Most of the people who have facilities in Wellington (WEF) Florida go north for the summer. Ditto for the Ocala area, and in the past, quite a few people from Aiken and Atlanta went north as well. Everything is different this year, of course, but the South heading to Lake Placid, Vermont, Saugerties and the Hamptons is just like the North coming to Florida in the winter.
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Plus a lot of people who winter in Florida might work their way north via a few shows in Tryon. So anyone who planned to go from Tryon in North Carolina to Saugerties to show there is in a bit of a pickle.
Everybody’s normal schedule is already turned upside down this year anyway. But the new quarantine restrictions certainly won’t help.
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Y
Didn’t I also read that HITS would pay $1K/day in fines should they stay open? They might decide that is a worthwhile cost of doing business. The fine doesn’t seem high enough given the risk to public health and the amount of money HITS takes in each day.
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FYI:
this basically says that according to Tom he has been given 100% assurance by the state that horse shows can start on the 6th and it’s also on the NYS website. So if that follows true and EVERYONE follows the rules at the show, it sounds like only this first week is affected by the cease and desist order.
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The Narrator: “It can’t.”
I flew in and out of the tri-state area last week. In my experience, there was nothing being done to enforce any quarantine, despite what Cuomo said in his press briefings. If someone snitches on you, then maybe you’ll get the fine. There isn’t enough infrastructure to enforce a door-to-door quarantine check.
Everyone was wearing masks, though.
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I doubt there will be any issues. Culpeper is not in NOVA and hasn’t had high case numbers, plus pretty good sized shows have been running up here in NOVA with no issues. The last Morven show was probably larger in competitors than Culpeper is usually.
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I live not far from HITS Culpeper and when I drove by yesterday afternoon I saw tons of people without masks. One barn, the ship-in parking, and a wash stand are right next to the road and I made a point of looking. I was very disappointed to see the non-compliance, especially since Culpeper County was a COVID hotspot for Virginia a month ago and had more cases per capita than Fairfax County.
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Until King Andy shuts the NY State down again when the state’s numbers spike because NYC gets tired of being in their apartments all summer. I mean, I am happy to see the numbers in the northeast staying low and actually declining. But they also had the first wave the worst and the earliest. I think that if everyone is following the rules and behaving, let the show go on
What are they doing about people paying for stalls right now? They have to pay for an extra week to hang around and wait?
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Mask wear has been very low at most shows in VA. (I’ve attended 4 since opening) The people are social distancing, I’ve seen people taking temps, but as one woman exclaimed to me after walking up a hill to get results, ‘I can’t breathe while walking up this hill in this mask!’
I think sometimes we forget that as much as the riders are working out, the grooms/staff/jump crew are too.
However, it hasn’t seemed to be much of a problem because the shows and competitors are doing a great job of social distancing.
Edited to add: I’m still bringing my mask and wearing it when needed, but IMO these outdoor, very open spaces at horse shows are not the most worrying places to pick up COVID compared to some of the other things I’ve seen
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Actually from everything I understand, Culpeper is unfortunately a COVID hotspot.
I wouldn’t call 811 cases a hotspot.
Nowhere in Virginia reached the predicted numbers, luckily. Compared to surrounding counties, their numbers are about on par with other mainly rural counties in the area.
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Culpeper’s cases per 100K population is on-par or worse than the NOVA counties like Prince William, Alexandria, and Fairfax. While it might not have reached predicted numbers, it’s certainly not good there.
https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/
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So…
people should just ignore the VA Governor’s mandate for wearing a mask and the USEF rules for wearing a mask because they don’t feel like it? The VA Dept of Health may feel differently about it and has the power to shut events down for non compliance.
In addition, the show is sold out. Which means there’s no way it’s in compliance with the number of people allowed at a venue. What bothers me about horse shows like this is that the vast majority of the participants involved don’t live here and they’re not confined to the show grounds. They are dining and socializing and shopping in the community, and that’s exactly the sort of thing that is not supposed to be occurring during a pandemic.
