Rob Gage

[oneequestrienne]

The reactions to the news of GM’s suspension are primarily the same old same old… “it’s a witch hunt” “They couldn’t handle his criticism”…blah, blah blah. However, you can be sure that this was a very thorough and long investigation to go after the legendary GM. I don’t need to know who came forward or what they said because I understand the process.

[TooManyBays]

@Pennywell Bay

You realize I made that post almost two months ago, right? Is there no one else on this thread to talk to so you must quote people from two months ago to try and drag them back in?

[Denali6298]

@TooManyBays

@Pennywell Bay

You realize I made that post almost two months ago, right? Is there no one else on this thread to talk to so you must quote people from two months ago to try and drag them back in?

She’s catching up. It happens. Not everyone is on here everyday.

[Doberpei]

I’ve been following this thread, and I am very much in the “SafeSport is needed”, period, stop. I am linking to two very old threads which bear some relevance. One of the individuals is now deceased, the other was added to the SS List last night, he had been convicted as a sex offender 12 years ago, but continued to serve as a trainer and a judge apparently.
https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/f…-what-is-wrong

https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/f…onathan-soresi

So clearly, many people knew, but chose to do nothing. Now that SafeSport is doing something, people say it’s not fair, that was then. The second link is to a thread about Jonathan Soresi, a man mentored by George Morris.

ETA: I’m putting this here because I had been thinking about the Jonathan Soresi thread for a while, so I was shocked last night when GM was addd to the SafeSport list.

[oneequestrienne]

@Doberpei

I’ve been following this thread, and I am very much in the “SafeSport is needed”, period, stop. I am linking to two very old threads which bear some relevance. One of the individuals is now deceased, the other was added to the SS List last night, he had been convicted as a sex offender 12 years ago, but continued to serve as a trainer and a judge apparently.
https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/f…-what-is-wrong

https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/f…onathan-soresi

So clearly, many people knew, but chose to do nothing. Now that SafeSport is doing something, people say it’s not fair, that was then. The second link is to a thread about Jonathan Soresi, a man mentored by George Morris.

ETA: I’m putting this here because I had been thinking about the Jonathan Soresi thread for a while, so I was shocked last night when GM was addd to the SafeSport list.

It has taken someone (Safesport) coming from the outside to start this long overdue clean up. The equestrian world has had plenty of time to clean its own house and utterly failed. I have been around the h/j world since the 1970s and never thought I would see the day. Old actions matter because people who molest children don’t change. For those who think RG changed, I have personally seen photographic evidence from as recent as 2017 which shows his continued inappropriate behavior. No, I will not share it because there is a minor child involved. Suffice it to say that Safesport has the original and certain people at USHJA and USEF have seen a cropped version which protects the minor’s identity. It’s long overdue for these predators to be kicked out of the club. Good riddance.

[Peggy]

@Doberpei Jonathan Soresi was added to the list yesterday. Not as a permanent ban.
@oneequestrienne Thank you got this and your continued presence here. This is what I suspected.

[Doberpei]

@Peggy Thank You - I had seen Jonathan was added last night. It was what prompted me to dig up the old threads. I found it unbelievable that so many people openly knew about convicted sex offenders and they were still welcomed at horse shows, but maybe they are the same people who think SafeSport is so unfair.

[Virginia_Horse_Mom]

@ladyj79

@Pennywell Bay my only quibble is the idea that many of these honorable people can’t reconcile the good people they knew doing terrible things. Many of them don’t think that their friends’ actions were terrible. If you look back on some of these friends’ statements you get a lot of

we were hot and banging moms and daughters and everyone wanted us

junior whores were chasing these heroes

screwing for blue

on this thread, a girl who goes to a party at a friends house is asking for it

Like, they don’t just think the actions of their friends weren’t wrong, they place the blame on the victims, or fail to comprehend at all why sexually assaulting minor children is even a problem.

These are not people who will be persuaded by any rules or laws. These are the “old people” we just have to wait to die, and actively shun in the community so they can’t spread their disgusting beliefs to the next generation. Someone said it way earlier in the thread, suggesting the influence of Jimmy Williams and that culture on Rob Gage’s behaviour throughout his life. I don’t think that’s insignificant.

Shun these people.
Don’t go to their clinics, don’t pay for lessons.
Appeal to venues and media not to use them as commentators or judges.
Cut them off.

