Press Releases

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the inspection and quarantine authorities of Shenzhen and Guangdong and the Hong Kong Jockey Club jointly conducted a trial today (February 29) on a new arrangement for the transportation of local racehorses by vehicle between Hong Kong and the Equine Disease-free Zone in Conghua, Guangzhou. Under the arrangement, no quarantine isolation is required.

Two retired horses that had been inspected earlier by the AFCD were carried on trucks from Sha Tin Racecourse to Huanggang, Shenzhen, under the supervision of an AFCD veterinary officer early this morning. After the quarantine officers at Huanggang inspected the horses and the health certification documents, the trucks travelled along the biosecurity highway passage to the Jockey Club's Guangzhou Horse Training Centre in Conghua.

The horses will be transported back to Hong Kong using the same route tomorrow (March 1). Before departure, quarantine officers of the Mainland will conduct health inspection for the horses again and issue health certification documents which will be inspected by officers of the AFCD at Lok Ma Chau Control Point.

In 2013, the Food and Health Bureau and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) signed the "Collaboration Agreement on Equine Inspection and Quarantine associated with the Use of Equestrian Venue after the Guangzhou Asian Games". It enables Hong Kong racehorses to receive training at the Guangzhou Horse Training Centre.

A package of quarantine measures for horses travelling across the boundary have been worked out together by the AFCD and authorities of the Mainland, including the AQSIQ, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, the Shenzhen Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, the Department of Agriculture of Guangdong Province, the Bureau of Agriculture of Guangzhou Municipality and the Guangzhou Animal Health Inspection Institute.

The package includes the implementation of biosecurity measures and close population management at the Guangzhou Horse Training Centre and its compliance with relevant quarantine requirements. There is also strict regulation and monitoring for equine transportation. Under the arrangement, horses would not require quarantine isolation and could go direct to races or exercise upon arriving in Hong Kong from Conghua.

In addition, Hong Kong and the Mainland will collaborate in setting up an information system about equine inspection and quarantine to facilitate information exchange on horse registration, entry and exit records, disease control and health certification and more. A liaison mechanism will also be established to notify each other of the occurrence of equine disease and quarantine records of racehorses transported to other countries.

An AFCD spokesman said, "The trial provided useful experience for parties involved to examine the handling of regular cross-boundary equine transportation and to prepare for the 'single approval, multi-entry' arrangement for equine quarantine in future."

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