by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 12, 2023
Olympic show jumper Rich Fellers will be going to federal prison for 50 months, following his sentencing Thursday in Portland, Ore., for sexual abuse of a longtime student who was underage.
In July, the 2012 World Cup Finals champion, 63, pleaded guilty to traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, his longtime student, Maggie Kehring. She was 17 when Fellers was arrested in 2021. Kehring has been interviewed on television about her experience and is involved in founding the group, #WeRideTogether, which seeks to eliminate sexual misconduct in sport.
At the sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut called Fellers’ treatment of the teen “a tremendous abuse of trust.”
On Oct. 27, Fellers is scheduled to be sentenced in Washington County, Oregon, for two counts of second-degree sexual abuse. It is expected that the penalty for those charges will run concurrently with his federal sentence.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 16, 2023
Two of eventing’s riders at the top of the game will compete in a field of 25 this week at the MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill.
Great Britain’s Oliver Townend, ranked world number one, will mark the U.S. debut of his talented up-and-comer, Cooley Rosalent. And world number three, Boyd Martin of the U.S., will be aboard Contessa. World Number four, New Zealand’s Tim Price, was last year’s winner, but had to scratch his ride, Falco, because the horse underwent colic surgery that revealed a benign tumor.
Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class at the British rider’s last Maryland 5-star appearance. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
New Jersey rider Arielle Aharoni will be competing at the 5-star level for the first occasion with her Dutch Times. Read more about her here.
Tickets for the event, presented by Brown Advisory, are still available at https://www.maryland5star.us/tickets/. Advance pricing ends at 6 p.m. Wednesday Oct. 18. Dressage begins the next day and continues until Oct. 20. Cross-country is Oct. 21, with the show jumping wrap-up on Oct. 22. In addition to the 5-star, a 3-star competition also will be presented.
EquiRatings, a sports data and analytics company, has published its 2023 Maryland 5 Star Stats & Stories Guide for fans of the sport and all who are interested to learn more about the athletes, both rider and horse, along with stats and analysis around the third annual event.
The guide provides information around the rider with top win chances in this year’s event, with Great Britain’s Piggy March, riding Brookfield Cavalier Cruise leading the way with a 29 percent chance of winning it all. Quantum Leap, ridden by American Doug Payne is the highest-rated horse in this year’s field, having finished in the top 10 in 14 of his 22 four and five-star appearances.
The organization uses data science and equestrian experience to provide clear and defined information into high-performance analysis that can be used by a multitude of people or organizations.
For the first time, ticket holders can purchase the new MD5Star Radio powered by Brown Advisory. It will enable them to listen to live broadcast commentary and stream throughout the competition.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 12, 2023
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.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 12, 2023
A Sussex County property has been quarantined after two horses developed highly infectious equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM). A seven-year-old Standardbred mare became sick on Oct. 1 and improved after prompt medical treatment. Six days later, a three-year-old Standardbred mare developed clinical signs of fever and was unable to get up. She was humanely euthanized due to severe clinical deterioration.
EHM is the often-deadly neurologic form of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) infection. Other horses on the premises are under quarantine. Temperatures are also being taken twice daily on all quarantined horses to monitor for sickness. The state Department of Agriculture is tracing and notifying the appropriate parties regarding recent horse movement.
“The Department quickly took the necessary steps in an effort to stop the disease from spreading by placing a quarantine on the movement of other horses to and from the property,” said state Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Joseph Atchison III.
“These preventative measures are vital in containing what is a highly contagious virus for horses.”
The EHV-1 organism spreads quickly from horse to horse and can cause respiratory problems, especially in young horses and spontaneous abortions in pregnant mares, while the neurologic form of the virus can result in death. The incubation period of EHV-1 is typically 2-10 days.
Clinical signs include respiratory disease, fever, nasal discharge, depression, cough, lack of appetite, and/or enlarged lymph nodes. In horses infected with the neurologic strain of EHV-1, clinical signs typically include mild lack of coordination, hind-end weakness/paralysis, loss of bladder and tail function, and loss of sensation to the skin in the hind end. The virus spreads readily through direct contact with infected materials.
The virus is endemic in the country and although highly infectious, it does not persist in the environment for an extended period and is neutralized by hand soap, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and sunlight. The virus does not affect humans and other domestic animals, except for llamas and alpacas. The first case of EHV-1 in New Jersey was confirmed in September in Gloucester County.
The NJDA Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory is available to assist veterinarians with EHV-1 testing. For contact information, please visit the lab website: www.jerseyvetlab.nj.gov. Concerned owners should consult with their veterinarian prior to taking any action as the clinical signs of infection with the neurological form of EHV-1 (EHM) are common to many other diseases. EHM is a reportable disease in New Jersey. If an owner has a horse exhibiting neurologic signs or suspects Equine Herpes, they are directed to call their veterinarian immediately.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 11, 2023
The FEI has suspended Eric Lamaze, the 2008 Olympic show jumping individual gold medalist, for four years on a tampering charge. It’s in connection with an anti-doping rule violation when he ducked a test in 2021.
Lamaze, who served as the Canadian show jumping technical advisor last year, claimed for years that he has brain cancer. But the FEI stated he committed a human anti-doping rule violation “due to the submission of fabricated medical documents during an ongoing CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) proceeding.”
He was “deemed to have waived a hearing, admitted the violation, and accepted the proposed consequences because he did not respond to the charge,” according to the FEI.
Eric Lamaze and Hickstead after winning gold at the 2008 Olympics. (Photo © 2008 by Nancy Jaffer)
In the absence of mitigating circumstances, Lamaze received the suspension from Sept. 12, 2023 through Nov. 9, 2027. He was fined 15,000 Swiss francs and required to reimburse the FEI for its legal costs in the matter.matter.
