NRHA European Region Animal Welfare and Medications Policy

www.nrha.fi

First Show to Implement NRHA European Region Animal Welfare and Medications Policy:
€200,000 added NRHA European Futurity & NRHA Show

1.1.2013 alkaen National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) ottaa Euroopassa käyttöön NRHA Animal Welfare and Medication sääntöjen NRHA European Region Animal Welfare and Medications Policy -menettelytavat ensimmäisenä maailmassa. Näitä testejä voidaan ottaa missä tahansa Euroopan alueella käydyssä NRHA kilpailussa. Testit ovat pakollisia kaikissa niissä NRHA kilpailussa, joissa tapahtuman palkintorahat (added money) ovat 15.000$ tai enemmän. Ensimmäiset testit tullaan tekemään NRHA European Futuriteissa (Kreuth, Germany 14. - 20.4.2013). Vuonna 2013 Euroopassa tulee olemaan yli 20 kilpailua, joissa nämä testit ovat pakollisia.

NRHA:n European Council halusi saada nämä säännöt voimaan Euroopassa nopeutetulla aikataululla. NRHA:n hallitus Oklahomassa hyväksyikin tämän NRHA European Councilin esityksen. Mahdollisesta sääntöjen rikkomuksesta koituvat rangaistukset koskevat niin eurooppalaisia, amerikkalaisia kuin muualta maailmalta tulleita ratsastajia Euroopan alueella tapahtuvissa NRHA kilpailuissa. Aina kun mahdollista, testeuksessa tehdään yhteistyötä FEI:n kanssa. NRHA:n testausmenettelyt ovat käytännössä yhtenevät FEI.n ja AQHA:n vastaavien menettelyjen kanssa.

Animal Welfare and Medication säännöt ovat NRHA:n sääntökirjassa. NRHA European Region Medications Policy on ladattavissa NRHA Finlandin sivulta.

Seppo Perkiö
President of NRHA Finland
Member of NRHA European Council

Starting on January 1, 2013, the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) will begin to implement the European Region Medications Policy as part of the NRHA Animal Welfare and Medication Rule. The first major NRHA event the European Region Medications Policy will be applied to will be the 2013 NRHA European Futurity & NRHA Show which is scheduled for April 14 – 20 at the Kreuth facility in Germany.

“NRHA tested for research purposes during the 2012 NRHA European Futurity,” says Roberto Cuoghi who was highly involved with creating the European Region Policy as President of the Association’s European Affiliate Council. “The reaction of our riders, as well as reining fans, proved that Europe is ready to apply NRHA’s Animal Welfare and Medication Policy at NRHA-approved events in Europe, with penalties for violators, right from the start. During the meetings of the NRHA European Affiliate Council and the NRHA Board of Directors this fall, we agreed to test and to implement disciplinary procedures for NRHA-approved events in Europe that offer $15,000 or more in added money. This decision sped up the original timeline several years, but the European membership feels this is the best decision for our horses and the future of the sport in Europe.”

 

What does this mean for European riders?

• Starting January 1, at all NRHA approved events with more than $15,000 in added money, a clearly defined number of tests will be taken. All NRHA-approved events in Europe may be subject to testing.
• In countries, states or provinces with medications guidelines or for dual approved Federation Equestre International (FEI)/National Federation events, the medications rules and regulations of those entities supersede those of NRHA.
• Testing procedures will be quite similar to that of other equine associations such as the FEI or the American Quarter Horse Association. All test kits will be ordered from NRHA, and the samples must be sent to NRHA-approved laboratories. Results of the tests will be reported to the NRHA Medications Hearing Panel in the U.S.A., which also includes two Europeans.
• The complete policy can be found in the Members Only Section at www.nrha.com (#12-11-36 NRHA European Region Animal Welfare and Medication Policy) and the Animal Welfare and Medications Rule can be found in the NRHA Handbook. A list of examples of forbidden substances will be published on the NRHA website in the Members Only Section.

“In 2013, more than 20 shows in Europe will run according to the new European Region Policy,” says Gerd Wilhelm, managing director of the group that produces the NRHA European Futurity and member of the NRHA European Affiliate Council. “I’m happy that the 2013 NRHA European Futurity & NRHA Show will be the first and will be a forerunner for international Reining and our commitment to ensuring the welfare of our horses.”


More about the 2013 NRHA European Futurity & NRHA Show
Kreuth (Oberpfalz), April 14 – 20, 2013
At the 2013 NRHA European Futurity, horse must be nominated to the NRHA in order to be entered in the Futurity. The event starts on April 14 with the first section of the Open Futurity go-round. A paid warm up is offered for Futurity horses on Friday, April 12. The finals are scheduled for Friday, April 19 (Non Pro Futurity) and Saturday, April 20 (Open Futurity). Besides the Futurity, there is a full slate of NRHA classes which includes a €10,000 added NRHA Lawson Bronze Trophy Open as well as a €5,000 added Non Pro Trophy. During the whole show, the spectators will have access to more than 20 vendors from across Europe.

For further information on the event, please visit www.nrhaeuropeanfuturity.com.

Source: www.nrha.com