Registered sex offender at shows,ETA now in Florida

[OverandOnward]

Why. Why. Why. Do people protect *bad people, protect people who are a risk to minors, by not giving their names? Because we don’t want to be uncomfortable?

Obviously the names are out there, or the discussion wouldn’t be going on.

But newbies and people not in the local network don’t know.

“Why didn’t the parents check?” Well, what is to be found if a parent even knows how? If they are new to children’s sports and don’t know about Safe Sport? Etc.

Here is the opportunity to do something to protect children and other vulnerables, in the world.

[OverandOnward]

Maybe this will help draw back the curtains.

Every time one of these predators has their name posted in this thread, first and last, think of it as another point scored that helps this thread come up closer to the top of someone’s Internet search on that name.

Every time we use initials instead of the name, we miss that opportunity to help others who want to protect their kids. And themselves. The thread stays down in the search results.

That is what helps the newbies and the out of network people trying to do their diligence find the information that they need to know, before they send their kids to these people.

Let’s help the people trying to do some due diligence. Let’s spell out the name.

Thanks y’all.

[Virginia_Horse_Mom]

To be fair, Sara is not on the SafeSport list, and to my knowledge hasn’t been accused of that sort of predatory conduct. However, she did work for Tom at Riverchase (who is on the lifetime banned list) a few years ago. She was instructing kids and training there. And she is a USEF member, and it is prohibited for members to do business with banned people, thus helping them circumvent their bans.

Sara is now at Wulf Crest, and it’s rumored that Wulf Crest is also run by Tom, but that an apparently kept quiet so they can just shows, etc. Tom’s name is nowhere on their social media, but longtime colleagues of his from River chase are all key people operating Wulf Crest, and the farms are in very close proximity.

Anyway… it’s a bit of sticky situation, and that is why some people are hesitant to name Sara.

[Annie10]

I wonder if one checked corporations in that state would his name be on it, or maybe the fictitious name registry?
Maybe tax records on the property? Lots of places to look

[LexInVA]

@Annie10

I wonder if one checked corporations in that state would his name be on it, or maybe the fictitious name registry?
Maybe tax records on the property? Lots of places to look

The property isn’t owned by Tom or Luis, the Mexican immigrant farm laborer that he uses as his legal proxy in business records. Tom’s own legal involvement in River Chase is obscured in the current business records, though he’s clearly on file with the previous ones for the business.

[Virginia_Horse_Mom]

Don’t blame yourself. They are a very good at shielding all the connections.

[BeeHoney]

@OverandOnward I agree with your point, that it’s important that real names are used where they can be seen in the thread. None of us want to be the person whose silence protects an abuser or an offender or helps hide a dangerous or inappropriate situation.

There are a couple reasons why people are reluctant to use names. First of all, the forum rules put some limitations on this, which do not apply in this situation because Tom Navarro has been openly discussed in the mainstream media as a sex offender (convicted in 2000 of sodomy and sexual abuse involving a minor) who “appears” to have gone back to teaching minors, and who incidentally is “suing Safe Sport.” This is per an NBC News article from 2022.

The other reason is exactly what @NoVAMOM experienced. People can be very aggressive and retaliatory, unrelated to whether or not there has already been a conviction and a Safe Sport ruling. That retaliation could be anything–intrusive/threatening messages or phone calls, attacks via social media, lawsuits, attacks on your own business or livelihood, or even in person ugliness. I don’t think this bulletin board offers complete anonymity and no one wants to make themselves a target.

@NoVAMOM I agree that this creates a very difficult situation that is not unique to the horse industry–small private youth sports programs (martial arts, gymnastics, figure skating) at private facilities that can do whatever they want, including have sex offenders teaching/interacting with children. Safe Sport is the first mechanism we’ve had to address these problem situations, but their power/reach is limited. The situation where there have been criminal convictions, SafeSport rulings, and then the offender has gone back to situations where they have access to youth athletes is disturbingly not unique.

[Virginia_Horse_Mom]

I think he lost that lawsuit. Or it was dismissed. I can’t recollect. But I’m pretty sure it’s over.

You make a very legit point about retaliation. I can attest to the fact that some people have gotten very upset about SafeSport discussions on these forums related to people who are already on the banned list, and gone to considerable lengths to try and identify and harass people for talking about these issues.

It is what it is.

With the Tom Navarro situation, what is particularly troubling to many local people who are aware of the situation is that his barn/barns are definitely more geared toward beginners and juniors. Many of the parents are not networked with more experienced horse people in the community, and have no idea how to vet their kids’ instructors. So he is able to maintain a steady stream of clients regardless of the lifetime SafeSport ban.

There aren’t easy answers for this. Especially when the people in question are so effective at promoting themselves on social media, while immediately tamping down any negative reviews or comments people leave on their posts.

[Railbird]

The Wulf Crest thing is pretty bizarre to me, too. I crossed swords with Sarah in a FB group by suggesting to someone that they ask directly before sigining their kids up for lessons there whether Tom Navarro was permitted on the property and what their ongoing business relationship with him looks like, given that the owners maintain a friendship and the appearance of business with a convicted sex offender. She made it seem like he has nothing to do with it at all and my comments got deleted of course. Because it makes perfect sense that someone who runs a large program out of a multi million dollar facility still does stalls for their old friend Tom a few days a week despite owning and operating this other location. Mmhmm.

