Swine Fever Outbreak Bars Mexican “O” Judge from Sydney CDI

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SYDNEY, May 1–Mexican “O” judge Maribel Alonso de Quinzanos has been prevented by the swine fever outbreak from judging at the Sydney CDI next weekend.

Australia's Heath Ryan and Regardez Moi competing before Mexican "O" judge Maribel Alonso de Quinzanos at the FEI World Cup in Las Vegas last month
Australia's Heath Ryan and Regardez Moi competing before Mexican "O" judge Maribel Alonso de Quinzanos at the FEI World Cup in Las Vegas last month. © 2009 Ken Braddick

She would have been president of the ground jury and the only “O” judge on the panel. Scores from an “O” judge are necessary for horse/rider combinations to qualify for world championships.

The Organizing Committee tried to replace Maribel with another O-level judge but as of now none were available on such short notice. The judging panel includes members from Argentina, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Korea, New Zealand and Australia.

This is the second time in recent weeks that Maribel’s schedule has been changed on short notice.

At the FEI World Cup in Las Vegas in mid-April, Italian “O” judge Vincenzo Truppa was aboard a plane from Rome that was forced to make an emergency landing when the Alitalia pilot suffered a heart attack. Maribel, who was in Las Vegas as an assistant technical delegate, took over his Truppa’s duties as a member of the ground jury.