[QUOTE=Cannonball;8301825]
I agree he comes off in the transcript as an idiot. But he is wholeheartedly committed to BP and would probably do anything to protect her.[/QUOTE]
Which can also be read as “is wholeheartedly committed to keeping his position with Betsee Parker and would do anything to protect himself”…
[QUOTE=dp1092;8301827]
Who is Steve Rivetts? The name doesn’t ring a bell?[/QUOTE]
No one.
Steven Rivetts is a ‘R’ rated judge from NJ.
[QUOTE=kenyarider;8301820]
So folks, Tori Colvin and Sophie Simpson are very talented child riders whose parents and cohorts have let them down, badly. So, what are we, the owners and parents and riders going to say to USEF and USHJA about the drugging problem? For a horse to have its jugular vein so damaged that blood can’t be drawn is absurd. For a trainer, horse whistler or whatever to testify to the amount of medications and pre ride work a particular horse is given for it to jump around at 3’6" hunter course is disgraceful. We, the owners, parents and riders, need to say to our national body, enough is enough. Time to go to the FEI rules model because this is not horsemanship and borders on the verge of animal abuse. Then of course, there is the example we are providing to youngsters like Tori and Sophie about the way the world is. I am embarrassed for all adults involved in these messes and I am ashamed that we are providing these youngsters with such poor examples of what horsemanship and animal care should be. So how many of us on this list are going to write to USEF and USHJA and say, enough, change the rules.[/QUOTE]
Have no inside information here so making NO assumptions as to the riders knowledge in either of these cases. However, neither of these riders are children - they are on the brink of adulthood - and neither are unfamiliar with the horse show world. In fact, both are in many ways, professional although young riders. As such, some of the responsibility of knowing what is going and what compliance with the rules entails falls on their shoulders.
Is it possible that both were deliberately deceived - sure - and if so that is a very sad situation. However, all FEI riders are at risk for what may have been done to the horse they are riding whether they know and authorized it as not. Its a reality that means the rider must be involved and knowledgeable.
[QUOTE=huntersgonewild;8301846]
No one.[/QUOTE]
Apparently he (Steve Rivetts) is “someone” to Betsee Parker…
[QUOTE=bjd2013;8301849]
Steven Rivetts is a ‘R’ rated judge from NJ.[/QUOTE]
And he doesn’t know what GABA is? I find that extremely hard to believe.
There seems to be a lot of bad attempts to deliberately hide information. How does someone so involved with horses not know what GABA is and apparently Carolina Gold, but says “Boy are we in trouble” when it shows up after the test? How is someone who has been reduced to the ‘average supportive parent’ suddenly get the idea to put their name as trainer when they haven’t been around the horse all day except once while watching it warm up? What ‘average parent’ puts their name down as an essential part to the horse’s care?
Everyone from owner to rider is involved and not one thing was mentioned about the well-being of the horses. Even those who claimed to have no idea what GABA was or what was being given to the horses seemed to have no concern if it was dangerous, the possible side effects, just how it was going to affect them. It’s sad and it very much does give off the tone that this a very common practice. Maybe more so then we like to believe.
Gaba who???
You can bet that I will never bring any clients horses or support any horse show that hires this reject to judge their horse shows after he serves out his suspension. I’m not putting money in his pocket or any show that supports him. What a LOSER. Is that the best BP can do with all her money…How to go from the top to laughingstock in 10 seconds. What a cluster.
[QUOTE=juststartingout;8301854]
Have no inside information here so making NO assumptions as to the riders knowledge in either of these cases. However, neither of these riders are children - they are on the brink of adulthood - and neither are unfamiliar with the horse show world. In fact, both are in many ways, professional although young riders. As such, some of the responsibility of knowing what is going and what compliance with the rules entails falls on their shoulders.[/QUOTE]
I understand this thought process - I really do. But then I remember what it was like to be 17 years old, and I just can’t imagine myself at that age being in the situation where every adult in my presence was in agreement that drugging the horses I was going to ride was perfectly acceptable and necessary, and that anyone would expect that I would be able to stand up to all of them and say, “No, this is not acceptable and I am not going to stand for it”. And I can’t think of a single friend of mine at that age who would have been able to do that either.
It’s all good and fine (and easy) to point out that these kids are a year or less from being considered adults by law, but it’s not at all easy at that age to take a stand against your parents and their peers when every single one of them is so completely comfortable with doing something that everyone knows is absolutely wrong.
I did post on the other thread that Sophie Simpson deserves to be suspended, so I might sound as though I’m contradicting myself. And maybe I am. The opinion I stated above applies to both of the kids, but I agree with Sophie’s suspension because that is the rule that the FEI has in place at this time. I’m not convinced that junior riders should be suspended under any association’s rules, but the FEI already has that rule in place, so there is no alternative but to suspend her.
What’s sad for these kids is that it’s likely this is the way it’s always been done in their lives. There’s a damn good chance that they don’t even know there’s another way. It’s as normal as sliced bread to them.
The rest of it just disgusts me. I had a really hard time ponying up and going to work for this industry today.
[QUOTE=dp1092;8301873]
And he doesn’t know what GABA is? I find that extremely hard to believe.[/QUOTE]
I’m a dressage hacker that shows at one rated show every 5 years and I know what GABA is. I almost LOL’d when I read that!
I feel so sad about the horses…
And he doesn’t know what GABA is? I find that extremely hard to believe.
everything I know about better showing via chemical I learned via COTH and the USEF / AHSA web site
It use to be when we got magazines from the federation I went directly to see who was caught this month. Now it is easy to click on line.
You pretty much have to live in a hole to not encounter info about the latest drug d’jour via the forums and the penalty pages.
and you cannot tell me major players are not lurking here on one of the largest hunter / jumper-centric forums in the country
[QUOTE=dags;8301902]
What’s sad for these kids is that it’s likely this is the way it’s always been done in their lives. There’s a damn good chance that they don’t even know there’s another way. It’s as normal as sliced bread to them.
The rest of it just disgusts me. I had a really hard time ponying up and going to work for this industry today.[/QUOTE]
TODAY!?!?!
I knew all was lost when Victor wrote a column after judging a medals class.
He tested the riders by asking them horsemanship questions.
When one was asked “where is the horses poll” the rider replied
“back at the barn”
Oh, dear.
Maybe he can spend his 7 month suspension in a productive manner by studying the rule book and making himself familiar with important updates.
This is so depressing. Glad I switched to jumpers, on many levels.
[QUOTE=Justice;8301955]
This is so depressing. Glad I switched to jumpers, on many levels.[/QUOTE]
Uh, read the Devin Ryan thread yet?
OK. Now I’m doubly depressed. I just have one question. “Where’s the fruitbat?”
Has anyone looked at the owner history on Don Juan going back the last few years of results? Curiouser and curiouser.
[QUOTE=marginall;8300772]
THIS. I can’t even imagine doing this to my beautiful hunters and I have never cared about ribbons in a subjective, comparative class. I don’t lunge. I may hack in the morning if I think they need to get out but it’s not exhaustive as I see many others do. So if you see my horses being expressive or lazy or a little spooky … they are just being themselves. No drugs except maybe one gram of Bute after they jump at the show.
I guess I’m old fashioned but I really love and respect my horses too much to do this. Makes me very sad for our sport but I’ll just keep doing it my way and be happy when I get a ribbon or not. I have to believe there are lots of others of us out there so don’t lose faith. You may just not see us winning at indoors.
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