[QUOTE=jse;3458771]
How many of you people bashing Mclain can actually prove that he put chips in his horse’s boots?
I don’t think many of you can, I think you’ve only ever heard about it through people at horse shows. Ha! REALLY reliable sources of information don’t ya think!?!?
I will be so glad when I’m not pregnant anymore and this board is no longer my relief from boredom because like some of you have mentioned, there is a lot of hateful venom here. No one can ever be happy. Or let alone just think about themselves for once instead of the mud on everyone elses boots.
I don’t know much about the story, I don’t follow Mclain or any news really about any of those BNT’s that you guys all seem to idolize.
But what I do know after watching this guy is that he is an AMAZING rider and I love to watch him go.
Enough said.[/QUOTE]
Press Release:
The American Horse Shows Association (AHSA), the National Equestrian Federation of the United States, announced Wednesday that following a meeting of its Hearing Committee, two plea agreements entered into by McLain Ward of Brewster, N.Y., were approved, and he has been suspended from all of the AHSA’s recognized competitions in the United States and fined a total of $13,000.
The signed agreements were also entered into by the AHSA’s Executive Director, Kevin Carlon, as specified by the rules regarding plea agreements. They eliminated the necessity of a formal hearing, which had been scheduled for New York on Monday, December 13, 1999. The hearing had been noticed based on formal charges the AHSA issued in the wake of actions by the sport’s international federation, the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), to discipline Ward for alleged infractions of FEI rules at a major international event at Aachen, Germany, in June. Although Mr. Ward has denied any knowledge of or involvement in any FEI rule infraction, he acknowledges in the plea that as rider he was “the person responsible” under FEI rules. The AHSA’s charges were based on reciprocity between the AHSA and the FEI in enforcing the sport’s rules, as well as alleged violations of the AHSA/USET (United States Equestrian Team) Code of Conduct, which all athletes representing the USA in international competition are required to sign and observe.
The AHSA’s suspension begins on the date set by the FEI, Sept. 20, 1999, and continues until May 19, 2000, unless it is reduced by the FEI or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), before which Ward has an appeal pending. Ward has stated that he has not competed in national or international competition after Sept. 20, pending his appeal, and the AHSA accepted that representation. The FEI imposed costs and a fine totaling CHF $7,500 (approximately $4,500 U.S.) and the AHSA’s fine of $10,000 in the reciprocity case is in addition to that amount. Should the CAS overturn the FEI’s action in its entirety, the AHSA has agreed to waive the fine and the suspension. Should the CAS or the FEI reduce the time of the suspension, the AHSA has agreed to end its suspension on the date set by the CAS or FEI, but the fine will not be reduced unless the FEI penalty is overturned in its entirety.
Ward also faced separate charges for a violation of the AHSA’s Drugs and Medications Rules, as trainer of a horse in an Amateur/Owner Jumper class at the American Gold Cup in September 1999 which tested positive for metabolites of a forbidden substance (cocaine). As part of that plea agreement approved by the Hearing Committee, while denying he administered any forbidden substance to the horse under his care, Ward accepted his responsibility under AHSA rules as trainer. He was fined an additional $3,000, and suspended for one additional month, to be served following the conclusion of the pending FEI/AHSA suspension of 8 months. Ward’s fines are payable to the AHSA on or before Feb. 1, 2000.
In commenting on the resolution of these cases, the President of the AHSA, Alan F. Balch, said that "this has been a very difficult and time-consuming process for all concerned. Under the rules, the Executive Director has the responsibility to issue charges, and then explore plea agreements such as the ones reached here. But the ultimate responsibility of judgment rests with the Hearing Committee, which is composed of volunteers and is entirely independent, which must approve plea agreements before they become effective.
The special five-member hearing panel which approved the settlements included both eligible international athletes and USET trustees, as required by the rules in certain cases involving international competition. Mrs. T.V.W. Cushny (a trustee of USET) chaired the panel, joined by athletes David O’Connor (USET trustee) and Michael Poulin, as well as Jessica Ransehausen (USET trustee) and Linda Zang. The panel was appointed by the co-chairs of the AHSA Hearing Committee, following consultation with both Balch and Finn M.W. Caspersen, Chairman and President of USET, as provided for in the rules.
“The very idea of a settlement instead of a full hearing,” Balch added, “was a concern to many of us, including our Executive Director, who sought advice from our officers and attorneys. However, since the rules specifically provide for the possibility of a settlement in these cases, we agreed that it was necessary and appropriate to consider settlements, provided that the Hearing Committee independently approve any settlement reached, which is also a requirement of the rules. While I can’t speak for any of the members of the panel, and did not participate in its deliberation in these cases, as a long time member of that committee, I am certain that they considered all the facts and all the precedents from every conceivable point of view, and that they felt this was a just outcome. This panel was composed of exceptionally experienced people, and I am entirely confident in their judgment. They take their responsibilities very, very seriously. And from what I know of the lengthy process which led to the agreements, it appears to have been agonizingly difficult for both the AHSA’s representatives and Ward’s.”
