HANOVER, Pa. — Some of the most popular attractions at the Pennsylvania Farm Show involve horses, whether they’re ridden in a rodeo or paraded in a show ring. But this year, those events could look very different, as growing concerns over a new and spreading virus could affect horses at the 2026 Farm Show, beginning Jan. 10.

Danielle Gervasi, who owns Legato Farm in Hanover and has worked with horses for more than 40 years, says several area shows have already been canceled due to Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1).

The virus has spread among horses in several states, including recent cases in Pennsylvania. Certain forms of EHV-1 can be deadly, and Gervasi says large shows and gatherings increase the risk of transmission.

“EHV is spread primarily through air droplets, kind of like the cold for

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