I’m surprised none of the google reviews of River Chase mention it. They are really on top of it, I guess.

[Virginia_Horse_Mom]

She seems to have many friends in the NoVa equestrian community who are willing to extend her the benefit of the doubt, attend horse shows at Wulf Crest, and welcome her and riders from her program to their shows.

In fact… I believe they advertised holding a VHSA show at Wulf Crest at the beginning of the year.

Everyone can play the 6 degrees of separation game now and pretend to be ignorant, but the fact of the matter is that for ~ 9 months to 1 year before Wulf Crest opened, Sarah worked directly for Tom at River Chase. It was very well known and public. She was coaching minors at his facility, and acting in direct violation of SafeSport codes. I think she’s a lifetime USEF member. Yet… there don’t seem to have been any consequences.

[skydy]

Tom Navarro cannot be on the grounds of a USEF show in Florida or anywhere else.

If he is, USEF will be in trouble with Safe Sport. It doesn’t matter if he is a USEF member or not. USEF has a vested interest in keeping him off their show grounds.

[JenEM]

@Virginia_Horse_Mom

I believe they advertised holding a VHSA show at Wulf Creat at the beginning of the year.

Interestingly, VHSA is not a USHJA affiliate, which means their Associate shows don’t have to reciprocate on bans from USEF/USHJA (and SafeSport).

[jvanrens]

They might not have to, but if they’re smart they would.

[JenEM]

Oh I’m not arguing that point at all. I’m just saying it’s odd, as most of the state horse show orgs are affiliates, and thus unquestionably honor bans/suspensions.

[jvanrens]

I wasn’t arguing with you either. I don’t live anywhere close to the neighbourhood in question, but just don’t understand organizations not wanting to keep things as safe as possible!

[OverandOnward]

@BeeHoney

People can be very aggressive and retaliatory, unrelated to whether or not there has already been a conviction and a Safe Sport ruling. That retaliation could be anything–intrusive/threatening messages or phone calls, attacks via social media, lawsuits, attacks on your own business or livelihood, or even in person ugliness. I don’t think this bulletin board offers complete anonymity and no one wants to make themselves a target.

I also don’t want to be a target.

But I can be annoyed and inconvenienced, while contributing to the safety of unknown minors.

Or I can take the position that not adding bother to my life matters more.

Just imo. If no one speaks up, no one names names, all to protect their privacy, peace and image … the child predators win.

It takes courage and resilence to stand up to bad people. There is always a cost, in spite of our many efforts to do it without any personal cost. Ironically that is more because of the irrational trolls than the bad people themselves.

[Paint_Party]

@OverandOnward

If no one speaks up, no one names names, all to protect their privacy, peace and image … the child predators win.

Agree completely. This is what the predators, and those with whom they hobnob, count on. Just look at how long it took for the behavior of Jimmy Williams and George Morris to finally be addressed. For decades they enjoyed such an incestuous relationship with the muckity mucks of the horse world that people who knew full well what they were doing were reluctant to acknowledge and support their victims.

[skydy]

All false and he’s going to get the Safe Sport lifetime ban overturned? Not happening.

The IEA and the local show management needs to be informed of the Safe Sport ban. If I remember correctly, in the past someone did tell a local show manager about his Safe Sport ban and they banned him from the show grounds.

If local show management doesn’t care about Tom Navarro’s Safe Sport ban, then that needs to be publicized.

If there are local shows that know about him and are letting him on their grounds, and if someone would PM the contact info for the show management, I’d be happy to discuss it with them. He and his enablers can’t do anything to me.

[OverandOnward]

People like Tom Navarro need different careers where they will not be in contact with children.

If they think they can just carry on doing as they always have, they may not see an incentive to change. And their students and parents may not know.

Showing is key to the income of many professionals.

So, letting show management know that they are not allowed to go to shows helps put that pressure on.

To find another field of work, away from the children who are there for the horses.

[OverandOnward]

Organized and publicized sports for children and young people, including horses, also attract the people who prey on them. It’s the pond with the most fish in it, to put it in the simplest terms.

Especially in the roles of coaching, instructing and assisting teams and individual athletes. Those are roles that create interpersonal relationships with the young athletes. That give opportunities to develop trust, mentorship, and even physical touch, from a position of authority. A position that parents tend to rely on and trust. (Re: Larry Nassar, Jerry Sandusky, et. al.)

The same is true of the roles of teachers and instructors generally, be it in schools or in private lessons for anything from music to shop. That’s a ready access point to minors. Predators are attracted to those roles.

If we know that someone in such a role has official sanctions that should block them from those activities, it is really critical that we step forward with that information.

If we know anything, it is that there has never been a universally understood and well-used information system for identifying child predators involved in schools and sports.

How often have we heard this, or said it ourselves: “They should have done a background check” or “a better background check”.

But if that many people are failing at the same task, that is, background checks that turn up existing evidence of child predation, the common problem may be less the people and more the dynamics of a task that is not easily accessible or understood by the general public.

When we know something that others may not know, we can help protect children by being ready to step forward into that information gap. Without those efforts by everyone in the know, the predators are able to slip through the fence, again and again. And – they know it.

The predators keep trying to stick with their sport, because it isn’t that hard for them to be successful at accessing children, because the adults don’t know what there is to know. We can criticize those adults, but we can also make an effort ourselves on behalf of the children. Just a thought.