Prohibited substance case under FEI anti-doping rules; RESPONSE

On October 30 Endurance.Net forwarded an FEI press notification of a banned substance offense and resulting suspension, http://news.endurance.net/2017/10/prohibited-substance-case-under-fei.html

We apologize for any personal distress over the publication, and sincerely hope that the resolution is favorable.

Steph Teeter

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The following is a personal response to the finding, forwarded at Ms Meuten’s request:

By now you may have heard that I, Nicki Meuten, have been suspended from endurance riding due to a positive drug test for the commonly used anti-depressant medication found in trace quantities in our horse Dutch’s post competition urine sample. This happened after the Coats Creek ride in Canada on July 3, 2017. We were just informed of the positive urine test result on October 16, 2017 and have been suspended pending the testing of the split sample and the FEI hearing on the matter.

Our horse tested positive for the metabolite of the human anti-depressant medication Effexor, o-desmethyl venlafaxine. Prior to being informed of Dutch’s test result I had never heard of this medication. We did not administer this substance to our horse nor do we give any banned medications to our horses at or prior to competition. Neither Don nor I take this medication. We have absolutely no idea how our horse could have ingested this substance.

I am devastated as this goes against everything I believe in. In our investigations so far we have found that this is a medication that can be found in waste water, sludge used for fertilizer on fields, and is one of the most common anti-depressant medications prescribed to people (17 million prescriptions in 2007). He could have easily been exposed to this medication in the competition environment prior to or at the event. His urine contained just small trace amounts of this substance (nanograms/parts per billion per milliliter of urine). It is a banned substance however, and according to FEI rules, no amount is permissible.

Laboratory testing methods are now so sensitive and environmental contamination by pharmaceutical products so common that situations like ours will occur regardless of the level of vigilance of the owner/trainer. We are working with multiple people to try to determine how this happened. We will then present this to FEI for their consideration at a hearing of the matter to be scheduled if the split sample results confirm the original lab results. If the split sample confirms the presence, a hearing will be conducted and the FEI will render a decision. Until then I cannot compete or attend an endurance ride even as a support person. If you think this could not happen to you, you are wrong. I will not be responding to anything on Facebook. If you want further information or facts about this please contact Don at don_meuten@ncsu.edu.

Great Britain: Red Dragon Festival of Endurance 2017

Endurancegb.co.uk

a report from Wessex - (Published:27 October 2017)

2017 saw EGB launch a new set of Championship classes. The National Championship has long been a fixture on the EGB ride calendar but this year an additional three championships were launched for Novice, Open and Advanced level with the finals held at the Red Dragon to coincide with the ride’s 40th anniversary on 29th Sep - 1st Oct.

The weather was certainly not kind over the course of the weekend with heavy rain in the run up to the ride making going slippery on the hills and boggy on the moors. The ride days themselves saw continued rain with some quite heavy fog in places in higher areas….some might say typical Red Dragon weather!

There was a strong turnout of Wessex members in classes across the weekend with Wessex members winning in 3 of the 4 championship classes in some very tough conditions. We asked the championship winners to recap their experiences of the weekend .... click here to view their reports!

Prohibited substance case under FEI anti-doping rules

FEI.org

25 Oct 2017

The FEI has announced an adverse analytical finding involving a prohibited substance.

The new case involves the use of O-Desmethyl Venlafaxine, which is a *Banned Substance under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs).

Horse: FYF Dutch (FEI ID 103CM43/USA)

Person Responsible Nicki Meuten (FEI ID 10030582/USA)

Event: CEI3* 160 - Coates Creek (CAN) 02.07.2017

Prohibited Substance: O-Desmethyl Venlafaxine

The athlete has been provisionally suspended from the date of notification (16 October 2017) until the FEI Tribunal renders a decision. The horse has been provisionally suspended for two months.

Details on this case can be found here.

Australia: ‘To complete is to win’

Begadistrictnews.com.au - Full Article

23 October 2017

Keen riders can pick up tips and tricks on keeping their horses healthy while riding long distances at an endurance-riding training-day.

The South Coast Zone Endurance Riders Association (SCZERA) will hold educational talks and introductory rides at Willinga Park, Malua Bay, on December 3.

