I didn’t read all the comments on that site, but what I read was a matter of public record. I wonder why it is verboten.
They are remarkably skilled at getting things taken down that negatively impact the narrative
Well, I wish I was local. I wouldn’t shut up about it. I understand that people who have committed crimes should have a chance to redeem themselves. I believe that sincerely and I think that we have too many people incarcerated in the U.S.
HOWEVER, no second chances should be given to child rapists. They should not be allowed access to children even after they have served their time, because this is not even close to a behavior that is correctable.
Redeem yourself Mr. Navarro, and you won’t be doing that by having kids over to your lessons or your summer camp.
Teach adults if you are a great trainer, and keep away from children, since you obviously have a criminal conviction for sodomy against a minor and are banned by Safe Sport for life.
As for the parents whom aren’t researching the people that they leave their children with? Shame on you. I pity your children.
Darn, I was hoping you could just not see it, but it is truly not there anymore.
It is INSANE how they get things removed! I’ve been blocked from local equestrian groups here in NOVA for warning newcomers about them so they must have a pretty good network here that protects them
In this case it does make sense…
No proof was posted. Just people saying the two barns are linked, etc.
I can see why someone would take it down when the owner says - my barn is not linked to that barn, they have shown no proof they are linked.
(I am not saying I agree with it, I am saying I understand why it was taken down.)
Because public record isn’t enough. Most people don’t seem to know it’s there, or how to find it and search it.
Maybe we need a huge public education campaign on how to background check the resources that are available to the public. Espeically those that are online. Too many people have no idea how that works, or even that it is possible.
The other problem is if the offenses occurred elsewhere, some distance away. If someone doesn’t know where that person has lived in the past, they will have no way of knowing where to search. Because the records are by state and/or county, not national.
When people post warnings on someone else’s FB or other page, I understand the urge to take down the ones that aren’t substantiated (always link to substantiation), but I would hope that the page owner would also take a bit of time to research if the complaint is valid. Do they really want to promote to the public someone who may be a danger to children? I wish that thought crossed their minds.
In the UK, the Government Disclosure and Barring Service will check the Police National Computer for spent or pending convictions, official police warnings, status on the sex offenders register etc etc, a criminal records check, and issue DBS certificates on behalf of people in certain employment sectors such as healthcare, security, gambling. It is considered due diligence by potential employers. Often job applications state “will require DBS”. I don’t fully understand the ins and outs because it has never affected my employment.
In the horse world, child protection is built into the BHS system of professional training. Riding stables and trainers advertise their services and many cite their child protection status.
The UK has had some huge scandals in the past, such as a serial predator who was a major TV star and ran big philanthropic public campaigns - turned out he was abusing children for years even under the full glare of publicity just because no one would believe it was even possible. Children spoke but were not heard.
Jimmy Savile, I’m guessing?
He flew under the radar of high regard and affection from the public, as I’ve read about it. It was more important to let people feel good about what they saw from him on tv than it was to protect his victims, it would seem.
@OverandOnward Indeed, he was the person in my mind but, unfortunately, there have been a few others. Fortunately, things have moved on in terms of protecting children, though no system is ever perfect.
I’m catching up on this thread after a long break. I am local to Northern Virginia and I learned (admittedly as rumor) from someone who used to board at River Chase but is still friendly with the current River Chase adult ammy boarders, that Tom was indeed an initial investor into Wulf Crest Stables (the business, not the property/land). And there were reports on another thread that when Wulf Crest first took over the facility, Tom resided on the Wulf Crest property.
Sometime in the past year, there was a push by the owners to buy out Tom Navarro. I’m sure this was due to increasing pressure from USEF, local outrage and demands for transparency on social media. So the question to Wulf Crest should be, “did Tom Navarro ever have a partial ownership stake in the organization?” I’d be curious to see how they’d wiggle out of a straight forward answer.
I’m not local to that area and not in that crowd, so not my call … but if I were, in the interests of moving forward cleanly, and not getting bogged down in a past with no do-overs … I’d forgive a possibly unknowing past, and ask only if Navarro has an ownership interest now, and if he is actively participating and/or even present on the grounds during any activities that include minors?
Unless something has changed in the property records, Tom is renting/leasing/whatevering the Wulf Crest property from the owners and - as far as we know - is the one and only real person behind the business, as his employee and farm labor tenant is listed as the business owner and his lackeys and associates from his other stable are listed as the employees/instructors. The property itself is more or less now held by a development investment company and a real estate developer, Steuart-Kret, who built the adjacent homes, as part of it’s Wulf Crest development that the Wulf Crest stables are supposed to be a part of, as a homeowner amenity. Marina Genn sold the whole property back in 2022 and Tom and his associates are simply staying there until the owners kick them to the curb, which may be at the end of whatever multi-year tenant agreement he had with Genn.
WC/LLC owner for there has ads on Facebook looking for a full time trainer. Apparently their main trainer/head trainer is nolonger there. She has also been removed from their website.
She apparently got hurt earlier in the year, but she did her annual SafeSport training last month, so she’s probably gonna pop up somewhere else.
I thought I saw a post somewhere on Facebook in the last few months indicating Bruce Leland was coaching at Wulf Crest? I was sort of surprised by that. Maybe it was just a part time thing.
He’s been working with them and has horses that are attached to their customers.
Loudoun Times Mirror (Loudoun County virginia newspaper) is allowing River Chase/Tom Navarro to be voted on for the Best of Loudoun in the Equestrian Facility category. For years they banned him from being eligible. Now they approved of him. Maybe the Editor of the paper needs to be made aware?
Sadly it turned out Olympians, a lifetime of trauma to unpack for many, and a predator was never held to account.