Thank you for this post. It’s refreshing to see someone make a freaking case for ETHICS.

[Virginia_Horse_Mom]

@oneequestrienne

It has taken someone (Safesport) coming from the outside to start this long overdue clean up. The equestrian world has had plenty of time to clean its own house and utterly failed. I have been around the h/j world since the 1970s and never thought I would see the day. Old actions matter because people who molest children don’t change. For those who think RG changed, I have personally seen photographic evidence from as recent as 2017 which shows his continued inappropriate behavior. No, I will not share it because there is a minor child involved. Suffice it to say that Safesport has the original and certain people at USHJA and USEF have seen a cropped version which protects the minor’s identity. It’s long overdue for these predators to be kicked out of the club. Good riddance.

Thank you for your continued posts and voice. It must be an excruciating and stressful time for so many people who know the truth of these cases on a first hand basis, and see the PR campaigns launched by multiple predators and their supporters out on social media pick up steam. I cant even fathom it.

Stay strong. Focus on the fact that there will be less of this bull $hit in years to come for future generations who have big dreams, live a sport, and want to pursue it seriously. As a parent… I’m grateful to the victims who have come forward. It means my kids WILL have a safer environment. I want that for them.

[msrobin]

@ThePerfectFit

From my professional opinion working in the Mental health field, your statement is too simple to be validated. Realize the chain of events that occurs from a “single, determining factor”, a downward spiral in this case. It’s a butterfly effect. The same way in which someone who goes to jail kills themself while incarcerated before trial. Doesn’t mean that they have a long list of “reasons”. The single act of the safe sport allegations have created a detrimental chain of events. From tarnishing someone’s name, ruining their career, labeling them as a predator, causing financial stress from the lack of a job, emotional stress, public humiliation. All without investigation, evidence, etc. Your statement is ignorant at best.

SafeSport is flawed and unconstitutional. It needs to be revisited, revised, then reimplemented. There is no way in which abuse of a minor should occur, ever. But this quickly implemented, witch hunt of an organization is crap to say the least. No due process, no statute of limitations, guilty until proven innocent. It is a scare tactic and also being used maliciously. It’s ruining the livelihood of others, victims and the accused.

I have many issues with SafeSport. We are not like other sports, so the daily “communicate with the minor athlete and parent, another adult, 2 additional minors” is irresponsible. If a student is texted to get on their horse 15 mins early, does there really need to be another adult to hound them as well? It’s the “let’s hold your hand through life” society. Zero responsibility, zero accountability. Horses are a lifestyle. SafeSport is not the answer.

I’m waiting for USEFs press release on this one, or will there even be one?..

This is exactly what I was thinking myself. I am shocked over all of it. When husband came running in to tell me what he had read in the news on Bing! I thought he was most definitely misreading something.

But come on, 50 years ago! Heck, I can’t remember what I had for breakfast most the time. Nonetheless anyone be able to prove anything that happened that long ago. So why wait? That is what makes an accusation like this seem ridiculous. If the person was abused like they say they were then why didn’t they say something then? My thoughts is because it would have caused them to lose out on whatever it was they were seeking. For them it simply wasn’t the right time to take someone down; but waiting 50 years is? Myself and many others consider this a form or bullying and slander. To come out 50 years later and accuse someone of something that they can’t possibly be able to prove. Something that could ruin someone’s life or cause them to kill themselves (as we have seen already) it simply nuts. I despise child abuse just as much as the next person and want to see anyone guilty of it dealt with in court. However, reporting it must be done as quickly as possible. If you are abused speak up now, don’t wait tell someone, anyone. On top of that, safesport’s no statute of limitations thing is just wrong on so many levels.

This is a great article regarding the reactions to GM being listed on Safesport
https://horse-canada.com/due-south/supporters-rally-around-george-morris-safesport-ban/

And a Facebook group mentioned in the article that was recently started called “I STAND WITH GEORGE”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/217859772468034/
For anyone that wants to show your support. Right now it is filling up with a lot of top riders and other supporters.
I know I am in, until some real cold hard facts come up and also more recent facts within the past 10 years.

[ladyj79]

@msrobin

This is exactly what I was thinking myself. I am shocked over all of it. When husband came running in to tell me what he had read in the news on Bing! I thought he was most definitely misreading something.

