Find out how the organizing committee of one of the largest Quarter Horse shows in the nation is handling biosecurity at their competition in response to the recent EHV-1 outbreak.

When the current equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) outbreak first surfaced in early May shortly after the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Western National Championship in Utah, Jackie Krshka of Yukon, Okla., immediately got on the phone.

As the show director for the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Association Redbud Spectacular–one of the nation’s largest American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) shows–she knew the outbreak had serious implications for the 2011 show planned June 1-12 at the Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City.

"We jumped right on top of it," Jackie says. She immediately put together a team directing the Redbud’s biosecurity response to the outbreak: herself, show veterinarian David McCarroll (DVM, Dipl. ACVIM)(also on the Redbud show board) and Bill Allen of the State Fair Park. They stayed in constant contact with Oklahoma State Veterinarian Mike Herrin (DVM), the USDA, and AQHA.

"The current EHV-1/equine herpes myeloencephalopathy outbreak is isolated to a group of horses, and that limits the scope of the outbreak significantly," McCarroll explains. "Those horses and premises affected are very well identified. Credit is due to NCHA and its members who made the tough decision to segregate those horses from the rest of the population and limit traffic to events. I think it will pay huge dividends in the long run.

"The Redbud this year has no cutting or working cow horse