2020 Pony Finals Canceled

[skydy]

@enjoytheride

I read this as her parents are alive but she doesn’t feel like it’s safe to ever see them in person again.

Yes, that is the case.

[skydy]

@Nickelodian

Just stopped at a layover facility on my way home. Armed with my masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer. They were hosting a 600 horse barrel race for the region. Not a mask, social distance, virus care in the world.

The ire here just feels a little misplaced. But maybe that’s just me.

Many in our barn tested (including me) before we came to the show, to avoid asymptomatic spreading, were careful while we were there, and did our best to continue with something we love while still being respectful. I know it’s not good enough for many.

in regards to Kroger, I saw many with no masks. Locals whose topic of conversation was how they weren’t wearing masks and no one was going to make them.

So you have now been exposed to an un-masked free for all, on your way home from your recreational travels. This is a huge part of the problem.

[skydy]

@AffirmedHope

There is no doubt in my mind that both KHP and USEF were going to go forward with the PF next week. I think when the first positives happened, the health department got wind of them hosting a horse show next week with HUNDREDS of people from out of state and shut them down.

BTW, the CEO sent out an email about this and it is the biggest bunch of crap I’ve ever read.

Read the Pony Finals Article, the link to it is included in the OP of the “Pony Finals Article” thread dating from COTH at the beginning of July. I’ve been getting these clueless responses from USEF to my emails for almost a month now.

[enjoytheride]

@skydy

So you have now been exposed to an un-masked free for all, on your way home from your recreational travels. This is a huge part of the problem.

Continually attacking people who are doing everything the mandates require of them is uncalled for.

There are plenty of people who don’t wear masks period, maybe you should speak to them first.

[mvp]

@skydy

I have been engaged in back and forth emails with USEF since the beginning of July. If you go to the USEF website you can read all about their COVID policies.

What it comes down to is that they take no responsibility for the transmission of the virus at their shows, however the “health and safety of our members is our priority”. Sorry, IMO if that were the case they would have cancelled the show.

Now that people have contracted the virus, they ask that members report their contacts with infected individuals to USEF, but do mention that contact tracing is really up to the heath department. They’ve abdicated any responsibility for attracting people to Kentucky from out of state by saying if you don’t want to risk it, don’t come, and if you do come you must follow the USEF rules and sign a release that holds USEF without blame.

Once off the show grounds USEF can blow it off. The predictable scenario, that a gathering of people from many states would most likely lead to the spread of the COVID virus, did not seem to trouble them enough to cancel the Pony Finals. Not until people with children had already made the bad decision to travel to Kentucky at the invitation of USEF, and the easily foreseeable spread of the virus had occurred, surprise! We have this last minute cancellation. Because how could they have known , right?

I think the USEF’s plan was to

1. Not disappoint anyone early by canceling Pony Finals. Had they done that, two things would have happened: First, the length of time that people spent complaining about the USEF would have been longer. And the Virus Deniers might be some of the people whom the USEF thinks butters the industry’s bread. Second, if the USEF were to adopt anything but “change only if pressed, no matter how last minute” policy, folks would start asking for them to consider canceling stuff coming later in the fall. After all, once you open the “think ahead and cancel early” can of worms, just how early is too early to have show managers know that they’ll make no more money this year?

2. Run the show and let everyone make money for as many days as there were no conclusive reasons (like positive COVID tests) to stop.

3. It’s not their losses to have competitors have to cancel plans and ship back home early, so why not?

I think the USEF is currently playing a game of real politic about keeping those who make money from horse showing somehow happy.

[mvp]

@MHM

Statement of fact:

I’ve been tested twice so far, just because. Once for the virus, and once for antibodies. Both tests came back negative, but it never occurred to me to quarantine until I got the results, and nobody who administered the tests even mentioned the idea.

I might get tested again if the opportunity presents itself, since there is so much discussion about asymptomatic people who may have the virus without knowing it. I have no desire to be Typhoid Mary, or Virus Vanessa, or whatever. I have no reason to think I have it (knock wood), but I think it’s fairly obvious that anybody can have it these days, whether or not they know it.

How does any of this make sense?

It seems to me that it’s a waste of resources to test people “just because” and at random intervals. Do you mean to get a test, say, every week and keep track of those with who you have been in contact for the previous two weeks so that, should any given test come up positive, you can do a great job with contact tracing?

I’m confused.

[MHM]

@mvp

How does any of this make sense?

It seems to me that it’s a waste of resources to test people “just because” and at random intervals. Do you mean to get a test, say, every week and keep track of those with who you have been in contact for the previous two weeks so that, should any given test come up positive, you can do a great job with contact tracing?

I’m confused.