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So…
people should just ignore the VA Governor’s mandate for wearing a mask and the USEF rules for wearing a mask because they don’t feel like it? The VA Dept of Health may feel differently about it and has the power to shut events down for non compliance.
(I tried to post the link to the Governor’s order that applies specifically to horse and livestock shows but the board won’t let me.)
In addition, the show is sold out. Which means there’ no way it’s in compliance with the number of people allowed at a venue. What bothers me about horse shows like this is that the vast majority of the participants involved don’t live here and they’re not confined to the show grounds. They are dining and socializing and shopping in the community, and that’s exactly the sort of thing that is not supposed to be occurring during a pandemic.
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Cases =/= deaths.
In NY they spiked the deaths to include people who were not tested but assumed to be Covid. Texas apparently did something similar(included unaffirmed cases) recently.
Looking at the rate of deaths due to heart attacks, flu and pneumatic would be telling.
In NY (rockland county) there is $2000 PER DAY, fine for not cooperating with tracers PLUS subpoenas, per the health director there.
So, they can make it painful, unless your a protest attender. Tracers won’t ask if people attended a protest.
Does anyone know if there were classes at Saugerties on Thursday? I read somewhere that the show would happen Wednesday and Thursday and then shut down for the weekend, but that information seemed to contradict most of the earlier reports.
I don’t know what the Virginia governor‘s mandate says specifically about masks, but the USEF guidelines do not require a mask to be worn at all times. They call for a mask to be worn when there is a possibility to be within 6 feet of another person.
So somebody who is grazing a horse in the middle of a field, or unloading a horse in the ship in parking lot, or giving a horse a bath at a wash rack would not be required to have a mask on unless someone else is nearby.
Individual shows may apply tighter requirements as they see fit, but the USEF guidelines allow for some leeway on the use of masks.
From the USEF website:
Requirement: Face masks/face coverings must be worn whenever you have the possibility of being within six feet of another person (including members of your own household), except when mounted on a horse or seated in a horse-drawn carriage or cart. Please do your part and wear your face mask/face covering as required.
- Because you cannot predict when another person may be within six feet of you, it is best to keep your face mask/face covering with you at all times while on competition grounds, including those times when you are going to an area where you may be alone or at a greater distance than six feet from another person. This will ensure that you are able to apply your face mask/face covering prior to being within six feet of another person.
- Make sure you are wearing your face mask/face covering prior to entering competition areas where you are likely to be near other people, including areas such as the in-gate, arena, schooling area, restroom, food stand, show office, vendors, stabling, etc.
- If you become hot while wearing your face mask/face covering, move to a location where you are alone or at a distance greater than six feet from another person (and preferably 12 feet or more), and lower or drop one side of your face mask/face covering to cool off.
- [I][B]If an official, competition organizer or member of the organizer’s team requires you to don a face mask/face covering, you must comply.[/B][/I] The competition organizer can impose more stringent requirements than those contained in the Plan.
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Looks like Virginia’s mask mandate is for public indoor areas.
Not so. The following is directly from the VA Governor’s office effective July 1. Since it wouldn’t let me post the link, I cut and pasted the whole document.
scope: phase 3:
safer at home: phase three
horse and other livestock shows
Indoor and outdoor horse and other livestock shows.
Horse and other livestock shows must either implement the following mandatory requirements or they must not take place.
Mandatory Requirements:
Participants and organizers of horse and other livestock show activities must strictly adhere to the physical distancing guidelines, enhanced cleaning and disinfection practices, and enhanced workplace safety practices provided in the “Guidelines for All Business Sectors” document.
Participants and organizers of horse and other livestock shows must adhere to the following additional requirements for such activities:
 Post signage at the entrance that states that no one with a fever or symptoms of COVID- 19, or known exposure to a COVID-19 case in the prior 14 days, is permitted in the establishment.
 Post signage to provide public health reminders regarding physical distancing, gatherings, options for high risk individuals, and staying home if sick (samples at bottom of this document).
