Fair Board says horses must be tested for EIA

I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.

April 24, 1997

By Devlyn Brooks

Staff Writer

After several months of vigorous debate, the Beltrami County Fair Board finalized a policy this week that will not allow any horse testing positive for equine infectious anemia, or that has not been tested, on the fairgrounds during the 1997 Beltrami County Fair.

The policy is in effect for only this year and applies to all horses entering the fairgrounds during the fair, including Sheriff's Mounted Posse horses used in patrolling the fairgrounds, 4-H horses, open class horses and even the ponies involved in a traveling pony ride to be at the fair.

Equine infectious anemia, a disease little known outside the horse community, had polarized horses owners and others in Beltrami County for a number of weeks leading up to the Fair Board's decision Monday.

The disease had been pushed to the forefront of discussions by the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, county-level officials and horse owners across the state recently because of three outbreaks of EIA discovered in the last few years, even prompting more than 250 Minnesotans to attend a forum on the issue held in Bemidji in January.

Although the policy passed -- 12 Fair Board members in favor and four against -- not all of the 20-plus people attending the Monday meeting were happy with the decision.

Joe Dahlby, a Fair Board member, advocated the board should only pass a resolution supporting countywide voluntary testing efforts -- not to pass a resolution concerning the county fair that might polarize the local horse community further.

"I realize that we all have the interests of our horses and the horse population in mind. I know I do. It is unfortunate that this has polarized our horse community," he said. "But based on the facts and scientific research, we have to get beyond the fear (of competing in events that don't require testing). My bias is there is not a significant threat of EIA transmission at events. That's not how it is transmitted."

Other audience members felt differently, however.

Jim Dauner, who recently became a horse owner, said his experience with the Bangs disease in cattle makes him believe EIA testing should be required.

He said for 20 years cattle owners were required to test for Bangs, and now the disease has been eradicated from Minnesota. So, he said, the same efforts should be made toward EIA for the state's horses.

"There are fears," he said. "But one of the best ways to allay fears is to test. Testing in cattle has made it so we don't have to test any longer. I feel that testing (in horses) is worth it. If I could test now so my kids wouldn't have to. ... I would do it."

Another local horse owner, Bill Ihde, said he also agreed with the testing.

"Fifteen years ago, when we brought a calf to the fair, we had to test if for Bangs. Now we got rid of it in Minnesota," Ihde said. "Why not get rid of the damn (equine infections anemia) before it becomes an epidemic."

Prior to the vote, Fair Board member Becky Livermore -- who was in favor of the policy -- said she knew it was not an easy decision to make, but it was the Fair Board's job to make it.