Brown County Fair says no exposure to ‘strangles’ among its horses, cases reported nearby
Sun, August 23, 2026 at 6:09 PM
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Horse barn at Brown County Fair, Aug. 23, 2026. (WLUK/Lauren Pieczynski)
(WLUK) — Horses are a staple at county fairs. However, this year, the potential spread of a highly infectious disease known as Strangles is causing concern. Recently, a few cases have been reported in Northeast Wisconsin
The Equine Disease Communication Center has confirmed two cases in Waupaca County and one case in Winnebago County this month. It is spread through direct contact or by a horse coming into contact with a contaminated surface
Common symptoms are:
- Fever
- Abscesses in the throatlatch and below the jaw
- Nasal discharge
- Inflammation of the throat
- Wheezing
- Coughing
According to the EDCC, most horses recover without antibiotic treatment
Waupaca County made the decision not to allow any horses at its fair getting underway this week. Instead, it’s planning a separate horse event on Oct. 12
Luedke says it’s not uncommon for traveling animals to spread disease. He added being mindful and taking precautions is just part of the county fair business
“We got a call from the state vet saying there’s a possible exposure to one of the horses that might be coming to our fair that was in the same stable. The state and DATCP recommended that that we postpone our event this week just for precaution, the safety of the horses,” said Waupaca County Fair Manager, Richard Luedke
Some members have the community have expressed concern that horses who have been exposed to the disease had been sent to the Brown County Fair
animalwelfarepolicyandstatementofanimalcarePDF preview
Brown County Fair Animal Welfare Policy
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A written statement reads:
The Brown County Fair has followed its standard procedures and protocols to ensure the safety of its participants and fair animals, including working with our local veterinarian who is also present at the fairgrounds daily. The veterinarian is aware of the allegations and has advised us that to his knowledge, no horse at the Brown County Fair has been in direct contact with a horse with (strangles). Our veterinarian has been closely monitoring our equestrian exhibit for signs and symptoms of illness and has not observed any symptoms, nor have there been any confirmed cases of illness on the fairgrounds. We take the safety and health of our participants seriously and will continue to monitor the situation.
Horse at Brown County Fair, Aug. 23, 2026. (WLUK/Lauren Pieczynski)
The Brown County Fair finished Sunday. The Waupaca County Fair gets underway on Tuesday and runs through next Sunday
