Swedish rider Carl-Walter Fox is among those in the middle of the EHV-1 outbreak in Valencia, Spain – and tells World of Showjumping how everyone on site is desperate for more help to arrive.   

“This is living hell and those that have not been here will never understand how bad the situation is,” Fox says. “We live in constant fear of whether or not the neurological strain of the virus will hit and have no idea if we will be able to go home with all our horses or with an empty truck. Everyone here has seen horses die – horses that seemed totally fine can be dead two days later. That affects all of us; the next time it might be our own horse that won’t make it.” 

“We need all the help we can get,” Fox says. “The focus needs to be on the welfare of the horses and how to save as many as possible. This is just the beginning, and I don’t care if it takes one month, two months or a year – we just want the horses to get well!” 

“Most of all we need organizational help – we need people that know how to deal with a catastrophe like this!” Fox says. “We need human resources, knowledgeable people and also a mediator who can deal with all the different people involved here on the show ground. We are also in need of disinfectants in a large scale!”  

“We are counting the minutes here,” Fox says. “We need help, and we need it now!”