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In Germany, two horses have now died after being infected with a new variant of herpes.

According to the World Equestrian Federation (FN), both animals had previously competed in a tournament in Valencia, where the aggressive variant was first identified around two weeks ago.

According to the association, this increases the number of four-legged friends who have died to seven, including five from German owners.

Participants in the tournament in Spain had previously reported even more dead horses.

Paul Schockemöhle has meanwhile criticized the fact that in Germany there is neither a registration nor a vaccination requirement for equine herpes.

"I've been advocating for 15 years, but the authorities have ignored herpes and slept for tens of years," said the breeder and horse dealer to the NDR.

"That is unforgivable."

Vaccination urgently needed

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He has been vaccinating all breeding horses for 30 years, both the sport horses and the young horses in the rearing, said Schockemöhle, who was three times European champion during his active time.

There is “no 100 percent protection.

But if you've always done it properly, it usually works. ”The 75-year-old is considered one of the largest breeders and traders in the world.

Paul Schockemöhle sharply criticizes the authorities

Source: dpa / Bernd Wüstneck

The virus variant from Valencia has now also been found in the USA.

According to a tournament organizer, there is a positive test in Florida.

On the own grounds of the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, where a series of tournaments has been running for several weeks, there is no infected horse, it said in a message.

The German rider André Thieme had recently achieved several successes in the series of events.

Virus showed up two weeks ago

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After the virus variant first appeared around two weeks ago, there had been confirmed cases in Germany for a few days.

In Doha, where the Global Champions Tour is to start this weekend, the two horses of the German show jumper Sven Schluesselburg tested positive on Monday.

The 39-year-old from Ilsfeld in Baden-Württemberg was like a Colombian rider at the start in Valencia several days before the trip to Qatar.

The tournament has now started in Doha.

Max Kühner, who started for Austria, won the first competition on Thursday afternoon.

The professional from Starnberg won the two-phase test with Vancouver Dreams ahead of Marcus Ehning with Funky Fred.