Rob Gage

[oneequestrienne]

@APirateLooksAtForty

The option are not 1. Safe Sport or 2. Let Predators Get Away With It.

Asking for an examination of Safe Sport’s practices does not mean anyone wants more Larry Nassar’s in the world. Many of us lost a friend today. I lost a friend today. The horse world lost decades of knowledge and devotion to the sport, the animals, and the people strive to become horsemen.

We lost a man who was always quick with smiles and encouragement to everyone.

It is right to ask if Safe Sport is truly doing its job. It is American to question the agencies that govern us. It’s time to find a way to do this better.

Saw the above I’ve posted on Facebook. My thoughts exactly. Nobody here is “complaining about safesport” per se, just the way it has been arbitrarily and capriciously implemented.

also Dani many of those looking at it with a critical eye are jumper riders, too.

Have you personally had any interaction with Safesport? As someone who has, I can tell you that they were very methodical, took their time and were very open about the process.

[Haylter]

@Jealoushe

The poster above you is a victim and described how it would have helped her. Perhaps remove thine head from thine ass to see beyond your unwarranted rage.

Perhaps control thine own assumptions about me and your rage @Jealoushe. Ever consider some who have been in these types of unfortunate situations choose to keep it out of public forums??? Not criticizing those that choose to post about unfortunate situations, it is totally a personal choice depending on one’s own emotions…jus sayin just because it is not posted does not mean it did not happen!!

[dani0303]

The victims in this are being dismissed over and over again. People are screaming over our voices because it’s not “fair” to members of a club.

When is this going to stop?? Will be ever be heard??

[Ghazzu]

@Denali6298

@Didi did you report that trainer threatening to make a false accusation? Because that’s reportable and punishable under Safe Sport as well.

It goes both ways. But if one knows of such things and stays silent… I would hope you stay silent on the rest of it.

This!!

I find it a sad reflection on the overall “ethics” of the pros in this discipline if such abuse of the reporting process is as common as some of you would have us believe.

[caffeinated]

@Max123

I repeat - in any other profession, if someone is accused of misconduct, sexual or otherwise, ESPECIALLY if it involves a minor, that person is automatically suspended until the process is complete. AGAIN, being a member of a club is NOT a constitutional right.

Just quoting for emphasis. I feel like this needs to be repeated over and over for those in the back.

[oneequestrienne]

@Denali6298

Why is it so hard to go to the Safe Sport web site and read? Why is it so hard to contact Safe Sport with questions?

It isn’t difficult. While I am NOT a complainant, I have interacted with Safesport and it was very professional, clear and easy.

[oneequestrienne]

@Denali6298

So how was the investigation handled? Everyone keeps saying the process is flawed and alluding to being a part of it, but no one is saying what specifically is flawed.

Yes, please. Let’s hear from people who actually dealt directly with Safesport during this process, Second hand doesn’t count.

[oneequestrienne]

@Freebird!

I was sexually abused in the equine industry. Repeatedly. Yes, it was many moons ago, but it still affects me to this day. I have no idea if the SafeSport rules would have protected me. I highly doubt it though, and while certian people know of what I went through, I will cart most of it to my grave.

Reporting sexual abuse in an industry where most of these professionals are hailed as equestrian heros, is not as easy as you think.

I’m not sure what the right answers are, to be honest. I think victims need to be protected, especially minors, but victims come in all ages.

I also feel that as a trainer, I don’t want us to get near that blurry line where I can’t even hug my kids.

At the end of the day though, I really don’t think we can blame USEF for Rob Gage’s death.

I am truly sorry for your experience. I do understand.

[oneequestrienne]

@greysfordays

This is helpful for the broader context, but I don’t think it addresses the specific questions of how investigations are conducted by USEF.

This board is littered with outrage for how USEF handles things. So many of us feel the USEF does not have our backs. Can we all agree for example, how poorly USEF handled the drug case with LG and KF? You read Deloise in America’s recap of the USEF annual meetings and it does not inspire confidence.

Now we’re supposed to feel sure that they’re getting it right on something as hugely impactful as child sexual abuse? And the proceedings are kind of … opaque? There’s not much clarity on how investigations work. Just lots of rumors swirling and people getting justifiably upset.

I’m not saying Rob didn’t deserve to get set down, I’m saying I don’t have a lot of confidence USEF is the one that’s going to get us justice broadly speaking. Without more transparency, people are going to point to the history of USEF doing a terrible job governing. And there is a lot of evidence supporting that.

I am hugely supportive of SafeSport generally and that we are moving to a place where victims can feel safer coming forward and being heard. I just hate that USEF is in charge.

He wasn’t set down by USEF. He was sanctioned by Safesport.

[RugBug]

@shedllybip

I am by no means sticking up for USEF - altho I find blaming them directly and whole-heartedly to be wrong. This is certainly a terrible tragedy. That being said, did all of these “friends” of Rob take the time to check in on him? Did they all call him to see how he was doing? Offer to take him somewhere to get help? Or is it just easier to place blame somewhere other than themselves?