There were free testing sites set up and they were encouraging asymptomatic people to get tested to see if they had a solid idea of the infection rate in that area. So I got tested. How is that confusing?

[foursocks]

LadyJ’s comment about how everyone thinks their travel is essential and so on makes me angry because it is very true. It points to the individualistic focus that trumps everything at the expense of the rest of society.

A couple of weeks ago I headed out to a show with my jumper- my first one of the season, due to COVID shut downs and horse injuries. We hauled 1.5 hours there only to be turned away because their temperature gun thingy read me as having a temp above their safety limit. My first reaction was confusion and then a spark of indignation and then I took a breath and it occured to me that had I been at the show already and heard that they were letting in people with high temps I would be PISSED and would definitely pack up and leave. So, for the good of everyone, I turned my rig around and drove back to the barn. <— This is an example of looking beyond one’s self interests and accepting that when one is in a society, one should act as if other people’s interests are also important.

I am by no means claiming any sort of extraordinary moral virtue; I think this should be a normal reaction. The fact that every single person I told reacted as if some great injustice had been done to me was crazy. When I pointed out the show was simply observing basic COVID safety protocols and we should be relieved that they reacted that way, that shift in perspective from me to all of us tended to have people nod their heads in agreement.

Why is this work of shifting perspective necessary? Why are we so selfish in this country? I actually have many answers to this (I’m a social scientist), but I think it is an important thing to think about right now.

I didn’t have any symptoms, including a fever, by the way. I tested myself with three different thermometers when I got back to the barn and then again at home. I tested myself daily for the next week, as did my husband. I have a feeling I got caught in a momentary tech failure, but again: how was the show to know this? They did the right thing, and I feel much better about going there to show next time.

[Jersey_Fresh]

As a local, it is pretty eye opening to read this thread and the FB group posts and realize how selfish people are. I read all these comments of “I signed a waiver” “If I catch it” “I felt unsafe in Kroger” and “its not mandatory”. All about “me” and no acknowledgment of others because you are transient and what happens here doesn’t affect you in the long run.

It makes you realize how little people care about the Lexington community. Disregarding our quarantines because they are not mandatory (even though they are coming from states like TX with high cases and it would be in the public’s best interest to do so) or thinking that its okay because a waiver was signed and they don’t care if they get COVID. The focus is all on “me” and nothing on the idea that by coming here, you could unknowingly spread the disease further in a community that is already struggling with increasing cases.

[vxf111]

@ladyj79

I think it is horrifying that someone in renal failure is compelled to go to work, even leaving aside being a high risk individual during a global pandemic.

That speaks volumes of our failure as a community, both the horse community, and our society.

Could not agree more.

And despite wearing a mask mask and being there in the morning (less crowded time) she still got infected.

how much evidence do we need before we accept this just isn’t a safe way to conduct ourselves?

[Backstage]

@foursocks

LadyJ’s comment about how everyone thinks their travel is essential and so on makes me angry because it is very true. It points to the individualistic focus that trumps everything at the expense of the rest of society.

A couple of weeks ago I headed out to a show with my jumper- my first one of the season, due to COVID shut downs and horse injuries. We hauled 1.5 hours there only to be turned away because their temperature gun thingy read me as having a temp above their safety limit. My first reaction was confusion and then a spark of indignation and then I took a breath and it occured to me that had I been at the show already and heard that they were letting in people with high temps I would be PISSED and would definitely pack up and leave. So, for the good of everyone, I turned my rig around and drove back to the barn. <— This is an example of looking beyond one’s self interests and accepting that when one is in a society, one should act as if other people’s interests are also important.

I am by no means claiming any sort of extraordinary moral virtue; I think this should be a normal reaction. The fact that every single person I told reacted as if some great injustice had been done to me was crazy. When I pointed out the show was simply observing basic COVID safety protocols and we should be relieved that they reacted that way, that shift in perspective from me to all of us tended to have people nod their heads in agreement.

Why is this work of shifting perspective necessary? Why are we so selfish in this country? I actually have many answers to this (I’m a social scientist), but I think it is an important thing to think about right now.

I didn’t have any symptoms, including a fever, by the way. I tested myself with three different thermometers when I got back to the barn and then again at home. I tested myself daily for the next week, as did my husband. I have a feeling I got caught in a momentary tech failure, but again: how was the show to know this? They did the right thing, and I feel much better about going there to show next time.

I’m curious - what happened to your show fees? Were they refunded in full? I was at a show on the weekend, and we wondered what the protocol was as none of us has noticed anything in the prizelist. We may have missed it, though, it wasn’t a huge concern to me given the low risk in our area and my own current lifestyle.

[Pennywell_Bay]

@mvp

How does any of this make sense?

