To all trainers and veterinarians, 

This notice serves as a reminder of the annual African Horse Sickness (AHS) vaccination window, which commenced on 1 June 2025. 

In terms of the Rules, all horses (except those resident in the AHS Free and Surveillance Zones) must be vaccinated against AHS by a veterinarian using a registered, non-expired, polyvalent AHS vaccine according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, between 1 June and 31 October each year. 

All horses must be vaccinated by 31 October 2025. Sufficient vaccine has been produced and distributed to meet current needs and therefore, no extension of the vaccination window for horses resident in the AHS Infected Zone will be granted. 

Effective 1 January 2026, only horses with at least one valid AHS vaccination set (bottle I and II administered in the same window period, either 2024 or 2025) will be permitted entry into the security area to race. This requirement does not apply to horses racing in Cape Town. 

Any horse moving from the AHS Free or Surveillance Zones to the rest of the country between 1 November and 31 May, which has not been vaccinated as outlined above, must be vaccinated within one week of arrival. These horses may only race once within a week of arrival and again after both vaccines have been administered.