Several hundred people attended the Midwest Trotting Horse Sale near Seymour, Iowa on Thursday despite social distancing guidelines. The show was to be held on March 18th but was postponed due to state guidelines prohibiting gatherings of 10 or more people.
The Wayne County Health Department set up checkpoints to pre-screen attendees before going on to the property. Media outlets report the health department sent away at least one carload of people after they answered yes to a pre-screening question.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said Wednesday that livestock auctions are exempt from social gathering guidelines because they are part of the food chain supply. Reynolds announced new restrictions in a proclamation on Thursday afternoon that ordered livestock auctions be limited to 10 people or less unless they include food animals, in which case the limit would be 25. The order goes into effect Friday evening at 5 o’clock and will last until April 30th.
No cases of COVID-19 had been reported in Wayne County, Iowa as of Thursday.
