2nd race cancelled
Executive summary
Several high-profile equine events were cancelled in late November/early December 2025 after an outbreak of Equine herpesvirus‑1 (EHV‑1); organizers cited mass rollovers of entry fees and veterinarian concerns as reasons [1]. Some related roping events have sought to reassure competitors and continue as planned, showing disagreement among organizers about the necessity of broad cancellations [2].
1. What was cancelled and why — the veterinary emergency that triggered decisions
Organizers of the 2025 ALL IN Barrel Race & Breakaway announced cancellation of their December events after an EHV‑1/EHM (Equine Herpesvirus‑1/Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy) outbreak swept through the western industry; the story notes the outbreak prompted a November statement and that many contestants rolled entry fees to future events, leading organizers to cancel the December competitions [1]. The reporting frames EHV‑1 as “devastating” and traces the cancellation to both disease risk and the financial/logistical result of entries being deferred [1].
2. How organizers and adjacent events reacted — split strategies and public messaging
Not all organizations responded identically: while the ALL IN events were called off, the Ariat World Series of Roping posted a video attempting to reassure competitors that its World Series of Team Roping would continue at South Point Hotel & Casino, signaling a decision to proceed despite other cancellations [2]. That contrast reveals competing judgments about risk tolerance, liability and the feasibility of holding events under evolving veterinary guidance [1] [2].
3. Financial and logistical drivers behind cancellations
The ALL IN cancellation appears driven partly by entrants choosing to roll fees forward — a mass shift that, according to the reporting, reduced the immediate field and revenue enough to affect the event’s viability, prompting a formal cancellation beyond purely biosecurity concerns [1]. The article ties payouts and the size of the events into the calculus — e.g., the breakaway roping paid out $162,000 in 2024 — underscoring how purse size and competitor expectations raise the stakes when entries evaporate [1].
4. Public health framing and the limits of available reporting
Coverage emphasizes the seriousness of EHV‑1 and its consequences for equine health, but the sources provided do not include primary statements from veterinary authorities, specific case counts, or official regulatory orders in the locales affected; available sources do not mention those details [1]. This limits precise assessment of whether cancellations were precautionary, mandated, or financially compelled.
5. Why some events press on — economic and reputational pressures
The World Series of Team Roping organizers quickly used video messaging to reassure stakeholders and keep their schedule intact, suggesting reputational and contractual pressures to continue and a belief they could manage risk locally [2]. That choice exposes an implicit tradeoff: continuing can protect revenue and competitor confidence but invites scrutiny if outbreaks are linked to the event; cancelling reduces immediate risk and criticism but carries financial and goodwill costs [2].
6. How competitors and the public were affected
Competitors faced two main disruptions: health risk to horses and uncertainty about entries and prize money. The ALL IN organizers explicitly cited a surge of contestants opting to roll fees into future events, which both reflects competitor caution and directly influenced the event’s cancellation [1]. For other participants, the Ariat WSTR’s reassurance video aimed to reduce anxiety and preserve travel and lodging commitments [2].
7. Broader context — cancellations as an industry pattern
Recent coverage shows a pattern of equine and rodeo events announcing cancellations or postponements as veterinarians and owners reacted to the outbreak; outlets indicate more announcements were expected in the run‑up to major December shows in Las Vegas and elsewhere [2]. That pattern suggests the ALL IN cancellation was not an isolated decision but part of a wider, rapidly evolving situation in the western equine circuit [1] [2].
8. What we don’t know from current reporting
Available sources do not provide government or state veterinary orders, an authoritative count of infected horses, exact timelines for exposure tracing, or detailed refund policies across promoters; therefore we cannot adjudicate whether cancellations were medically mandated or principally economic decisions [1] [2]. Organizers’ internal deliberations and the full set of communications to competitors are also not included in these reports [1] [2].
9. Takeaway for competitors and observers
When outbreaks surface, organizers balance animal‑health guidance, competitor behavior and financial realities; in this instance the combination of an EHV‑1 outbreak and a large number of entrants deferring fees prompted at least one major cancellation, while another prominent organizer chose to move forward with reassurances to competitors [1] [2]. Stakeholders should seek direct statements from event organizers and state veterinarians for definitive guidance — those authoritative documents are not present in the reporting cited here [1] [2].