It seems to me that it’s a waste of resources to test people “just because” and at random intervals. Do you mean to get a test, say, every week and keep track of those with who you have been in contact for the previous two weeks so that, should any given test come up positive, you can do a great job with contact tracing?

I’m confused.

Actually data from asymptomatic people is a very important data point. The company for which I work extended testing to people who felt in in December, hoping to catch antiboides. We learn a lot from positive, a symptomatic people. My vet has been tested twice and will go again. She is not ill, but around so many different barns.

[Darkwave]

@Pennywell Bay

Actually data from asymptomatic people is a very important data point. The company for which I work extended testing to people who felt in in December, hoping to catch antiboides. We learn a lot from positive, a symptomatic people. My vet has been tested twice and will go again. She is not ill, but around so many different barns.

In some areas, local governments have been encouraging residents to get tested regardless of whether one is symptomatic. Virginia’s target for daily testing is 10K tests a day - testing asymptomatic people is part of achieving that number.

As for quarantining after being tested if you are asymptomatic - if you are being tested to clear you for traveling somewhere, then you are supposed to quarantine after the test to ensure that the test results are accurate when you receive them (i.e. so that you don’t catch it after being tested).

If you are being tested just because you are curious and have no symptoms, then no logical reason to quarantine.

[poltroon]

In our community, in May and June, they were encouraging people who were not sick to go to the free testing sites. For someone who was an essential worker especially, it’s a good way to see if you have latent cases, and it was one of the conditions that the State set for reopening, that there be that kind of community surveillance testing.

For weeks, they found pretty much nothing. But then there was a church service and a few graduation parties and Fourth of July and now cases are exploding and turnaround time for a test is now at 5-11 days for most people.

[Texarkana]

@mvp

How does any of this make sense?

It seems to me that it’s a waste of resources to test people “just because” and at random intervals. Do you mean to get a test, say, every week and keep track of those with who you have been in contact for the previous two weeks so that, should any given test come up positive, you can do a great job with contact tracing?

I’m confused.

As others have said, it’s pretty common in a lot of states.

We have free testing for anyone here. Many employers are requiring their employees to get tested on regular intervals to hopefully catch any asymptomatic outbreaks before they spread like wildfire. Not unlike what we do with Coggins tests for horses to prevent an EIA outbreak. Very rarely would one quarantine their horse waiting for Coggins results on an asymptotic horse. And no one really expects their Coggins to come back positive. Yet we still test our horses on intervals deemed necessary by various governing bodies, whether it be the state, your horse show management, or just your barn owner.

[MHM]

@Darkwave

If you are being tested just because you are curious and have no symptoms, then no logical reason to quarantine.

Exactly.

[vxf111]

It’s great if some communities have capacity to test anyone who wants a test but it’s NOT like that everywhere, just FYI. And a negative test is just a snapshot of your status at the time the test happened. You could have been exposed but not have enough viral load to test or become exposed after the test. So a negative test alone, without also quarantine for 14 days (and no symptoms), does not guarantee you’re in the clear in terms of spreading. A lot of universities are requiring 2 negative tests at least 5 days apart and 14 day quarantine with no symptoms before students come back to campus. Not getting tested once and going about life after the test,

[vxf111]

@Texarkana

As others have said, it’s pretty common in a lot of states.

We have free testing for anyone here. Many employers are requiring their employees to get tested on regular intervals to hopefully catch any asymptomatic outbreaks before they spread like wildfire. Not unlike what we do with Coggins tests for horses to prevent an EIA outbreak. Very rarely would one quarantine their horse waiting for Coggins results on an asymptotic horse. And no one really expects their Coggins to come back positive. Yet we still test our horses on intervals deemed necessary by various governing bodies, whether it be the state, your horse show management, or just your barn owner.

This is true but as a better analogy, if horses were REGULARLY testing positive for EIA we might feel differently about what people did while waiting for the coggins to come back. We’re cavalier about EIA because it is NOT highly represented in most US communities. The opposite is true for Covid. It is HIGHLY represented in some communities.

And WHY is EIA low representation? Because we tested and quarantined (or euthanized). For a long time. Long enough to beat it back. Flies can only go so far. By not traveling horses with EIA we were able to get EIA under control. EIA is an example of why staying in place and quarantining HELPS.

[monalisa]

Horse shows like schools need to be cancelled until this virus is under control and it is clearly out of control all over the US. Let’s face it. We don’t have the self-discipline or the compassion in the US to do the right thing and unless we all do it, it does not work.

[Moesha]

They should have found a solution long ago for Pony Finals - maybe regional or localized finals this year instead and could have allowed something to happen for the kids instead of this situation.