Back in September we posted a blog about the Australian Government imposing a six-month quarantine on all horses that are imported from Hong Kong. This was due to biosecurity issues regarding the new Conghua Training Centre which is located in mainland China.
Four months later and there are no signs of this row being resolved any time soon, therefore the organisers of the Global Sprint Challenge have made the decision to suspend the series in 2018.
The Global Sprint Challenge is a competition that incorporates ten Group 1 races across the world in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, the UAE and the UK. Due to the fact that not all horses would be able to compete in all of the races, the partners have decided that it would not be fair for the series to go ahead.
“We have regrettably decided to suspend the Challenge in 2018,” said series chairman Leigh Jordon.
“However, the partners remain committed to the Challenge which operates in a sphere where intercontinental horse movement is particularly strong.”
He went on to reassure fans that the Series is by no means gone for good, saying: “Once the restrictions between Hong Kong and Australia have been lifted we intend to re-launch with a bigger and better series in 2019.”
The Global Sprint Challenge has been running since 2005 and recognises the horse that accumulates 42 points or more over the course of a season as long as it competes in a challenge race in at least three countries.
There is also an additional bonus of $1m for the horse that wins at least three of these races, however this has not yet been achieved since the inception of the Challenge.
The Standoff
The Australian Government and the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) seem to still be at loggerheads over the issue. The Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources remains dissatisfied with the HKJC’s biosecurity arrangements, while the HKJC maintains that the standards are sound and in line with World Organisation for Animal Health guidelines.
We shall just have to wait and see…
If you would like to find out about how these issues might affect the movement of your horse, get in touch with us on 01638 663155 or click here.