At the National Stallion Grading 4-7 March 2004 in Herning, Denmark, the flying squad of the Danish Food and Agricultural Ministry made unannounced random checks on 8 stallions for anabolic steroids that are used to increase muscle development.
A veterinarian followed the whole set of 71 stallions during the Thursday selection and Friday morning a team of 10 veterinarians went into the stables and started waiting for a possibility to take out urine tests from the chosen stallions. It resulted in 8 tests which were sent to a lab, and Friday March 19 the message came that there had been found no traces of any forbidden drugs.
According to an EU directive it is forbidden to use hormones in the feed for both animals and human beings, and the normal procedure is that animals found to be administered hormones must not be used for consumption. Therefore, to avoid them entering the human food chain the ianimal will be put down, and that applies to horses, too.
Having the whole set of stallions watched by a veterinarian Thursday, and therefore having tested the most well-developed of the stallions, the conclusion would therefore be to exonerate the whole set and ascertain that the problem is apparently nonexisting in the sport horse breed.
Mr Jan Pedersen, chaiman of the more than 5,000 members of Dansk Varmblod and president of World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses' 51 breeding societies in 24 countries, on that occasion says: “I was very pleased with the unannounced inspection of the veterinary drug flying squad in Herning. Considering today's easy access to anabolic steroids, it is definitely relevant to make random checks, because it is quite possible that it may be too tempting to somebody to follow the line of least resistance just to obtain a shortterm advantage. However, my views as regards this particular case are clear; The discovery of anabolics in any of the stallions would have led to an immediate withdrawal of the stallion's grading status. But as it is, I am pleased with the exoneration of the sport horse breed, but there must be no doubt that this is a matter of which a very serious view will be taken wherever I have influence,” Mr Pedersen ends.
Minister of Food and Agriculture in Denmark, Mrs Mariann Fisher Boel on the same occasion declares; “This was the best test result one could hope for. Naturally, I'm very happy that the Danish horse industry has a clear conscience."
Related Links
Blue Hors Leredo, Champion of the 2004 Danish Warmblood Stallion Licensing
Report on the 2004 Danish Warmblood Licensing in Herning