A virus that can sicken and kill horses that was found in Texas has resulted in a precautionary shutdown of the Lee County Posse Arena over the past two weeks.
The arena was forced to cancel a NBHA barrel race as well as the monthly jackpot race on the first Friday of the month. It also potentially could impact two of the biggest events the arena hosts every year if the virus becomes a pandemic.
There have been no known cases of the Equine Herpes Virus in the state of Florida thus far.. If that continues, the arena is set to be reopened on Dec. 12, just in time for a team penning event on Dec. 13 and another planned NBHA show on Dec. 20.
Bobbi Harrison, spokesperson for the Lee County Posse Arena, said all was fine until Nov. 20.
“There was an outbreak that started at a barrel race in Waco, Texas, of EHV1, which is Equine Herpes Virus, and several horses have died from it,” Harrison said. “People left there and went home not knowing until the horses started getting sick.”
Harrison said that there is a vaccine for EHV1. But like COVID, the virus mutated and the vaccine is ineffective for this strain.
The state learned about the outbreak a few days later and recommended places like the Posse Arena close down and that horse owners quarantine their horses until at least Dec. 12, when it will be lifted, Harrison said.
That is, unless we start getting cases of the virus in Florida.
“If there is a confirmed case in Florida we will go to another 21-day quarantine,” Harrison said, which would bring the quarantine into the new year. This one would be mandatory.
This could also potentially impact the 65th annual Cracker Day Rodeo which is set for Jan. 23 and 24. The PRCA Fort Myers Rodeo is in February and the Youth rodeo is slated for March 14.
This would certainly scrub the team penning and the NBHA events. Harrison added the NBHA might cancel that event as an added precaution.
Harrison said many big rodeo events have been canceled due to the virus. The National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas was set to begin Thursday and is expected to go off as planned.
“They’ll only cancel the NFR if the state mandates a quarantine and I don’t know how they would work their way around that,” Harrison said. “The cattle isn’t the issue, it’s the horses and they’re a big part of rodeo.”
Harrison is hopeful that the quarantine is lifted and everything goes off as planned. Harrison is hopeful about the Cracker Day Rodeo, the biggest fundraiser for the arena and its mission, as it will return more to its ranch roots.
It is also a rodeo in remembrance to the last living original founder, Hardy Silcox, Sr., who passed away last week.
Harrison is hopeful for all the area horse owners that everything will be OK.
“Hopefully, things will go back to normal. We’re praying for these owners who are dealing with this. It would be heartbreaking to go through it.” Harrison said.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com