The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decisions in three equine anti-doping cases involving Prohibited Substances

Inside.FEI.org

21 October 2020

The first case involves the horse Caipirina (FEI ID 105RC16/COL), ridden by Major Juan Pablo Garcia Salgado (FEI ID 10063069/COL), which tested positive for the *Banned Substances Boldenone Undecylenate, Boldenone and Ractopamine following samples taken at the CIC1* in Bonza (COL), 20-22 September 2018.

The athlete admitted to injecting the horse with Boldenone, but claimed he was unaware that Boldenone was a prohibited substance. He was unable to give any information about the presence of Ractopamine in the horse’s sample.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal disqualified the horse and athlete from the event, and suspended the athlete for two years. The Provisional Suspension, which came into effect on 30 October 2018, was credited against the period of ineligibility imposed in the decision, meaning the athlete will be ineligible until 29 October 2020. He was also fined CHF 400. The full Decision is available here.

The second case involves the horse S H CIRO (104ZN21/CHI), ridden by Paula Llorens Clark (FEI ID 10086065/CHI). Samples taken from the horse at the CEIYJ2* 120 in Llay Llay (CHI) on 30 March 2019 tested positive for the *Banned Substance O-Desmethyltramadol.

The athlete was able to provide a plausible explanation for the horse testing positive, support personnel having urinated close to the horse, while being on Tramadol. As a result, the FEI entered into an agreement with the athlete and did not impose any period of ineligibility or costs.

The horse and athlete combination were disqualified from the event. The full Decision is available here.

The third case involves the horse Tra Duncan (104CE66/KSE), ridden by Mohamed Al Jaberi (FEI ID 10063829/KSA), which tested positive for the *Banned Substance Diisopropylamine following samples taken at the CEI1* 110 in Al Qaseem (KSA) on 9 March 2019. The athlete failed to establish the source of the substance and therefore there could be no reduction of the standard two-year suspension.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal imposed a two-year suspension on the athlete, and disqualified the horse and athlete combination from the event. The Provisional Suspension on the athlete, which came into effect on 11 April 2019, was credited against the period of ineligibility imposed in the decision, meaning the athlete will be ineligible until 11 April 2021. He was also fined CHF 7,500 and ordered to pay the legal costs of CHF 2,000 that the FEI incurred in these proceedings...

More at:
https://inside.fei.org/content/fei-tribunal-issues-final-decisions-equine-anti-doping-cases

BC Native Riding Solo Across Mongolia in Gobi Gallop

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

Julie Veloo hopes to raise $50,000 for Children of the Peak during her 700-km trek on her charity’s annual fundraiser.

By: Kim Izzo | October 14, 2020

“The Gobi Gallop is the longest annual charity horseback ride on the planet,” explains Julie Veloo, who splits her time between B.C.’s Okanagan Valley and Mongolia.

Veloo is the founder and vice-president of the Veloo Foundation, a registered charity. Its main initiative is Children of the Peak, which consists of 12 programs which include, “sustainable educational, vocational and infrastructure development along with relief efforts to address immediate, serious need in the Songin Khairhan and surrounding districts where many of the community members survive simply on what they can scavenge from the garbage dump to eat, burn or sell...”

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/horse-news/bc-native-riding-solo-across-mongolia-gobi-gallop/

UAE equestrian body intends to appeal its suspension from the FEI

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

October 11, 2020
Horsetalk.co.nz

The United Arab Emirates Equestrian and Racing Federation has signalled its intention to appeal last month’s decision by the FEI Board to suspend it from the international organisation.

The suspension arose over the running of the Sheikh Mohammed Cup and The President’s Cup. Both should have been held as International Endurance Events (CEIs) as the number of foreign athletes far exceeded the quota permitted under the rules for national events, according to the FEI.

The FEI Board imposed a full suspension of the UAE national federation, across all FEI disciplines, until the end of the year. The suspension in relation to Endurance will run longer, until March 31, 2021.

The board has also imposed a financial sanction on the organisers of the events in question, requiring them to pay a percentage of the prize money – 50% for the Sheikh Mohammed Cup and 10% for The President’s Cup – as well as the organising dues that would have been payable to the FEI had the events been held as international events.

The world governing body signalled that the suspensions will remain in place until all financial sanctions have been paid in full...

Read more here:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2020/10/11/uae-equestrian-body-appeal-suspension-fei/

Will the UAE’s Suspension Trigger an Endurance Breakaway?

HorseSport.com - Full Article

Fans of ‘desert racing’ seem baffled by the suspension - not surprising, against a background of widespread disregard for the rules.

