The saga continues…

India has really been hit hard by this glanders outbreak; several extremely significant equestrian events have had to be cancelled.  Basically, moving horses or allowing them to congregate anywhere in India is problematic right now.
There have been a flurry of emails.  To summarize the situation from my own point of view… First of all, although I purchased cancellation insurance, it does not cover this kind of problem!  Long story short—I can’t get my money back for the airline tickets.  Given that starting point, my feeling and Barb’s is that we should go anyway and just be tourists.
The organizing committee and everyone associated with this clearly feel very badly, and have been trying to come up with alternatives.  At first, it was suggested the ride be moved to another location; I will copy you the email from the Indian Federation (since this, I believe the quarantine has become even more restrictive):

Dear Mr Ian Williams,

We ,at the Equestrian Federation of India, have more than 

enthusiastically planned the ride with full awareness that

the event will be precursor for stronger Endurance

discipline in the country. Cancelling it was a hard yet 

inevitable option. The Organizing Committee had made all

the required arrangements. Mr Manoj Jalan and other

EFI officials visited the venue and were satisfied with the

preparations and provisions. Glanders, being a notified disease, 

there was no room for resorting to half-measures-both technically

and administratively. Hence, the hardhearted and inescapable

decision to cancel the ride was taken.

The venue of the ride has only 06 Endurance qualified horses. 

The rest of the horses have to reach the venue through areas 

wherein the movement of horses has been banned. Besides,

the government policy discourages the congregation of equines

in the area. As you may be aware, the discipline of Endurance

is still at an early stage in the country and total number

of qualified horses is not more than 22 and all of these are

in Meerut ,Hempur and Saharanpur-the area having outbreak of

Glanders. In the Dibrugarh ride last year, majority of the horses

were from this belt.

The extant guidelines of the concerned Ministry restrict the

movements for a period of three months from the last case reported.

A fresh case was reported as late as on 07th January. Hence,

the postponement was ruled out. The NF has cancelled other

events, including the prestigious All India Police Equestrian meet.

The available Endurance qualified horses are located in the affected

Zone or in its close vicinity. The option of having a ride at an

alternate location was not viable as moving out the

horses from the Zone is not permitted. We do not have sufficient

number of Endurance horses at any other place to organize a ride.

We sincerely hope that our constraints are put in perspective and acknowledged.

With kind regards,

Col S S Ahlawat ,  VSM
Secretary General

So, as you can see, they are really stuck.  It appears that many of us are in the same boat as myself (unable to get a refund for our airline tickets), so…discussion of what other possibilities exist.  Obviously, we can all just go as tourists…

TODAY—get this!:

Hallo Everyone,

Today the FEI has heard further news from India and sadly, it would appears that despite everyone's

best efforts it will not be possible to organize any kind of equestrian event in and around Delhi

during your arranged visit dates.

However we have today been advised by Mr. Manor Jalan that he would  be happy to host those who will

still make the trip to India for three to four days at his home in Assam.

Here you would have the opportunity to visit the site of the 2010 Endurance Event, visit the tea

plantations and most important of all, enjoy some riding in and around the area which would extend

to riding along the banks of the mighty rivers that originate high in the nearby Himalayan Mountains.

Also available in the region of Assam, is the world famous Kaziranga National Park where it is possible

to ride on elephants whilst spotting the white rhino and other  animals in the reserve.

Everyone is terribly disappointed in what has happened over the unavoidable cancellation of the event.

but it is hoped that those who still travel to India and take up the offer from Mr. and Mrs. Jalan will

still enjoy their visit and experience some memorable riding in the shadow of the Himalya.

Pretty great, eh?  What a wonderful invitation!  I’m discussing with Barb, but whatever we decide I think you’ll agree that our Indian hosts

are doing everything in their power to make the best of this for us.  Stay tuned!