the past 30 days, and Certification of Temperatures recorded within 72 hours prior to arrival.
• A Vet or Vet Tech will be on the grounds to coordinate shipment in of horses.
• No horses will be allowed on the grounds that have originated from a barn with a suspect or confirmed case of Equine Herpes or fever of unknown origin within the past 30 days.

Many local veterinarians have been working hard to oversee the situation and feel that this outbreak may well be contained in time for the winter show season. “We are hopeful that with a little patience and some added precautions, the remainder of our show season will continue as planned at this new facility in West Palm Beach,” stated O’Sullivan.

In addition, GCDA has plans to host the GCDA Finale I & II April 14-15, 2007 as a USEF HP Qualifying Competition for the 2007 USEF National Grand Prix Championships and the 2007 National Dressage Intermidiaire I Championship/ 2007 Pan American Games Selection Trials. Other upcoming GCDA show dates: GCDA May Dressage May 26-27, 2007, GCDA Schooling June 24, 2007. **For further information please visit: www.gcdafl.org

*Special thanks to Dr Scott Swerdlin & Palm Beach Equine, for their support of GCDA. Please monitor updates on the EHV-1 posted every 48 hrs on www.faep.net. Currently there are there are no new additional neurological cases of EHV-1 noted outside the quarantine barns. It is recommended that all horses entered in shows have a Health Certificate from a Veterinarian (dated within 7 days of the competition)and confirming current vaccination for rhinopnuemonitis. Further precautions may be instituted, so please check for updates.