Foot and Mouth update: Natterjack enduro is ON
By TMX Archives on 27th Sep 07
THE situation regarding the Foot and Mouth outbreak has continued to fluctuate on an almost daily basis over the past week and readers can of course keep up with the news as it happens, if they wish, by consulting the DEFRA website.
Several upcoming high-profile trials and enduroevents were still in the balance as T+MX was going to Press on Tuesdayincluding the Lakes Two-Day Trial in Cumbria (October 13/14) and theScott Trial in Yorkshire on Saturday, October 20.
The situation regarding both these northern eventsis that no decision has yet been made over whether to run or not. Thecommittees of both trials met on Monday evening and both decided topostpone making a final decision until this weekend.
There were actually two good pieces of news onTuesday this week. The first was that farm to farm animal movementshave been reinstated, outside the area of a DEFRA-imposed buffer zonearound the infected Egham area. This at least allows the farmersoutside the buffer zone to make a step back to going about theirbusiness.
The other good news was that the suspected ‘Footand Mouth' case near Petersfield, Hampshire, has proved negative andthat the control zones that had been imposed by DEFRA have been removed.
The latter was very encouraging for the organisersof this weekend's British Championship Natterjack Enduro, scheduled totake place at Bordon, Hants.
If the case had been confirmed it would have beenvery difficult for the event to have gone ahead. As T+MX was going topress the organisers sent out a press release stating that as thingsstood on Tuesday, the event was going ahead.
The Natterjack takes place on MOD land and DEFRAadvice was to go ahead as in its opinion, the risk was negligible. Thesituation would only change in the unlikely event of another suspectedoutbreak and subsequent control areas close to the venues.
Bio-cleansing equipment will be on-site if anyrider feels it prudent to use it on his/her machine, riding gear orvehicle if they are returning to an agricultural area.
Over the past week T+MX has been informed of anumber of events which have been cancelled as a result of the current‘Foot and Mouth' outbreak in the south of the country.
Unfortunately, the double header Youth TrialsChampionship weekend in Derbyshire, over the weekend of October 13/14has been hit.
Mansfield Maun MCC was due to host the Youth C andD round on October 13 while East Midland RA was due to host the Youth Aand B round at the same Longcliffe Tops venue the following day.
Mansfield Maun has also cancelled a club trial at Rockhurst Farm, Brassington, the following weekend, October 21.
Meanwhile, Golden Valley Classic (AMCA) club hascancelled its trial due to run this weekend, October 7, at CowcombeWoods, Chalcombe, near Stroud.
On the motocross front, this weekend's, October 7,round of the UMX series in the Southern Centre at West Meon has alsobeen scrubbed.
Organisers of a number of high profile eventsaround the country in the coming weeks are watching the news bulletins,and keeping their fingers crossed...