While the pair consider suing the Government to be the last resort in the push for more compensation, they claim that about 10,000 horse owners and riders in Olympic disciplines will suffer losses of about $80 million.

“And we don’t for a moment forget the pony clubs, the endurance riders, the rodeo runners - the document we are drawing up does not embrace them yet, but we are hoping that once we have a blueprint up and running they will start to get a fair go,” Mr Ryan said.

“If all else fails, we will go to class action. We need to speak a language the governments understand. We need to get them to understand that these figures are real.

“We don’t want to be confrontational, but there is a real injustice going on out there.”

The pair have produced a website, enlisted a high-profile Sydney law firm and are recruiting additional horse owners to their cause after their inclusion in the Callinan Inquiry investigating the EI outbreak. Their legal representation comes from an equestrian connection.

“Jan Carver was a prominent member of the Equestrian Federation of Australia and her daughter, Liza Carver has stepped up and will work pro bono for us. Jan was a real mover and shaker in the EFA and we helped her raise funds for cancer research.,” Mr Ryan said.

(For more details see today's Maitland Mercury.)