[QUOTE=poltroon;9006667]
My idea wasn’t that the wins and prizes from the rest of the year be invalidated, only the points, which would affect HOTY and come to think of it, eligibility for indoors.[/QUOTE]
I’d be all over that 
So do you think the new owners of unexpected were aware this was coming? Maybe they don’t care that their new horse they bought was showing drugged and now everybody knows.
Wonder if this will get trainers actually TRAINING?
I think it would be great if the USEF took some notes from the race world on drug testing. We get randomly tested before racing, then if your horse gets first or second place in any race you go straight to the drug testing area with a State official that escorts the groom and horse. I understand this couldn’t be done for every division in Hunter/Jumper land, but USEF could start with the top divisions/classics/derbies/grand prixs. Knowing that you WILL be drug tested if you place top two might be a little more deterring than I might get tested but probably not so drug the horse take the chance.
I think its great that the USEF has made some what of an example of Farmer and Larry. It shows some forward progress. I’m happy about that.
[QUOTE=vineyridge;9006335]
Doesn’t every big show have a vet on call for emergencies? There is no reason at all that any official vet couldn’t draw a tube of blood, do whatever is necessary, and ship that tube to the drug testing lab.
The very idea that the USEF needs “official drug testers” to draw blood is ridiculous.[/QUOTE]
It’s more complicated than that-- the testing vet waits with you until the horse pees or one hour, whichever comes first. It wouldn’t work if they had to leave to treat a horse.
[QUOTE=ynl063w;9006638]
Are you saying that Larry has been set down longer than two years in the past, or Kelley was set down longer than a year? I don’t recall that, so I would be interested in hearing more about these claims.
I agree with vxf111 regarding the fine - I wouldn’t be so sure that these people have millions of dollars sitting around in cash such that a $24,000 fine won’t hurt at least a little bit. Keeping horses costs a LOT of money, and keeping them at two facilities in two different states is no simple matter. They won’t close up shop, but I don’t believe that they are blowing off these sanctions as though they are nothing. It is a shame that this probably won’t hurt their business in the long run.[/QUOTE]
Uh the owners pay board. I’m not sure why everyone wants to argue this point … without divulging too much about some of the WEF chatter basically laughing over what $24,000 means to Larry and the ins and outs of their daily business at WEF let’s put it in layman’s terms: the man drives a Maserati that costs more than Mindful
I know a barn that has bought several from them. They know the horses have to go through ‘withdrawal’ and they will need to figure out a different program, but the horses themselves have the innate talent and the trainer feels the horses just had the poor luck of being seen by Larry before someone else had a shot, not that the horses can’t go a different way. They did send one back they couldn’t get to go well. It never reappeared with Larry either.
[QUOTE=Limerick;9006410]
Those fines are big! I remembered today, after reading the email, that I heard from a trainer that Larry had refused to let a horse be drug tested in Aiken in 2015. Anyone else hear that? I heard that story a couple of times that year and also heard that USEF were going to give them a big suspension as a result.
Makes me wonder now if indeed they did not cooperate with USEF and this fine was bigger as a result.[/QUOTE]
The story I heard was that she cantered back to the barn, unaware she was being asked to test. So he put the tester in the golf cart with him to whisk her back to the barn after dumb rider didn’t realize she was being tested. Of course he had to stop and talk to someone on the way so by the time they got to the barn, they presented a different horse.
[QUOTE=Mac123;9006303]
I hate to say it, but part of the problem belongs with all of us, because we tolerate this.
Same story, 3rd (or 100th!) verse. Some big scandalous information comes out about a top rider or trainer or barn. There’s a COTH thread and some internet outrage.
And then everything goes back to normal. No one really cares. Because if they did, they’d do something. Like stop buying horses from these people. Stop giving rides to them. Boo them when they come in the ring. Publicly disgrace them. SOMETHING which actually means we all care.
But we don’t.
As a culture, we accept it.
Which was shown when Tori Colvin was interviewed after the Parker/Tolvin debacle and she said something to the affect of how her life hadn’t changed at all, it was business as usual.