But come on, 50 years ago! Heck, I can’t remember what I had for breakfast most the time. Nonetheless anyone be able to prove anything that happened that long ago. So why wait? That is what makes an accusation like this seem ridiculous. If the person was abused like they say they were then why didn’t they say something then? My thoughts is because it would have caused them to lose out on whatever it was they were seeking. For them it simply wasn’t the right time to take someone down; but waiting 50 years is? Myself and many others consider this a form or bullying and slander. To come out 50 years later and accuse someone of something that they can’t possibly be able to prove. Something that could ruin someone’s life or cause them to kill themselves (as we have seen already) it simply nuts. I despise child abuse just as much as the next person and want to see anyone guilty of it dealt with in court. However, reporting it must be done as quickly as possible. If you are abused speak up now, don’t wait tell someone, anyone. On top of that, safesport’s no statute of limitations thing is just wrong on so many levels.

This is a great article regarding the reactions to GM being listed on Safesport
https://horse-canada.com/due-south/s…safesport-ban/

And a Facebook group mentioned in the article that was recently started called “I STAND WITH GEORGE”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/217859772468034/
For anyone that wants to show your support. Right now it is filling up with a lot of top riders and other supporters.
I know I am in, until some real cold hard facts come up and also more recent facts within the past 10 years.

Lest we forget who stood where

[skydy]

@msrobin

This is exactly what I was thinking myself. I am shocked over all of it. When husband came running in to tell me what he had read in the news on Bing! I thought he was most definitely misreading something.

But come on, 50 years ago! Heck, I can’t remember what I had for breakfast most the time. Nonetheless anyone be able to prove anything that happened that long ago. So why wait? That is what makes an accusation like this seem ridiculous. If the person was abused like they say they were then why didn’t they say something then? My thoughts is because it would have caused them to lose out on whatever it was they were seeking. For them it simply wasn’t the right time to take someone down; but waiting 50 years is? Myself and many others consider this a form or bullying and slander. To come out 50 years later and accuse someone of something that they can’t possibly be able to prove. Something that could ruin someone’s life or cause them to kill themselves (as we have seen already) it simply nuts. I despise child abuse just as much as the next person and want to see anyone guilty of it dealt with in court. However, reporting it must be done as quickly as possible. If you are abused speak up now, don’t wait tell someone, anyone. On top of that, safesport’s no statute of limitations thing is just wrong on so many levels.

This is a great article regarding the reactions to GM being listed on Safesport
https://horse-canada.com/due-south/supporters-rally-around-george-morris-safesport-ban/

And a Facebook group mentioned in the article that was recently started called “I STAND WITH GEORGE”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/217859772468034/
For anyone that wants to show your support. Right now it is filling up with a lot of top riders and other supporters.
I know I am in, until some real cold hard facts come up and also more recent facts within the past 10 years.

You do realize that the “50 year” thing did not come from Safe Sport, it came from Morris who has every reason to minimize the accusations against him?

[Virginia_Horse_Mom]

@msrobin

This is exactly what I was thinking myself. I am shocked over all of it. When husband came running in to tell me what he had read in the news on Bing! I thought he was most definitely misreading something.

But come on, 50 years ago! Heck, I can’t remember what I had for breakfast most the time. Nonetheless anyone be able to prove anything that happened that long ago. So why wait? That is what makes an accusation like this seem ridiculous. If the person was abused like they say they were then why didn’t they say something then? My thoughts is because it would have caused them to lose out on whatever it was they were seeking. For them it simply wasn’t the right time to take someone down; but waiting 50 years is? Myself and many others consider this a form or bullying and slander. To come out 50 years later and accuse someone of something that they can’t possibly be able to prove. Something that could ruin someone’s life or cause them to kill themselves (as we have seen already) it simply nuts. I despise child abuse just as much as the next person and want to see anyone guilty of it dealt with in court. However, reporting it must be done as quickly as possible. If you are abused speak up now, don’t wait tell someone, anyone. On top of that, safesport’s no statute of limitations thing is just wrong on so many levels.

This is a great article regarding the reactions to GM being listed on Safesport
https://horse-canada.com/due-south/supporters-rally-around-george-morris-safesport-ban/

And a Facebook group mentioned in the article that was recently started called “I STAND WITH GEORGE”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/217859772468034/
For anyone that wants to show your support. Right now it is filling up with a lot of top riders and other supporters.
I know I am in, until some real cold hard facts come up and also more recent facts within the past 10 years.