Committee member Clare Feary said the training day gave keen riders right along the south coast the chance to try endurance riding in a supportive environment.

“The sport motto is: to complete is to win,” Ms Feary said.

“We want to show riders how to succesfully complete a ride.”

She said joining any new sport could be confusing and difficult.

“We are welcoming new riders: Offering10, 20, and 40 kilometre rides and explaining all the rules and processes involved,” she said.

The training day was proposed after a survey by the sport’s state body found the majority of riders who hadn’t yet tried endurance riding said they needed more information and support...

Read more here:
http://www.begadistrictnews.com.au/story/5005988/horse-riders-test-long-distance/

UAE: New endurance season gets under way with double-header

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Seeh Al Salam Endurance Challenge and Al Wasl Endurance Cup to begin build-up towards HH Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup Festival and Crown Prince Endurance Cup Festival

Published: 18:02 October 19, 2017 Gulf News
Staff Report

Dubai: The 2017-18 endurance season gets under way at Dubai International Endurance City (DIEC) this Friday and Saturday with two rides held over 100km — the Seeh Al Salam Endurance Challenge and Al Wasl Endurance Cup, restricted to private stables and individuals.
The purpose-built DIEC facility, located adjacent to the Bab Al Shams Desert Resort and Spa, is gearing up to host some of the UAE’s most prominent endurance rides including the HH Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup Festival as well as the Crown Prince Endurance Cup Festival.

The much-awaited HH Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup presented by Longines now leads a week-long endurance festival to be held between December 28 and January 6, comprising a total of four rides, to celebrate the remarkable contribution and support of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for endurance riding and equestrian sport at large...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/new-endurance-season-gets-under-way-with-double-header-1.2109403

New Zealand: Endurance horse rider inducted to Marlborough Sports Hall of Fame

Stuff.co.nz - Full Article

ANGELA O'CARROLL
Last updated 14:59, October 18 2017

An endurance horse rider has been inducted into the Marlborough Sports Hall of Fame.

Renwick woman Tess Wells was added to the region's list of sporting elite at a special ceremony at the Marlborough District Council on Monday.

The South Island champion has just returned from Queensland, Australia after representing Equestrian Sport New Zealand (ESNZ) in the Endurance trans-Tasman challenge.

Wells was named Marlborough Endurance Rider of the year by the Marlborough Endurance Club in July.

Wells said she was "quite nervous" for Monday night's ceremony, but excited to be inducted into the Marlborough Sports Hall of Fame, which is for Marlburians who have competed for New Zealand, in an international event at a senior level.

Her horse Barney was quite a character, with his "own opinion, everything else is a compromise", she said.

"He's not naughty, [he] just has a mind of his own..."

Read more here:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/97972128/endurance-horse-rider-inducted-to-marlborough-sports-hall-of-fame

Equestrian Australia focussed on drug-free awareness

Equestrian.org.au

17/10/2017

Equestrian Australia (EA) will be working closely with the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) and introducing random drug testing at events throughout Australia moving forward.

We are continually focussed on building awareness of the importance of drug-free competition at all EA sanctioned events as well as improving Member safety and horse welfare. As highlighted in EA’s Strategic Plan 2017-2020 it is a priority for Equestrian sport’s National Federation to promote safe, fair and drug-free competition and develop sound policy and process to manage and monitor Member safety.

EA urges all Riders, Stable staff and Owners involved in Equestrian sport to diligently study and observe anti-doping guidelines as set out by ASADA and the FEI, as well as the Equestrian Australia Anti-Doping policy which can all be found here http://www.equestrian.org.au/content/clean-sport-humans

From March 31st 2018, all EA coaches will have completed a minimum of the ASADA online Level 1 anti-doping course which can be located at https://elearning.asada.gov.au/ in order to renew their coaching memberships. However, EA also invites any equestrian member to take the free, online course that takes just over one hour to complete.

Officials will continue to be vigilant and will follow a strict reporting procedure at all EA sanctioned events should they be concerned about any athlete’s welfare in relation to any form of substance abuse.

This initiative is aimed at helping to ensure that competitors present themselves and their horses at all events drug-free and uphold the values of clean sport at all times.