Facilitating the international movement and harmonizing biosecurity measures for the import and export of high level sport horses was, for the second year in a row, a major topic of discussion at the 2013 Sports Forum of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) April 8-9 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Declared a “top priority” for the FEI already last year by the organization’s president HRH Princess Haya, and fully supported by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the project was met with encouragement and enthusiasm by forum attendees, according to Graeme Cooke, MA Vet MB MBA MCIM MRCVS TD, FEI veterinary director.

“It went extremely well, and once again it was confirmed that this is a real concern that needs to be addressed,” Cooke told The Horse. “It was the first time that the national federations were exposed to the concepts in depth. And overall, there’s a general feeling that what we are looking to do is something that’s very deliverable.”

The need for improved processes to move high-level sport horses across international borders appears to be well recognized with no voiced opposition to the concept, Cooke said. The challenge now, however, is to put a practical system into place that will make such movements easier while still protecting horses from the possible spread of disease. As each country has different risks and concerns, the FEI must take each situation into careful consideration in its effort to globalize simple biosecurity processes