I understand it was just a warning. I don’t understand how he only received a warning and not a yellow card for beating home not one but two tired horses. Elisa Wallace got a yellow card for continuing on with just one tired horse. 
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Townend only got an “official warning”, no yellow card. Even so, I think more direct action is the only thing that will make Marilyn and her supporters pay attention and consider that maybe the way she does things needs to change drastically. It’s no longer all about her at this point, or it shouldn’t be.
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Yes, also did anyone see the footage of them walking to the start box and the groom picking grass and shoving it in the mare’s mouth on the way???
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Yep…hoping green mouth foam would cover red mouth foam…
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I should have been more clear. In between the last few jumps, not the absolute end of course.
I didn’t see it and I am NOT defending ML/groom etc. Just mentioning “I” have done that to a few charges that were hot and ready to explode (not shoving it but snatching grass and offering it to them as I scuttle to keep up and maintain control) to try to occupy the mind. Again- not defending, just thinking not every action is with nefarious intent. [takes off rose colored glasses]
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Response from official at an event, whether FEI or not, to the competitor who says “Do you know who I am?”.
“Yes, you’re a competitor in this event and therefore under my jurisdiction according to the rules of this sport.”
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Correct me if I am wrong. The current blood rules in show jumping and dressage result in elimination if blood is found anywhere on the horse.
Many ULRs in eventing seem to be against a blood rule in eventing.
In the discussion, shouldn’t we distinguish between proposing a blood rule that results in a yellow card vs one that results in elimination? Seems like the former might get the job done and be more supported by more people?
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The usual reason for doing this is to keep an active mouth busy. Similar to the idea behind gum bits. I’ve done it with horses that weren’t bleeding before. I wouldn’t automatically assume that the grass was to hide the color. Likely just an effort to try to keep her from biting her mouth again.
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I think for XC blood NOT on the head or flanks and not caused by tack or rider apparel should be at the descression of the GJ
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I’m too lazy to read all the way through the thread again.
Some posted an email address that, IIRC, was for the FEI ended in integrity.com. Would someone mind reposting it?
Thanks.
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“Bloody Marilyn” She has earned that nic name.
The great sport of eventing is circling the drain, and the people who should be it’s protectors of the horses and enforcers of the rules are turning a blind eye.
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Does the ground jury all have to agree to give out a yellow card or can one member have the balls and give one out?
P.
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Something needs be done or Eventing is going to have another “Le Samurai” event.
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Cease and desist letters are quite normal within the lawyering circles; meant to intimidate. Hire Michael Avenatti. Of course it stands to reason Marilyn would have an attorney; she feels her reputation is being besmirched. Tough noogies. She has lost some sponsors over the blood thing, not your daughter. But she feels there is a witch hunt afoot…she brought all of that on herself. Marilyn believes folks will back down because of “who” she is…nah…doesn’t matter her claims to fame. Jack le Goff said it best: “America teaches folks to be riders, not horsemen.” He was right; it still holds true today…in the eventing world of Little and Townend it’s most obvious horsemanship is not a priority…ps…I am older than Marilyn and Oliver, I come from a school of thought where the horse comes first; his well being. I was, when much younger, star struck at the big names in show jumping at the time. I saw them alot, knew several. No matter the gold medals, they did things behind the scenes that I thought were the norm…they were far from it but I was so busy being star struck, I didn’t “see.” While i loved their style and ability to get stuff from a horse, the methods were cruel. I am no longer star struck by a name…sure, I am somewhat impressed by high performance rider’s successes…but…not much. No matter who someone is, whether they ride or act in a movie…they are people and their fame/power cannot allow them to be above the rules. So, these cease and desist letters…at my age I want to reply and say: “so whatta ya wanna do? Meet outside after school and duke it out?” 
Yes, you may have to hire an attorney to speak to her attorney etc…your people talk to her people. You have alot of support within the equine industry. Remember Stormy Daniels? All she wanted was one thing and look what that has unraveled…
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I’ve just learned something from the FEI. The Rules don’t necessarily ever mean what they say; there may be other Rules or Regulations somewhere else that modify them and are not referred to in a particular set of Rules; and in eventing, the GJ is given all power over the competition.
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This is somewhat true everywhere (I see you, poorly written US legislation!) but it is REMARKABLY common in the EU. My husband does some work in international statutory interpretation, and how they view rules is very different than how we view them. Read something like the European Convention on Human Rights. It doesn’t even begin to be consistent with itself in many places on a straightforward read. You have to know all the other things that play into it to even begin to be able to understand and work with the document. There is no “textualist approach” to rule interpretation there. I am sure those norms apply to FEI as well.
But really, it is common here too. Xctrygirl’s post about how to interpret jumper tie rules is a good example of the same thing in the USEF rules.
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You can try integrity@usef.org, but that address is producing only crickets…
The FEI address for the independent investigations, that has been responding in a timely manner, is report@equestrianintegrity.com, that is for the FEI’s Equestrian Community Integrity Unit.
Please don’t let this just fade away - it is starting to get mixed in with Townend, and while there may be some minor similarities, it shouldn’t overshadow that ML still has a perception issue…please keep emailing and messaging if you are concerned.
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Do any non-US jurisdictions have the “void for vagueness” doctrine? That is, that statutes or legal rules have to be clear enough in their wording that the behavior under them that is expected or rejected should be clear to any person whose behavior is controlled by those rules? That standard is required in the US by Due Process.
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It is extremely rare for that doctrine to work even in the US. Usually, you are expected to do things like read the whole thing and work out how the different parts work together. This is why we regulatory lawyers are necessary! Even in the US, many lay people think they find one line and the problem is solved. But it isn’t like that. There is usually a long history of how courts have interpreted it, how other similar questions have been interpreted etc.
even under the US Constitution, there are entire lines of rights that are implied. For example, there is nothing in the Constitution’s text about a right of privacy. That entire extensive doctrine is implied. Yet it has been accepted for nearly a century and continues to grow. And then there is substantive due process…not going there.
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