Page 18 - April 2005 The Game

18 The Game, April 2005 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper ~ Alberta Racing ~
EquineWest NileVirus Remains Unpredictable Threat to Horses
Never a Dull Moment for Outrider
Spring is the best time to vaccinate horses against West Nile Virus
Baie d’Urfé, Quebec, March 22, 2005 – Of the approximately 800,000 horses throughout Canada, all are at risk for con- tracting West Nile Virus (WNV), since the disease is endemic to North America. Due to the unpredictability of the disease, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) recommends that all horses in North America be immunized against West Nile Virus.
"The best time to vaccinate horses is right now, during the spring months, before the onset of mosquito season," says Normand Plourde, Technical Services Veterinarian, Merial Canada. "It is also important to make sure previously vacci- nated horses get their annual booster shot before mosquitoes become more prevalent in the summer."
Equine WNV is a serious, life-threaten- ing and often debilitating disease for hors- es. The death rate for horses with clinical signs of WNV infection is approximately 33 percent. Forty percent of horses that contracted the neurological form of WNV disease and survived have displayed resid- ual effects such as gait and behavioral abnormalities, according to the AAEP.
Risk of exposure and geographic distri- bution of WNV vary from year to year with changes in distribution of insect vec- tors and reservoirs of the virus. The AAEP recommends an annual booster after the primary series of vaccinations. In endemic areas, booster as required or warranted due to local conditions conducive to disease risk.
"In 2004, Merial Canada launched a new WNV vaccine that uses the most advanced vaccine technology available," Plourde says. "RECOMBITEK(R) Equine
West Nile Virus vaccine is a recombinant vector-virus vaccine that provides fast-act- ing and long-lasting protection against WNV."
Research studies show that the new vaccine protects 90 percent of horses against WNV viremia one year after a pri- mary vaccination series of two injections.1 In a separate study, eight of nine horses were protected from WNV with the vac- cine in just 26 days following a single injection.2 The vaccine can be used to booster any previously vaccinated horses. It is also safe for foals.3
"West Nile Virus should not be taken lightly," Plourde warns. "Taking action today to protect horses through vaccination is much easier and less expensive than pro- viding treatment later for horses that con- tract this disease."
Merial is a world-leading, innovation- driven animal health company, providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance the health, well-being and perfor- mance of a wide range of animals. Merial employs approximately 6,000 people and operates in more than 150 countries world- wide. Its 2004 sales were in excess of $1.8 billion. Merial Limited is a joint venture between Merck & Co. and sanofi-aventis. For more information, please see www.merial.com.
Photo - Pat Gauvreau
Outrider Rob Love (right) helps guide an apprehensive worker to the gate at Stampede Park.
By Pat Gauvreau
This is a “Love Story” about a man and his horses. Rob Love is the Head Outrider for Stampede Park in Calgary and Northlands Park in Edmonton. He is responsible for the safety and well-being of the athletes, both horses and riders, who provide us all with fabulous entertainment in the form of Thoroughbred Racing.
Rob has been riding since he was 2 or 3, but really got hooked when his dad bought him a yearling thorough- bred colt when Rob was 12. Together they started training it at a small track called TeePee Creek, just outside of Grande Prairie, Alberta. That was the start of a life long “Love Affair” with racing and the Thoroughbreds.
Rob rode the B Circuit in Alberta and B.C. for 20 years, occasionally taking a break to work with the cattle on community pastures, but always coming back to the horses. In 2002 Rob was galloping on the A Circuit and ended up race riding for the last couple of weeks of the Edmonton meet. The following year Tim Rycroft, the Head Outrider in Alberta, relocated to Woodbine and Rob took over the job in Alberta and has been in charge ever since.
Rob’s work day is full of variety, excitement and sometimes danger. On one of his busier days Rob had his hands full when several horses got loose at the same time. It was one of those cold early spring mornings with lots of young horses, green horses and fresh older horses on the track together. He had to catch them one at a time, at high speed, handing each one off to someone else, then quickly going after the next one, until all were safely brought under control. He just hopes that nothing bad happens before he can catch them all. Rob’s prime objective in these
circumstances is to bring everything to a safe conclusion with no injuries.
Rob’s personal stable consists of 5 horses, 4 of which are kept at the track. He is always prepared with back up horses ready to go in a moments notice, in case one gets injured or tired. Rob’s favourite and primary horse is Sandy, the 8 year old quarter horse gelding, pictured above. Sandy, a former rope horse, has become a great outrider’s horse since he started this line of work 3 years ago. Rob says he’s quite a character, spunky and loves to chase and catch horses. He’s fun to ride and makes Rob’s job a lot easier to do.
His next best horse, Junior, is an older ex-racehorse that ran under the name Mega Charge. Junior spent about a year adjusting from racing to outriding and has been doing well for about 3 years. Rob needs different types of horses to get the job done. Quarter horses for speedy catches and Thoroughbreds for chasing down the ones that like to play the game “Catch me if you Can”. Whatever’s happening, the spectators love to watch the outrider doing his job when the pressure’s on.
Rob also supplies the horses for the backup outrider for race days. He chooses the rider based on horseman- ship skills and this year he selected Amy Hanna. Amy is a regular morning gallop girl and she’s capable of running down a loose horse as well as handling any unruly horse on post parade.
Rob has a 20 year old son, Dallas, who is just getting into the business and is currently grooming and galloping at Stampede Park. He also has a 5 year old daughter, Trulee Jean, who lives with her mother in B.C.
Did You Know....
That in a recent vote in Broward County, 57% of voters supported the plan to allow slot machines at pari-mutuel facilities,
putting Gulfstream Park a step closer to installing slot machines at its new facility scheduled for completion in 2006.
It is now up to Tallahassee State legislators to decide
how many slots will be allowed at the facility, what hours
they can operate and how they will be taxed. Meanwhile in Miami-Dade County, home of Churchill Downs Inc.’s
Calder Race Course, the voters went against the plan and denied the racetrack the right to install the slot machines.
Did You Know....
That two Australian jockeys died within two days of each other from injuries sustained in race falls. In early March,
jockey Gavin Lisk died as a result of the injuries he sustained in a fall at Moe in Victoria State.
Two days later, 23-year-old apprentice jockey, Adrian Ledger died from the head injuries he received in a fall during a race at Corowa,
on the Victorian border with New South Wales State. Racing Victoria said that safety measures would be looked at once inquiries into the falls have been held.
In late March in Wellington, New Zealand, a 16-year-old apprentice jockey, who had only been race-riding for four months, was dragged to
his death by a run-away horse during a race meet. Sam McRae was dragged 900 yards after his foot became trapped in the stirrup after falling from his horse.