Jonathan Soresi was put on the Safe Sport list on the same day as George Morris. Do you stand with him as well?

[poltroon]

@msrobin

To come out 50 years later and accuse someone of something that they can’t possibly be able to prove. Something that could ruin someone’s life or cause them to kill themselves (as we have seen already) it simply nuts.

The accusations in Rob Gage’s case are not 50 years old.

What about the abuse that ruins people’s lives and causes them to kill themselves (as we have seen already)? Rob had a good, wonderful, storied life (as has George). If you come to know who the children they molested are, will you be able to say the same about them?

I despise child abuse just as much as the next person and want to see anyone guilty of it dealt with in court. However, reporting it must be done as quickly as possible. If you are abused speak up now, don’t wait tell someone, anyone.

I don’t think you actually despise it as much as the next person. And I also think that while you might be a good and lovely person, I don’t think you know that much about what it takes to make a case or how challenging these cases are for kids. But, fortunately or unfortunately, there are a lot of places where you can learn more.

When I was a kid in high school, I was mercilessly bullied. I could not tell anyone about it. I took punishments rather than tell my mom or the exasperated school officials. And that was nothing compared to something like this.

There hasn’t always been someone to tell. Kids who tried to tell weren’t always believed. The father of one of Nassar’s survivors forced her to apologize for making false accusations, only to find out later how wrong he was. And your plan - tell right away or not at all - means that serial molesters get away with decades of abuse and scores of victims. The first incident isn’t so bad, the next one is just a wee bit more, and so on, until the situation is both obvious and out of hand.

Read this article. This man isn’t part of equestrian, so it’s no one you know. But it may be worth your time.
http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/27244072/44-years-41-allegations-how-caught-former-olympian

The coach preached sobriety and celibacy, citing booze and girls as obstacles to athletic success. He had a word for messing around with members of the opposite sex: wenching. Mainwaring was an avid reader and classical music aficionado who seemed, at least to a kid from Leicester, to know everything. Some evenings after practice, the two would ride a bus downtown, where the coach – he went simply by “Conrad” – took Sharples to a Chinese restaurant and treated him to chicken and chips. Often, the coach would talk about a group of other select youngsters he trained – his “international squad” – at a summer camp in America.

During one of their conversations, Mainwaring explained that he was doing research in psychology and wanted Sharples to be one of his subjects…

[Midge]

@msrobin

But come on, 50 years ago! Heck, I can’t remember what I had for breakfast most the time. Nonetheless anyone be able to prove anything that happened that long ago. So why wait? That is what makes an accusation like this seem ridiculous. If the person was abused like they say they were then why didn’t they say something then? My thoughts is because it would have caused them to lose out on whatever it was they were seeking. For them it simply wasn’t the right time to take someone down; but waiting 50 years is? Myself and many others consider this a form or bullying and slander. To come out 50 years later and accuse someone of something that they can’t possibly be able to prove. Something that could ruin someone’s life or cause them to kill themselves (as we have seen already) it simply nuts. I despise child abuse just as much as the next person and want to see anyone guilty of it dealt with in court. However, reporting it must be done as quickly as possible. If you are abused speak up now, don’t wait tell someone, anyone. On top of that, safesport’s no statute of limitations thing is just wrong on so many levels.

How do you know it was 50 years ago?

And a Facebook group mentioned in the article that was recently started called “I STAND WITH GEORGE”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/217859772468034/
For anyone that wants to show your support. Right now it is filling up with a lot of top riders and other supporters.
I know I am in, until some real cold hard facts come up and also more recent facts within the past 10 years.

Why do you think there are no cold hard facts? Or nothing in the last 10 years?

[findeight]

I was groped by my trainer in my early 20s, came up behind me in the tack room. That was 45 years ago. Remember it like it was yesterday, still smell the beer and cigarettes on his breath.

[beowulf]

@msrobin

This is exactly what I was thinking myself. I am shocked over all of it. When husband came running in to tell me what he had read in the news on Bing! I thought he was most definitely misreading something.

