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Facilitation of International Competition Horse Movement Portal

"High health high performance" (HHP) horses      Regional conferences      Equine disease free zones

Challenges to the worldwide expansion of the sport horse industry

The international movement of competition horses is nowadays a frequent practice globally. Since the 1960s, equestrian events have experienced a significant growth resulting in millions of horses that travelled from one country to another for different reasons. Nevertheless, when analyzing the number and regions where International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) and International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) approved events are held, it is noticeable that the equine sport has grown mainly in Europe and North America, but has faced obstacles to expand in other regions. This can partly be attributed to difficulties in the health certification requirements for sport horses to other countries (e.g. burdensome and unwarranted sanitary regulations, extensive and time consuming quarantine and laboratory testing and the lack of regulations for temporary importation).

OIE, FEI, IFHA partnership for the facilitation of international competition horse movement

In 2013, in response to a growing demand from countries for help in improving cross-border movement of top-level sport horses, the OIE, the FEI and the IFHA engaged in a public-private partnership. This collaboration aims at establishing a specific and practical framework in line with OIE science based standards to enable countries and regions to harmonise their provisions for temporary importation and re-entry of competition horses while minimising the risk of transboundary disease transmission. Strengthening the collaboration between the National Veterinary Services and the industry partners and other relevant professionals, including veterinarians and other experts, is crucial to facilitate the safe international movement of sport horses
An ad hoc Group (AHG) on International Horse Movement for Equestrian Sport was established by the OIE in 2013 and has met on a regular basis. It brings together stakeholders from the private sector (i.e. representatives of FEI and IFHA), equine disease experts from the academic world and from diagnostic and research laboratories, regulatory representatives, and OIE Specialist Commissions.

International OIE standards in development

One of the group’s tasks has been to develop the general principles of the High health, High Performance (HHP) horse concept as well as supporting information on the management and biosecurity measures for these horses.
The description of the general principles, developed in 2013, was presented for the consideration of the Scientific Commission for Animal Diseases (SCAD) and the Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission (TAHSC), and were adopted by the World Assembly of Delegates in 2014; recent country comments have been considered and a revised version of Chapter 4.16 will be presented for adoption in May 2015.
A draft Model HHP Veterinary Certificate was developed in 2014 which, after consideration by SCAD and TAHSC has been sent for Member Country comments. Documents such as HHP Management Guidelines and Biosecurity Guidelines, are currently being finalised and will be published on this webpage.
Research projects will also be funded for the development or improvement of diagnostic tests and vaccines for equine diseases of importance for safe international movement and health certification, such as equine influenza, glanders and African horse sickness and a Call for Tender can be found here.

Futher reading

+ HHP disease risk mitigation strategies
+FEI: http://www.fei.org
+IFHA: http://www.ifhaonline.org
+Agreement with the FEI and the OIE
+Agreement with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA)
+Up in the air, Breeding and Racing, November 2014
+V.E. Unt. Sports forum: international movement of horses. Equine Veterinary Journal, 2014, 46(3) 262-263

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