BBC NEWS - Ben Maher Sued.

Oh dear, that doesn't sound good. Can't believe they would have taken action spuriously given the close friendship they had. If true, that's very naughty!

Hope it's not true, but it's certainly possible.
 
Helbert said:
This can't be right, this doesn't make sense.
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In what way doesn't it make sense?

If it's true, it's a very stupid thing to have done but it's simple fraud and BM will be seriously out of pocket with costs/compensation on top.

I very much hope it's not true but not holding my breath. I admit to having read a lot of Jilly Cooper however.....! Unfortunately Equestrian sports aren't doing themselves any favours at the moment and sponsorship which is already tight as a gnats ar*se will be even more difficult to get.

So that's endurance, eventing and show jumping that have had bad press; let's hope our blingy prancers (i.e. dressage) are squeaky clean.
 
I have no idea if this is correct but unfortunately it happens all the time in showjumping and I presume most probably in all other horse sports too. It's very sad, usually the owners are happy with the prices they recieve and to pay an average 10% commission as most owners wouldn't be able to obtain those sorts of prices without access to the rider's contacts. Perhaps the riders should just ask for more than the usual 10% upfront, or a higher premium once a certain agreed price is achieved - or for the rider to just buy the horse at a price the owner is happy with and sell it straight on themselves. It is simple fraud but all too common and often goes accepted as the way things work - very sad when owners are bringing so much into the sport and being abused in this way. I know of one owner who wanted £250k for her horse and the rider said that if he could get £350k could they split the last £100k 50/50, both were very happy, everyone was honest and the deal was done, trouble is people get greedy and end up ripping off those who have supported them the most. I'm talking about these cases in general as I only know what I've read re Ben's case. Sad to have such a negative showjumping story in the news though at a time when showjumping is doing so well in this country and Ben has been world number one for most of this year.
 
I know that it says "A spokesman for his lawyers declined to comment on the case at this stage", but I still think that the article was a little one sided, so I think that I will sit on the fence and wait for more info.
 
I'm a little surprised that such big deals are not done owner to owner rather than trusting anyone as your 'middleman'.
 
Got a double page in HH today too!

Be interesting to see how this plays out, very sad if Ben has done this.

Don't know many SJ that have 1.5million lying around :(
 
ester said:
I'm a little surprised that such big deals are not done owner to owner rather than trusting anyone as your 'middleman'.
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It's standard practice in most equestrian sports.

I'm not surprised at all to hear this news. I don't know Ben Maher, but the amount of top riders who screw their owners over like this and then think they're clever is unbelievable. But they usually get away with it.
And show jumpers are generally regarded as being a little more money hungry than others.

I have no trouble believing it unfortunately.
 
I can see why there is a middleman system, but frankly it is open to temptation or underhand deals, especially if there is no business contact between the owner and buyer but even then, there are ways for 'deals'.
We'll have to wait and see how this pans out.

ps. Wonder if HMRC are watching? lol
 
I've seen this kind of thing done on a very much more modest scale so I guess it goes on, perhaps the scale of the deception is what got him caught (if he is guilty). Sad day for Ben Maher, because if he is found guilty, apart from losing his sponsors and probably finding it hard to get new ones there are bound to be tax implications too, that's a lot unaccounted for income, even if you have got horses to keep.
 
What an awful day for show jumping although it seems this type of thing is endemic. If he is guilty he's gone from hero to zero.
 
Greed, pure and simple. Endemic in the world we all live in, we are just more used to seeing it in the banking and corporate industry. Why is it the more successful people are the more greedy they get.
 
If it is true shame BM couldn't have been more upfront about it but to be honest those horses probably wouldn't have been worth anything near those value without his input..
 
EQUISCENE said:
....to be honest those horses probably wouldn't have been worth anything near those value without his input..
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That's not the point though, as I think you may have misunderstood the allegations. He was acting as an agent. For example - (disclaimer - dont know the details, hypothetical example) this is the kind of thing which can cause these disputes.

- Agent is asked to find a horse for clients. Finds suitable horse priced at £250k. Tells client price is £300k. Pockets difference.

- Agent is asked to sell a horse for client. Tells client he got £150k for it. Really got £200k for it. Pockets difference.

This kind of thing happens ALL the time unfortunately and the clients rarely find out. I'm not saying this is what's happened here, just that the horses' value doesn't have to have had anything to do with him.
 
Yes I realize that snowonsnow it is dishonesty/fraud whatever but the fact that he as a name/top SJ was involved at all would have realized more money, rather than Joe Bloggs acting on buyer/sellers behalf, that was my point.
 
EQUISCENE said:
Yes I realize that snowonsnow it is dishonesty/fraud whatever but the fact that he as a name/top SJ was involved at all would have realized more money, rather than Joe Bloggs acting on buyer/sellers behalf, that was my point.
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and I think you make a very good point too!
 
Probably still at the top as he bred Triple xxx and a rider of his calibre will attract sponsors. He was a very successful junior without sponsorship. Perhaps he should have just asked for a bigger cut with these deals..
 
EQUISCENE said:
Yes I realize that snowonsnow it is dishonesty/fraud whatever but the fact that he as a name/top SJ was involved at all would have realized more money, rather than Joe Bloggs acting on buyer/sellers behalf, that was my point.
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And that's probably why people chose to have him act as their agent. But he won't have beendoing it for free, he'll have had an agreed commission.
To give yourself backhanders over and above this through fraudulent means (if he HAS) is totally and utterly inexcusable.

Plus, the Phillips have been his backers since he was 22 and struggling for rides. He wouldn't be where he was now if it wasn't for them.
 
EQUISCENE said:
Probably still at the top as he bred Triple xxx and a rider of his calibre will attract sponsors. He was a very successful junior without sponsorship. Perhaps he should have just asked for a bigger cut with these deals..
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He can be as successful as he likes with ponies, lots are, but without the horses at senior level he'd be nowhere. He had nothing to ride and the Phillips answered his advert in HH begging for rides. They've treated him like one of the family and if he really has ripped them off its disgraceful.
 
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