Or how when all the Heritage documents came out showing medication charges and all sorts of crazy stuff…and yet they have a more than full client list of people willing to do whatever it takes to reach the top.
Or Kelley Farmer, who people will ooh and ahh over after watching her lay down a derby trip and then bemoan her when she gets caught (again) for drugging.[/QUOTE]
Agree. Change has to come from within, can’t really expect others to change first. Especially if they have proven themselves unworthy, why look to them to lead?
[QUOTE=vagabondrider;9006623]
Is anyone else highly amused that the horse’s name was Unexpected?[/QUOTE]
They changed its name to Timeout.
(joke)
[QUOTE=APirateLooksAtForty;9006725]
Uh the owners pay board. I’m not sure why everyone wants to argue this point … without divulging too much about some of the WEF chatter basically laughing over what $24,000 means to Larry and the ins and outs of their daily business at WEF let’s put it in layman’s terms: the man drives a Maserati that costs more than Mindful[/QUOTE]
And the last time he opened his wallet and peeled out $24K in cash and gave it away just because was…
Being wealthy doesn’t equate to not caring at all about paying a 5 digit fine. As far as I know, he wasn’t planning on cutting a $24K check to the USEF until this happened.
Look, I can afford to pay a $500 speeding ticket but it doesn’t mean I want to or that I feel happy about it. Or that it doesn’t suck a little, even if I can afford it and in the grand scheme of things it won’t end my life.
[QUOTE=Midge;9006748]
I know a barn that has bought several from them. They know the horses have to go through ‘withdrawal’ and they will need to figure out a different program, but the horses themselves have the innate talent and the trainer feels the horses just had the poor luck of being seen by Larry before someone else had a shot, not that the horses can’t go a different way. They did send one back they couldn’t get to go well. It never reappeared with Larry either.[/QUOTE]
Isn’t this an incredibly SAD state of affairs? Full endstop.
Vxf, it’s not “just because.” I would contend he looks at it more as a “cost of doing business,” and those, like me, who show with his horses week after week are all in agreement.
Just trying to provide some supporting information that not all may know. But that always seems to fall
On deaf ears with you.
Just trying to provide some supporting information that not all may know. But that always seems to fall
on deaf ears with you.
I know, by name, about 5% of the posters on here, but I always remember you as quite the desk chair contrarian.
[QUOTE=APirateLooksAtForty;9006916]
Vxf, it’s not “just because.” I would contend he looks at it more as a “cost of doing business,” and those, like me, who show with his horses week after week are all in agreement.[/QUOTE]
Okay, then all of you write USEF a $24K check this week, since it’s a cost of doing business. Just because. It won’t hurt. It’s just a drop in the bucket right?
Even if it’s viewed as a cost of doing business, it’s not a non-cost. It still impacts the bottom line. And even to a big business, it’s not NOTHING. I worked for a huge law firm. We spent and made $$$. A $24K bill to an expert still got scrutinized and accounted for.
Keep in mind that they had to know this was coming, as they were the ones to medicate the horse and knew it got tested. They have had almost a year to form a plan. Unless he/they are set down for life, nothing really changes. Even then, look at Paul Vallier. Still in business.
There is a certain section of humanity that loves that kind of bad behavior and is drawn to it.
Keep in mind that they had to know this was coming, as they were the ones to medicate the horse and knew it got tested. They have had almost a year to form a plan. Unless he/they are set down for life, nothing really changes. Even then, look at Paul Vallier. Still in business.
There is a certain section of humanity that loves that kind of bad behavior and is drawn to it.:no:
I don’t remember you pirate but if you want me to pretend I do and call you a name I’m happy to?
The $$ fine is really irrelevant but the length of suspension is not.
For Larry, if you think about it a two year set down is almost worse then a lifetime ban. In a lifetime ban they can set up a different sort of business and march forward with that business plan (Ward and PV). Two years is too disruptive for that. Kelly missing a year means she misses all the big shows.
I say, well done usef!
