Dublin Horse Show gets under way

Ireland’s biggest equestrian event kicked off today with precautions to safeguard against the spread into the country of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

The 139-year-old Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show, launched by the city’s lord mayor Paddy Bourke, runs for five days at the Royal Dublin Society (RDS).

But after two confirmed FMD outbreaks in the UK, organisers added a number of features to ensure the disease is not brought into the country by visiting competitors.

Disinfectant mats have been placed throughout the venue and the segregation of waste from domestic and international horses will be carried out.

“The RDS is in close contact with the Department of Agriculture and Food and has implemented all the range of measures requested by them in order to prevent any cases of foot and mouth disease entering the country,” an RDS spokesman said.

Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan said earlier this week there was no reason why agricultural shows such as the RDS event could not go ahead despite the FMD scare.

A department spokesman confirmed inspectors had fully briefed organisers on what precautions to take to safeguard against the disease.

Around 1,400 horses and ponies will take part in the show from countries around the world, including 13 from Britain.

RDS chief executive Michael Duffy said straw, hay and other material that travelled with international horses would be disinfected and dumped in an approved landfill site.

An Agriculture Department vet will also be on call throughout the five-day show.

The hotly-contested Samsung Superleague competition, to win the world-famous Aga Khan trophy, takes place on Friday.