Texas rodeo events canceled due to equine virus outbreak, as PRCA monitors situation

FORT WORTH, Texas — A Texas rodeo has been canceled, and a Fort Worth rodeo is moving to an all-bull riding format as officials continue to monitor an equine virus outbreak.

The Texas Department of Agriculture this week issued an alert to horsemen regarding an outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 (EHV-1) reported by veterinarians after the recent World Championship Barrel Racing (WPRA) Finals in the Waco area Nov. 5-9, according to a press release.

As a result of the outbreak, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) decided to cancel the Uvalde Rodeo Qualifier, which was scheduled for Nov. 19-22. The event is a qualifier for the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo.

In Fort Worth, the Stockyards Championship Rodeo announced that its format will not include horses, instead switching to a bull-riding-only format.

“First and foremost, our equine athletes’ safety and health,” Cowtown Coliseum officials said in a statement. “Second, our fans and our commitment to deliver the ten shows we have scheduled over the next two weeks. Third, our commitment to our employees and contract folks that count on us for a paycheck … As Texas experiences confirmed cases of EHV-1, we are taking proactive steps to protect our equine partners—while still delivering exciting, action-packed rodeo events.”

The Stockyards rodeo events, which begins with the PRCA Stockyards Pro Rodeo on Nov. 21, will feature bull riding and non-equine entertainment, with the help of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) organization, according to the statement. All horse events will be paused for at least two weeks.

While Texas rodeos have been impacted by the virus, the PRCA also decided to cancel the Boot Barn Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo in Mulvane, Kan. 

“The safety and well-being of animal athletes is the top priority, and the recent EHV-1 announcement from other events has led to the cancellation of these events,” the PRCA officials said in a statement.

It’s not clear how the virus outbreak will impact future rodeo events, including the National Finals Rodeo, which begins Dec. 4 in Las Vegas.

Paul Woody, the PRCA’s chief marketing officer, says the organization is “tracking and working with Nevada State Vet to determine protocol for arrivals of animals and [the] process of temp checks daily to ensure animal safety.”

Arrivals for the National Finals Rodeo are set to begin Nov. 30.

“Frankly, we are still too early to know if it will impact NFR,” Woody said. “Our veterinarian advisors tell us we should be inside 7 days to know the true scale of additional outbreaks. Right now, we encourage all of our athletes to follow clear biosecurity procedures to quarantine their animals if they have been on the road around potentially infected.”

Officials say “a particularly aggressive” strain of EHV-1 was confirmed by veterinary clinics in Central Texas, and an investigation is ongoing. 

Horses can transmit EHV-1 through nose-to-nose contact or aerosolized particles released when an infected animal coughs or sneezes, officials say. It can also spread indirectly through shared tack, grooming tools, water and feed buckets, thermometers or other equipment. Humans can also unintentionally act as carriers by spreading the virus via their hands, clothing or boots, according to a press release.

• Fever
• Nasal discharge, coughing, or other respiratory changes
• Depression or lethargy
• Neurological signs: stumbling or incoordination, loss of tail tone, hind-limb weakness, recumbency
• Abortions in pregnant mares

• Isolate any horse that attended the Waco event for at least 14 days from other equines, or until cleared by a veterinarian.
• Suspend hauling, showing, or mixing horses from the exposure group until further notice. Avoid taking exposed horses to other barns or events.
• Disinfect trailers, wash-racks, cross-ties, tie-areas, tack rooms, buckets, grooming tools, and any shared equipment. Use an appropriate virucidal disinfectant.
• Avoid sharing tack, halters, grooming equipment, buckets, water hoses, etc., between exposed and unexposed horses.
• Monitor temperatures twice daily for all exposed horses and report any fever (≥101.5 °F) or other signs to a veterinarian immediately.
• If any horse exhibits neurologic signs, coughing, or nasal discharge, isolate it immediately, wear protective gear, and call your veterinarian.
• Keep accurate records: track which horses were present at events, their movement, and who handled them for contact tracing if needed.
• Stay in contact with your local veterinarian and keep up to date on updates from state veterinary authorities.

Just off Garden Lane in Fort Worth, Jarred Howard spends his days surrounded by dirt, hay, and the horses he calls family.
“Hey momma… this is Tia,” he says, greeting one of them.

Howard runs 2 R Equine, where he’s usually booked solid with trail rides, rodeos, and competitions. But recently, everything has stopped. “It put me on high alert… it’s kind of like when COVID happened,” Howard explained. “We’re on hard lockdown. No horses out, no horses in,” Howard said.

Sid Miller is the Commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture. “This is a virus that’s very aggressive. A lot of times it’s fatal,” one official warned.

Commissioner Sid Miller is urging horse owners to take the outbreak seriously.

“I’m encouraging everyone to keep your horses at home. Don’t leave the stable for at least two weeks,” he said.

He also advised owners to monitor symptoms closely.

“The minute you see an elevated temperature, you need to start a treatment program,” Miller said.