Ok, so maybe she violated some ethical code by not filing a formal complaint. That’s the thing, right? People have to be mandatory reporters. Especially other people in positions of power–TDs, judges, national coaches, sanctioned trainers. The hardest thing for any ordinary person to do is to speak truth
to power, especially when all the Powers that Be are trying to sweep it under the rug.
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I assumed she filed a complaint as the official young horse coach. I assumed it was an ethical obligations. My bad for assuming. But I don’t know why she would make a public statement about it if she didn’t make a formal report. It’s kind of like Robert Dover now saying that he confronted him and threatened to beat him with a whip if he didn’t stop beating the poor horse he was beating. Fine to say now, but what if your complaint, as a USEF/USDF current or former official representative could have prevented years of suffering? I mean, if a parent was whipping their kid in a grocery store, wouldn’t you call the authorities and then film it as you were intervening?
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Nothing makes sense. He has been reported to Safesport before by multiple individuals. Nothing happens. George Morris gets banned and CP skates. What is the difference?
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I think regarding GM there were many allegations of abuse against humans, which is a higher priority for USEF.
We seem to have better definitions of abuse when it comes to people vs horses.
I am saddened by the rumors and evidence of abuse in my own small pond - but it’s all at the home farm and not at shows. Very hard to prove and to get attention on, without putting the complainer at risk.
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. [quote=“pluvinel, post:886, topic:352796”]
- Does the appraiser/judge agree with himself on all trials?
- Does the appraiser/judge agree with the known standard on all trials?
- Do all appraisers/judges agree with themselves (within appraiser) and others (between appraisers) on all trials?
- Do all appraisers agree with themselves, with others, and with the standard?
[/quote]
Isn’t this what is measured when judge candidates apprentice with an instructor in the Judge program, or when they are tested for the next level judge category?
Isnt this what the panel judges work to achieve, looking at the same ride from 5 or 7 different places around the arena? And then if there are outlier scores, the panel discusses it?
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I’ve been thinking about all those riders accepting this and, while I understand he was holding visas over their heads, I’m not sure that’s as compelling as I was first thinking it was.
There will be a range of backgrounds but, in general, these are people from stable countries applying to be in the US for a big opportunity in their chosen sport. These are not refugees from war-torn states or people like a lot of the nail salon workers brought over from Vietnam and exploited by salon owners. These are mostly people from comfortable situations wanting to further their experience and careers working with what one wag called ‘luxury sport pets’.
Anyone on a visa to work with Parra could have simply noped right out of that whole situation and returned to their home country once they saw what he was doing. They could have then applied to work for a different trainer to further their career.
There would be, in general, 3 types of visa holders: (i) those who knew what Parra was like and were on board from go; (ii) those who had no idea but, when they found out, didn’t object to his programme; (iii) those who had no idea but, when they found out, were not okay with it at all.
(iii) is the only category we care about as the other two were aiding and abetting, fully participating in the abuse. But most if not all of (iii) didn’t have to stay a single day after witnessing their first incident. They were not asylum seekers fleeing imminent danger. Any riders who stayed even though they were horrified by his methods must answer for themselves as well. Being afraid of having your visa to do dressage training cancelled is not a compelling enough reason to stay for a long time witnessing and doing nothing about such horrific abuse.
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Nailed it! He has had some long-term co-conspirators, some who no longer work for him, all who need to be investigated.
Regarding investigating: it’s like we do at a normal workplace–you interview everyone who worked with them.
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I’m sure CP told them if they left he’d make sure they will never work for anyone again.
Thats the abuser M.O.
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Sure, but kind of hard for him to do in prison. I think the visa threats–i.e. human trafficking–may be the glue to stick it to him.
Poor horses. No one speaks for them.
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Again, though, it doesn’t take much ingenuity to get out of being there gracefully. Just off the top of my head: major medical issue back home, so sorry, must return to take care of [family member]. Can’t believe this is coming at such a bad time as I just started this long-awaited opportunity. But, my family needs me. I don’t know how long I will be needed and I will keep you updated but I understand you cannot hold my place. Darn this rotten timing! (shakes fist at the sky)
End scene
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Ummm…I was speaking that multiple women and girls filed complaints against CP for sexual abuse.
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Seriously. So they can just pack up thier bags and go home because they all must be wealthy enough to do that. Never mind that he will taint the pool of any other opportunities. But to belittle them and assume that they are all wealthy is the height of ignorance in my opinion.
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Never said wealthy so maybe climb down off your rather high and sanctimonious horse, yeah? Please copy-paste where in my post I mentioned wealth. I’ll wait.
I was poor as dirt riding as a kid. Never had my own horse, always catch rode. What I said is that these people are for the most part from stable countries, not fleeing dire economic or safety situations. They are here for a sporting opportunity. They have options for the most part. They are not refugees.
Never said anything about wealth. You pulled that out of thin air for the sole purpose of having a nasty go at me, which I think is the height of ignorance. Do bugger off.
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And I stand by the ignorance. They may have scrounged up enough money to get here but don’t have the means to return without working and the VISA is for that job and that sponsor. You are just like…oh just traipse out and get another position or hop a plane and go home on a moments notice. Ever free someone who is held captive by thier VISA? I know someone who did. So l think you need to bugger off. Exactly why are you supporting someone who abuses thier interns? Odd that.
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Nope, but I represented asylum seekers in US courts as their attorney. Not someone ‘I know’. Me, personally. I’ll take my own experience over your second-hand ‘know someone’.
So you read zero of my previous posts where I call for his incarceration and deportation. [Edit]
You do, indeed, stand by your ignorance. I’ll give you that.
You’re a nasty piece of work given this is our first interaction ever and you decided to just come at me for behaviour you simply made up, not supported at all by what I wrote.
[Edit]
Edited to fix a typo [edit]
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Thou dost protest a bit much. Whatever. We all got our opinions. Mine just doesn’t align with yours.
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Wait! You two!!! What if the USEF/USDF had to create an emergency fund to help these visa holders or others (young trainers from the US) to get out of dodge to escape abuse. What if, as their penance, USDF/USEF had to do this instead of supporting more high performance trips or whatever? What if it was total amnesty (i.e. you do it in total anonymity). No proof of abuse–protect first, investigate later?
Another thought–what if all high performance dollars for the next (however long) go into a fund for horse welfare–to hire consultants to develop a meaningful program? As of right now, it is clear that the Powers cannot be trusted to make their own program.
What if the FEI Powers also have to fund an independent third-party investigation into judging corruption?
Clearly, our membership dollars are not being used properly, so…
Hey, I am on a roll: What if the organizations have to fund a third party program that goes to every effing horse show in the country and educates competitors and chapter members on what IS and what IS NOT horse abuse?
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"What if " isn’t happening. “What if” the FEI and USEF could be counted on to enforce their own rules as they stand today?
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Well, there’s no ‘you two’ as I cut that nasty baggage right off! So nothing she/he/they is saying has anything to do with me. I do not want to be even tangentially associated with anyone who would come here and be that nasty to other users of this forum as their first point of contact with someone. I’m noping right out of that dumpster fire of a poster!
Could the PTB be trusted to get the right consultants, I wonder? Would the membership have some say somehow?
Is there an AGM members can attend and submit agenda items for? I’m not a USEF or USDF member so I genuinely don’t know.
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Based on Adam’s original post that brought the whole situation to the public eye, the trainers/working students were lead to believe that they had no way out. They may not have had access to or the budget for a lawyer. They also signed nondisclosure agreements which, no doubt, seemed ironclad with terrifying punitive repercussions.
I’m betting we’ll hear from some them if and when CP is permanently banned or, better yet, convicted.
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