Disgraceful

AdorableAlice

AdorableAlice

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Totally disgraceful.

Dope testing at the 2017 Summer Championships
October 2, 2017
Dope testing at the 2017 Summer ChampionshipsFurther to the National Pony Society Council’s decision to undertake dope testing at the 2017 Summer Championship Show, the following results can now be released. Three separate animals were randomly selected for testing. 1.A sample taken as a random test from Inspector Montablano at the National Pony Society (NPS) Summer Championship Show showed the presence of acepromazine and hydroxyethylpromazine sulphoxide, a sedative. At a meeting of the NPS disciplinary panel on Thursday 14th September, producers Ms Smith & Mr Pitt were suspended until 31st December 2018 from “competing in any NPS affiliated class or at any NPS Shows” Inspector Montablano, who won the Ottergayle Supreme In Hand Show Hack & Riding Horse Final and was Reserve Champion Riding Horse Breeding at the NPS Summer Championships, has been disqualified from his placings there. Ms Smith & Mr Pitt are also required to pay the dope-testing fee of £1016.40. 2. A sample taken as a random test from Rowfantina Royal Occasion at the National Pony Society (NPS) Summer Championship Show showed the presence of cetirizine, a drug used in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. At a meeting of the NPS disciplinary panel on Thursday 14th September, owner Mrs Burchell-Small was suspended until 31st December 2017 from “all or any of the rights and privileges of membership of the NPS”. Rowfantina Royal Occasion, who won the Horse of the Year Show Colne Mountain & Moorland Lead Rein Qualifier at the NPS Summer Championships, has been disqualified from his placing there, and suspended from all NPS-affiliated shows until 31st December 2017. Mrs Burchell-Small is also required to pay the dope-testing fee of £1016.40. 3.In addition, a sample taken as a random test from Griashall Jamie at the National Pony Society Summer Championship Show returned a negative result.
 
I couldn't agree more!

Surely exhibitors realise that ponies are likely to be subject to testing, do they just cross their fingers and hope that their animal will slip through the net?
 
Did they only do 3 tests throughout the whole championships? If so you can see why people know they can get away with it. What are the chances of getting done? 1 in 1000?

Utterly dispicable behaviour full stop!
 
That is awful. I read it as this being the first time any dope testing has been undertaken, looks like they have a very serious problem.
 
Agree with you AA, absolutely shameful.

I did BE for years and was dope tested once. No-one else I know has ever been dope tested at an event. With dope tests costing £1,000, horse sport just can't afford it, can it? So I don't know what the answer is. Cheating for gaining kudos or money just seems to be part of human nature.
 
This may be a wake up call though. It should make the societies increase the numbers and hopefully stop a few chancers from doing it.
 
Shocking.

I had no idea the testing amounted to that much, though I suppose it makes sense somehow... I was dope tested at a BD area festival in the summer, the vet told me that they pulled about 5 horses at random across the champ shows though it's the first time it had happened to me in 12 years of affiliated dressage. Did make me tighten up on what I'm feeding though just in case.... unfortunately one of the manufacturers of the feed i was using did not reply to my questions about the NOPS scheme so I've swapped to be on the safe side!
 
It's not a wake up call... over time someone gets caught, it abates for a bit then it's rife again and they'll find something else thats not detectable. If they want a wake up call, it has to be 100% coverage as standard
 
They don't really need something not detectable though if the chances of being tested are so minimal... and one of them only has a ban until dec this year, so fine for next season.
 
tallyho! said:
It's not a wake up call... over time someone gets caught, it abates for a bit then it's rife again and they'll find something else thats not detectable. If they want a wake up call, it has to be 100% coverage as standard
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unfortunatly 100% coverage would cost millions, and that is money that the societies do not have. you can literally have thousands of horses over the course of the week at champs

I think automatic testing of anything that comes 1st at a champs would be a good start. mind you at £1000 a test that is soon going to mount up to the hundreds of thousands.
 