By Cuckson Report // Pippa Cuckson | October 1, 2020

There are many reasons why the FEI shouldn’t have so promptly lifted its first suspension of the UAE national federation (NF) in 2015. Since then, the discipline’s dominant player has had more “second chances” than it deserved. But unlike 2015, last week’s FEI decision to suspend it again has massive impacts, wiping out the winter endurance season and grinding the global horse trade to a halt.

The FEI produced this concise Q&A for riders of limited attention span. Here is my unofficial – and rather longer – Q and A:

Isn’t a six-month suspension rather short, bearing in mind the UAE’s history of doping, cheating and horse fatalities?...

Read more here:
https://horsesport.com/cuckson-report-1/will-uaes-suspension-trigger-endurance-breakaway/

FEI spells out what UAE suspension means to riders, officials and event organizers

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

October 2, 2020
Horsetalk.co.nz

The world governing body for horse sport says the recently announced suspension of the National Equestrian Federation of the United Arab Emirates will have many practical consequences for athletes, owners, trainers, officials and organizers beyond the country’s borders.

The FEI Board suspended the UAE’s national equestrian body after an investigation into the circumstances around two national endurance events (CENs) in January and February 2020 — the Sheikh Mohammed Cup and The President’s Cup.

Both should have been held as international endurance events (CEIs) as the number of foreign athletes far exceeded the quota permitted for national events, the FEI concluded.

The board believed the reason for re-classifying the events as CENs was to avoid the application of the new FEI Endurance Rules scheduled to take effect on January 1 this year...

Read more here:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2020/10/02/fei-uae-suspension-riders-officials-event-organizers/

British Horse Feeds and Golden Paste Company Red Dragon Festival

EGB.myclubhouse.co.uk

30 September 2020

Organisers pledge Endurance GB British Horse Feeds and Golden Paste Company Red Dragon Festival ‘will rise again’

Following news of the cancellation of this year’s British Horse Feeds & Golden Paste Company Red Dragon Festival of Endurance due to a spike in Covid cases across Wales, organisers say support for this year’s planned event will mean it comes back bigger and better in the future.

While the sport’s annual season finale scheduled for next weekend from its home at the Royal Welsh Showground had been billed as Covid-compliant ‘Red Dragon Lite’, entries across all the classes had exceeded expectations and organisers John and Jane Hudson say they had been overwhelmed both by the strong backing of the sponsors and the support of the endurance community.

John Hudson said: “A huge amount of work had gone in to making this happen and we were devastated when it became clear that the Welsh Government would have had to delay their rollout of the relaxation of restrictions for larger events in Wales and were then unable to give us assurance that the restrictions will be sufficiently lifted to enable the event to take place.

“We would like to express our thanks to our sponsors British Horse Feeds and The Golden Paste Company for their unwavering backing and generosity throughout the preparations and to Steve Hughson and his Royal Welsh Showground team and the numerous volunteers and local landowners who worked so hard to try to make the event happen.

“We were hugely encouraged by the support the ride received and can assure everyone that the Red Dragon Festival of Endurance will rise again and this has given us the impetus to ensure that next time it will be bigger and better than ever.”

Meanwhile, Endurance GB’s season has been extended until the end of the year and a number of rides are in the calendar including the popular two-day Concrete Cows event, a uniquely urban endurance ride over purpose built bridleways around central Milton Keynes which is scheduled to take place on 24 and 25 October.

Planning is underway for the 2021 domestic and international season which will see British teams competing at both the World and European Endurance Championships.

FEI Tribunal issues Final Decision

Inside.fei.org

30 September 2020 Author: FEI

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in a case involving two Prohibited Substances.

The case involves the horse Leslie O’Nil (FEI ID 105PA88/FRA), ridden by Ludovic Saroul (FEI ID 10014413/FRA). Samples taken from the horse at the CEI2* 120 in Al Ula (KSA) on 2 February 2019 tested positive for the Banned Substances Mephentermine and Oxetacaine.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal accepted the agreement reached between the FEI and the athlete. The FEI Tribunal took note that the FEI accepted that the athlete bore no significant fault or negligence for the rule violation, as he was able to establish how the Prohibited Substances entered the horse’s system.

As a result, the period of ineligibility was set at 18 months, starting from the date of the FEI Tribunal Final Decision (10 September 2020). The provisional suspension (effective from 11 March 2019) was credited against the full suspension, meaning that the athlete was ineligible until 10 September 2020.

The results of the athlete and horse at the event were disqualified and the athlete was ordered to pay a fine of CHF 1,500. Each of the parties will bear its own legal costs.

More at:
https://inside.fei.org/content/fei-tribunal-issues-final-decision