Prince George Agriplex will be re-opening next week

The Prince George Agriplex will reopen its doors on April 15 to riders from across the region after being closed for nearly a month.

The facility was closed at the recommendation of local veterinarians due to a confirmed case of equine herpesvirus (nEHV-1) being detected in a horse there. 

Prince George Horse Society president Kate Peebles said the infected horse is recovering well and the virus did not spread to other animals.

“It was just the one horse,” she said. “It hasn’t gone to any of the other horses in our facility at all. I haven’t heard of any other cases. So I feel like the actions taken certainly prevented what could have become a very significant issue with our horse population.”

In an interview with The Citizen, Peebles said the closure had an impact on operations at the Agriplex.

“We had to close down for rentals and things like that,” she said. “There were a significant number of things we weren’t able to do because we couldn’t have the public on the grounds. On the Western weekend, there was a reining clinic that was scheduled, and a few boarders were supposed to be jumping in on April 1, but they had to be delayed as well.”

Peebles said she is looking forward to welcoming riders and boarders back after the unexpected closure. Several events are scheduled in the coming months.

“The Horse Society is doing an obstacle day for horses, so that’s happening this Saturday the 19th. The information for that is on our Facebook page,” she said. “We have more people coming in, more boarders coming aboard and stuff like that. Then the Therapeutic Riding Association starts their season as soon as we open as well.”

For more information about the reopening, visit the Agriplex’s website or Facebook page.