I’m sorry, but as someone who recently had a friend commit suicide, I find it offensive to blame the “friends” as you put it. What a harmful assumption that they weren’t there for support. I was for my friend as were many others and it didn’t make a difference. Unless you know all the details and who was involved, perhaps you should keep your judgmental comment to yourself.

[Darkwave]

I think it would be very helpful for someone associated with USEF and/or Safesport to outline exactly how the process is conducted - how are anonymous reports treated, how are interviews conducted, and…at what point in the investigation is the name of the subject of the investigation publicly disclosed?

I believe that a lot of us, including myself, have wildly differing understandings or assumptions of how the process is conducted, and that variance in understanding underlies a lot of this debate.

Hearing from someone OFFICIAL (not someone who has been involved as a witness, subject, or reporter) who explained the nuts and bolts of the process would be really helpful.

[Foxy_Co]

@RugBug

I’m sorry, but as someone who recently had a friend commit suicide, I find it offensive to blame the “friends” as you put it. What a harmful assumption that they weren’t there for support. I was for my friend as were many others and it didn’t make a difference. Unless you know all the details and who was involved, perhaps you should keep your judgmental comment to yourself.

I completely agree. My first trainer was close with him and posted that she spoke with him less than 24hrs before. No idea of all the darkness that he was dealing with. Best of friends may never know exactly what people are dealing with, and all the support in the world may never change what they’re going through.

[iberianfan]

I am going to, yet again, emphasize that Safesport does NOT have to be constitutional. Our Constitution protects our citizens from wrongs perpetrated upon them by GOVERNMENT bodies, not private clubs. It’s your choice to join a club, so follow the rules or get out. And if you don’t follow the rules, you may be expelled. Period. No right to appeal (unless it’s in the rules), no right to sue…

I am old, and as far back as I can remember, “16 will get you 20” was hilarious amongst young men. Having sex with a minor has never been ok, but it was a big joke. Thank goodness society is no longer treating it as a joke. At least to some extent.

[skydy]

@dani0303

The victims in this are being dismissed over and over again. People are screaming over our voices because it’s not “fair” to members of a club.

When is this going to stop?? Will be ever be heard??

I can only imagine how painful some of these people’s attitudes are for you. Hang in there.

Some people really don’t get it.

[skydy]

@Darkwave

I think it would be very helpful for someone associated with USEF and/or Safesport to outline exactly how the process is conducted - how are anonymous reports treated, how are interviews conducted, and…at what point in the investigation is the name of the subject of the investigation publicly disclosed?

I believe that a lot of us, including myself, have wildly differing understandings or assumptions of how the process is conducted, and that variance in understanding underlies a lot of this debate.

Hearing from someone OFFICIAL (not someone who has been involved as a witness, subject, or reporter) who explained the nuts and bolts of the process would be really helpful.

If you have read the information on the USEF and Safe Sport websites and still have questions, you can send Safe Sport an email.

[dani0303]

@skydy

I can only imagine how painful some of these people’s attitudes are for you. Hang in there.

Some people really don’t get it.

Thank you. It’s an attitude that’s prevalent throughout society so I’m pretty used to it. Protect the abuser and blame the victim. It’s so pervasive it even reached our Supreme Court.

[Tiramit]

@iberianfan

Our Constitution protects our citizens from wrongs perpetrated upon them by GOVERNMENT bodies, not private clubs. It’s your choice to join a club, so follow the rules or get out. And if you don’t follow the rules, you may be expelled. Period. No right to appeal (unless it’s in the rules), no right to sue…

Thank you for posting this. It’s baffling to me how this simple fact keeps getting overlooked. A SafeSport suspension isn’t jail time. It means that those found guilty have been kicked out of the club.

As for those who are complaining about the length of time that has passed, wowza you may want to reconsider your interpretation of what’s right and what’s wrong.

Suicide is tragic and in this case he has left a legacy of friends and fans who are in pain. He was, however, found guilty after an investigation (pending appeal) and we can’t forget that exists because someone else has been in pain, due to his actions, whatever they may have been, for decades.

It’s a sad story from beginning to end.

[snaffle1987]

after reading through this mess, Im going to throw a curve ball

Perhaps his suicide was because he knew he was guilty and that safe sport had the evidence to take action against him and he couldn’t live with that idea.

Perhaps it wasn’t just him ending it all because he was improperly accused and couldn’t stomach his life being potentially ruined.

It’s all very sad. but to the poster who claimed that Anne Kursinski now has blood on her hands because of her stepping up; shame on you.

[mmeqcenter]

@dani0303

As for my abuser I would 100% report him to SafeSport now but he’s no longer involved in horses in this country. If anyone knows of a similar program in France please let me know.

If he is involved with horses in France, you should be able to report to FEI.

[dani0303]

@mmeqcenter

If he is involved with horses in France, you should be able to report to FEI.

I have searched but he doesn’t seem to have anything recorded with FEI. Not sure if he’s still involved with horses but last I knew he was a small time breeder in France