 Create a guest flow plan of modified queue lines to and within the facility. Determine areas likely to become bottlenecks or pinch points and adjust guest flow accordingly.
 Install visible markers for queue lines that separate people by six feet of physical distance. Sample markers are available in the VDH Business Toolkit.
 Create and display physical distancing communication tools, including static signs, kiosks, audio announcements, or video announcements. Signage should include the requirement to wear face coverings at all times and to maintain six feet of physical distance between people who do not reside in the same household. Sample signage is available in the VDH Business Toolkit.
 Reconfigure seating areas to allow six feet of physical distance between individuals by eliminating and closing select tables or seating areas, or by spreading them out to allow for adequate spacing.
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 Ensure facility exits are configured to reduce the occurrence of bottlenecks and large gatherings. The total number of attendees (including both participants and spectators) of livestock and horse shows cannot exceed the lesser of 50% of the occupancy load of the venue, if applicable, or 250 persons. For shows held in a barn, stable, or ring, attendees are limited to 250 persons per structure or assigned area.
 Ensure anyone who has symptoms of, has tested positive for, or has been exposed to COVID-19 follows appropriate guidelines for quarantine or isolation. Persons with symptoms should stay home until CDC criteria for ending isolation have been met. Persons with severe symptoms may need to be evaluated by a healthcare provider. Establish procedures for safely transporting anyone who is sick to their home or to a healthcare facility. If you are calling an ambulance or bringing someone to the hospital, try to call first to alert them that the person may have COVID-19.
 Conduct daily screening of trainers, officials, staff, participants, and other attendees for COVID-19 symptoms prior to admission to the venue/facility. Children should be screened per the CDC guidance for screening children. Adults should be asked if they are currently experiencing fever (100.4°F or higher) or a sense of having a fever, a new cough that cannot be attributed to another health condition, new shortness of breath that cannot be attributed to another health condition, new chills that cannot be attributed to another health condition, a new sore throat that cannot be attributed to another health condition, or new muscle aches that cannot be attributed to another health condition or specific activity (such as physical exercise). Anyone experiencing symptoms should not be permitted on show grounds. Screenings should be conducted in accordance with applicable privacy and confidentiality laws and regulations.
 All shared items must be disinfected between each use to the extent practicable.
 Employees should wear face coverings in customer-facing areas that cover their nose and
mouth using CDC Use of Cloth Face Coverings guidance.
 Require all people inside the show grounds, unless mounted on a horse, to wear a face covering.
 Provide hand washing or sanitizing stations at the reception area and throughout the entire facility for employee and attendee use.
 Best Practices: In addition to the requirements provided above, management must utilize the following best practices to the extent they are feasible:
 Utilize online entries and payment by credit card.
 Designate one representative to handle the entire barn or stable’s interface with the show and event offices.
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 Adhere to physical distancing guidelines and utilize face coverings when in the show office.
 Install sneeze guards in front of commonly used point-of-sale or guest service stations.
 Clean and disinfect all tack, equipment, and surfaces that others may come in contact with or handle frequently. This includes golf carts, tack trunks, reins, halters, lead ropes, and other common show items.
 Maintain at least six feet of physical distance in the show ring.
 Encourage competitors, trainers, riders, grooms, owners, competition staff, and parents
to leave as expeditiously as possible after their competition.
 Limit those on the show grounds to competitors, trainers, riders, grooms, owners, competition staff, and parents or other adults attending as a minor’s guardian. No spectators, extended family, or friends should be allowed on competition grounds.
 Include current COVID-19 guidelines in the show’s protocols and entry procedures.
 Require attendees to keep dogs under control and confined or leashed at all times. Dogs can potentially come in contact with multiple people if loose on competition grounds. They must be confined and/or leashed.
 Require all current entry agreements and addendums that cover COVID-19 to be signed prior to entry to the grounds.
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Is everyone at HITS NY just hanging around in the barns and the town waiting for the show to start? If so, can’t believe shutting it down will do much to prevent the spread of Covid
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