The Court of Arbitration for Sport has sustained the FEI’s (international equestrian federation) suspension of international show jumper Andrew Kocher until 2030 for using electric spurs, along with a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs, court costs of 7,500 Swiss Francs and disqualification from competitions in the U.S and abroad.
Kocher, 39, had rigged up electric spurs with a cord that ran through his boots, which were perforated to connect with the spurs, and wore a jacket to hide the battery that activated the electricity when he pressed a button to trigger the setup while mounted.
Erica Hatfield of Eye Candy LLC had hired Kocher to ride and train her horses, and he was also involved in their sale. But she reported to the Equestrian Community Integrity Unit that he had been using the homemade spur setup. In May 2020, she was asked to make a video of him using the spurs.
The ECIU reports to the FEI, which called Kocher’s behavior “an example not only of horse abuse, but also of gross cheating over a lengthy period; to the great detriment of the reputation of the sport, the Respondent’s owners and the other riders in his competitions, not to mention the criminality in some jurisdictions. Respondent’s conduct during the hearing, including flat denials and consequently a total lack of remorse, only makes matters worse.”
The FEI brought six charges against Kocher, including horse abuse and a breach of the FEI Code of Conduct on the Welfare of the Horse. The FEI suspended Kocher for 10 years dating back to 2020 after a 2021 proceeding, but he appealed the decision to CAS.
The conclusion by CAS stated, “Considering the dual iniquity of cruelty to animals and disloyalty to competitors, as well as the actions of the appellant in not only using electric spurs himself, but also in encouraging or instructing others to do so, the panel reaches the same conclusion as the FEI tribunal to the effect that a 10-year period of suspension was merited, and entailing disqualification of the eight events tainted by the infractions.”