But come on, 50 years ago! Heck, I can’t remember what I had for breakfast most the time. Nonetheless anyone be able to prove anything that happened that long ago. So why wait? That is what makes an accusation like this seem ridiculous. If the person was abused like they say they were then why didn’t they say something then? My thoughts is because it would have caused them to lose out on whatever it was they were seeking. For them it simply wasn’t the right time to take someone down; but waiting 50 years is? Myself and many others consider this a form or bullying and slander. To come out 50 years later and accuse someone of something that they can’t possibly be able to prove. Something that could ruin someone’s life or cause them to kill themselves (as we have seen already) it simply nuts. I despise child abuse just as much as the next person and want to see anyone guilty of it dealt with in court. However, reporting it must be done as quickly as possible. If you are abused speak up now, don’t wait tell someone, anyone. On top of that, safesport’s no statute of limitations thing is just wrong on so many levels.

This is a great article regarding the reactions to GM being listed on Safesport
https://horse-canada.com/due-south/s…safesport-ban/

And a Facebook group mentioned in the article that was recently started called “I STAND WITH GEORGE”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/217859772468034/
For anyone that wants to show your support. Right now it is filling up with a lot of top riders and other supporters.
I know I am in, until some real cold hard facts come up and also more recent facts within the past 10 years.

and there but for the grace of God…

Let me fix that: and there but for the grace of good, proper education, a semi-functioning compassion-meter, and a strong moral backbone… :yes:

It amazes me how many people Just Don’t Get It… and I never thought I was part of the smarter contingent in the world…

[Pennywell_Bay]

@msrobin

But come on, 50 years ago! Heck, I can’t remember what I had for breakfast most the time. Nonetheless anyone be able to prove anything that happened that long ago. Being blunt: you may not remember granola for breakfast- would you remember someone shoving their genitals in your face? So why wait? Have you followed the church sex abuse scandals at all? That is what makes an accusation like this seem ridiculous. To those not willing to realize that idols, friends and good people can do some pretty bad things and can’t separate it. If the person was abused like they say they were then why didn’t they say something then? Holy mother F#@ker. WHAT is wrong with you??? My thoughts is because it would have caused them to lose out on whatever it was they were seeking. For them it simply wasn’t the right time to take someone down; but waiting 50 years is? Speechless Myself and many others consider this a form or bullying and slander. YESSSS. GM is bullied and a victim. I’m sure that is what he want to be thought as. To come out 50 years later and accuse someone of something that they can’t possibly be able to prove. church sex abuse schandalsSomething that could ruin someone’s life or cause them to kill themselves (as we have seen already) who knows why he killed himself. The MULTIPLE VICTIMS (some of high stature) verified the abuse. it simply nuts. I despise child abuse just as much as the next person not that any of us can tell and want to see anyone guilty of it dealt with in court. You presumably joined a club that is beholden to SS, as a Olympic Sport, by the 2017 law etc etc. So these are the rules that you play by to be a member. However, reporting it must be done as quickly as possible. IYou know nothing NOTHING about victims. f you are abused speak up now, don’t wait tell someone, anyone. Finally I agree On top of that, safesport’s no statute of limitations thing is just wrong on so many levels.

This is a great article regarding the reactions to GM being listed on Safesport
https://horse-canada.com/due-south/s…safesport-ban/

And a Facebook group mentioned in the article that was recently started called “I STAND WITH GEORGE”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/217859772468034/
For anyone that wants to show your support. Right now it is filling up with a lot of top riders and other supporters.
I know I am in, until some real cold hard facts come up and also more recent facts within the past 10 years.

Above is not a commentary on GM but on the seemingly willful blind ignorance on abuse victims. I am a GM fan. He has the right to appeal and apparently will. I hope he is able to change the tide, present his own evidence etc. since we do not know all the charges in this case.

Until then, I can not stand with GM. Even though 90% of my IRL friends and colleagues are.

[Tackpud]

For all those saying someone can’t remember what happened 50 years ago - 50 years ago I was 4 years old. (So now you know my current age) I clearly remember my graduation from nursery school. My teachers calling each of us up by name and presenting us with our diploma. My best friend had poison ivy all over her face and cried most of the time because it was so bad.

Apparently that experience was traumatic (or some other form of mentally stimulating) enough for me to remember it clearly and it did not involve any form of abuse, sexual or otherwise. I have no problem believing that people can remember events that were traumatic from many years ago.

[ladyj79]

Rest assured, not every big name Olympic level rider likes or respects George Morris. He’s really honestly not that popular of a guy and never has been. And being defended, frankly, by several people who are also disliked and panned among top professional riders. Oh, and hunter trainers.