Lamaze retired from riding in competition in 2022, citing the cancer, which he contended kept him from appearing in court. He has been sued by several owners who bought horses through him and has claimed in published reports that he has financial problems.
The rider has quite a tangled history, from the depths to the heights and back again. He missed two Olympics (1996 and 2000) due to prohibited substance positives. An independent arbitrator rescinding his lifetime ban from the sport paved the way for him to rise again.
In 2008, he did that in spectacular fashion, assuring the Canadian team of a silver medal at the Olympics in Hong Kong, then going on to take the historic individual gold in a jump-off aboard Hickstead.
There was mourning in equestrian circles and beyond in 2011 when Hickstead dropped dead after his round at the Verona, Italy show. At the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto that autumn, people wore black armbands in memory of the stallion.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 6, 2023
They’re getting the band back together again.
Three pillars of 21st century U.S. show jumping–McLain Ward, Laura Kraut and Kent Farrington — have been named to the must-do squad for the Pan American Games in Chile this month. The fourth member is Karl Cook, whose recent record has been impressive, capped by a victory in the American Gold Cup last month. Lillie Keenan will be the reserve rider.
McLain Ward and Contagious. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
The U.S. has a chance to be one of the three teams that finish well enough at the Pan Ams to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Last weekend, the U.S. narrowly lost its attempt to beat Brazil at the FEI Nations Cup Final and secure the only berth available from that competition for the Olympics.
Laura will be on Dorado 212, the same horse she rode at the Final in Barcelona. At age 57, she will be the oldest person on the U.S. team in any sport at the Pan Ams. (Phillip Dutton, the 60-year-old eventer, is not competing in Chile.The eventers are already qualified for Paris, so the Games offer a chance for less-experienced riders to get mileage.)
McLain will switch off Callas, the horse he took to Spain, and instead be aboard his number one, Contagious. He will be the only five-time Olympian in any sport in the U.S. contingent.
Kent, who rode with McLain on the bronze medal squad at the 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games team, will be riding Landon. And Karl has the very talented Caracole de la Roque as his ride. Lillie’s horse is Argan de Belliard.
Defeat by a single penalty in Barcelona Oct. 1 was frustrating, but U.S. coach Robert Ridland is focusing on the Pan Ams. With Brazil having qualified in Barcelona, the USA’s most likely competition for one of the three Olympic qualifying spots figures to be Mexico and Canada. Argentina is also a possibility.
“We’ll give it our all in the Pan Ams. We’re sending a good team and we’ll go from there,” said Robert.
U.S. show jumping coach Robert Ridland. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
“We’re going to be fighting for the gold, I hope. Regardless of the Olympic spot, we’re not going down there to get a bronze and slip into the Olympics.”
No matter how good the team that competes, however, “what you’re mostly worried about is the unforeseen happening,” Robert pointed out.
“All you need is one horse colicking, if the hay is bad or something, or another steps on a stone or a rider gets Covid. All of a sudden, you’ve got two riders or whatever. Stranger things have happened.”
So what else could be a problem?
“You can have a spur mark. A microscopic particle of blood. You’re eliminated,” he noted.
“Aside from that, I think we’re sending some pretty good horse/rider combinations down there. If they all stay sound and no one trips over a crowbar and breaks their collarbone, we should on paper be one of those three teams” that qualify for the Games.
In Sunday’s final round of the competition in Barcelona, the U.S. had a total of 9 penalties, one more than Brazil. If they each had collected 8 penalties, the U.S. total time of 253.47 would have beaten Brazil’s 253.82.
No U.S. rider had a fault-free trip on Sunday. McLain Ward and Callas, the only American pair clear on Thursday, had a rail, as did Karl Cook with Kalinka van ‘T Zorgvliet. Devin Ryan on Eddie Blue, subbing for Jessica Springsteen who rode Thursday and had a knockdown, logged eight penalties to be the drop score. Laura Kraut collected a single time fault with Dorado 212 for exceeding by a mere 0.62 seconds the 87-second time-allowed over Santiago Varela’s course.
“If any of three things could have gone our way,” mused Robert, explaining the “what ifs” of how the team could have pulled it out.
He cited, “McLain’s rub at 13C (in the triple that was the next-to-last fence on course), no one even heard it, it was so light. If it had stayed up, that would have done it. Same thing for Karl Cook (at the same fence). If either one of those had left that jump up or if Laura had been a half-second faster, any one of those three, not all those three, and we would have beaten Brazil. It was a good fight to the finish. It just didn’t work out our way.”
Referring to having Devin ride in the final round, Robert explained, “I wanted to bring in a fresh horse on Sunday.”
“It wasn’t a negative against Jessie. We weren’t good enough on Thursday. I wanted to do something different. You have to go with your instincts. My instinct coming down here was to send five ready, fresh horse rider combinations.
“Unless something really unusual happened on Thursday, I wanted to use all five (during the show). You can’t do that in the Pan Ams. There your reserve is a spectator.”
The Barcelona squad wasn’t the normal four plus one team, he said, noting in that case, he generally sends a young rider as the plus one.
“Here, the stakes were high enough that I wanted to send someone going well,” he continued, explaining he felt Devin had done that at the Hampton Classic on Labor Day weekend, and at Aachen before that.
In Barcelona, “it only was going to work if he jumped clean. If he just duplicated what Jessie did with 4, that wouldn’t have made any difference.” What was needed was a clean or for “the time fault to go away.”
The final was won by Germany, the only country to go fault-free. France was second, followed by Belgium, Brazil and the U.S. in fifth. Switzerland, without some of its best horse/rider combinations, was sixth. Britain (which had won the first round, finished seventh) and Ireland was eighth.