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conniegirl said:
unfortunatly 100% coverage would cost millions, and that is money that the societies do not have. you can literally have thousands of horses over the course of the week at champs

I think automatic testing of anything that comes 1st at a champs would be a good start. mind you at £1000 a test that is soon going to mount up to the hundreds of thousands.
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I didn't come down in the last shower you know. What I'm trying to say is, it's not a wake up call - it will continue. Of course 100% is unfeasible and it won't happen so people will keep on taking a gamble.
 
and CHAPS have just announced the results of thier championship dope tests:

Random Dope Testing was carried out at the 2017 CHAPS Championship Show.
Six animals were tested and we are pleased to announce that all tests came back negative.
The animals forward for testing were:
Phoenix, Helen Pickles;
So Sweet, Rachel Cowan;
The Panda, Elle Waters-Jones;
Hello Dolly II, Steph Bradshaw;
Broadband, Mrs D Rutherford;
Cavalier Jack, Lorraine Taylor.

Very different results to the NPS ones!
 
Goldenstar said:
Do you think they picked them randomly ?
I wonder .
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If you tested all the lead rein and FR entrants I wonder what the results would show???

In answer to your question though, I reckon they would have to have paperwork to prove that ponies were selected at random for testing, or would I be wrong in that??

Fiona
 
ester said:
be interesting to know what types they are?
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Phoenix, Helen Pickles; - Inhand Native youngstock ( I think)
So Sweet, Rachel Cowan; Non Native ridden horse
The Panda, Elle Waters-Jones; Native ridden pony
Hello Dolly II, Steph Bradshaw; Native ridden pony
Broadband, Mrs D Rutherford; Show Cob
Cavalier Jack, Lorraine Taylor. MAxi Cob

All coloured obviously
 
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AA, that's appalling!
The NPS have done random testing for years, one of mine was in a group of 6 that were tested in 89, all were clear that year.
I have no idea if the random testing was stopped for a while, but it was def done there from 81 to 2004.
Ponies (UK) also used to do random testing at their champs too.
 
thanks CG, mostly because I figured most natives/traditionals/cobs as opposed to the plaited types might be less likely to need sedating ;).
 
ester said:
They don't really need something not detectable though if the chances of being tested are so minimal... and one of them only has a ban until dec this year, so fine for next season.
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If its any consolation I believe both lost HOYS qualifications, The pony did also qualify at another show though so if they had membership of another society they may well still be at HOYS

I do feel a bit for the connections of the pony, they are decent people and it could be that they did not realise the problem, plenty of small ponies are given antihistamines primarily for itching or allergies (not sure why this particular pony was given it I'm not saying it has sweet itch or anything) and given a few days confined to a flimsy stable I can see why it may be given to a pony at a stay away show, it may be banned but I am one who would not think it would be on a banned list - that's no excuse for not checking but I would guess that's the reason why one punishment is more lenient than the other

The horse I think is an awful situation but again if they have (and I would say they definitely do) membership of other societies they will be back in the ring soon

In the great scheme of things not showing in NPS shows is not a big deal to some, there are plenty of other shows and that's why punishments like this are no real deterrent
 
Yes I did see about the HOYS ticket too, as it should be. Interestingly it seems that they did not have to pay the dope test fee as it is specifically mentioned for the other pony.

In some ways this is where it is a shame there are so many societies as neither of them are really stopped from showing compared to say any of the other equine sports where if you were caught BE you wouldn't be eventing affiliated or able to do any qualifiers.

Given the former is a producer and the latter is owner I presume the lead rein is home produced? Or does it just depend who does the entry/puts the pony forwards?
 
ester said:
Yes I did see about the HOYS ticket too, as it should be. Interestingly it seems that they did not have to pay the dope test fee as it is specifically mentioned for the other pony.

In some ways this is where it is a shame there are so many societies as neither of them are really stopped from showing compared to say any of the other equine sports where if you were caught BE you wouldn't be eventing affiliated or able to do any qualifiers.

Given the former is a producer and the latter is owner I presume the lead rein is home produced? Or does it just depend who does the entry/puts the pony forwards?
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The Burchell Smalls are producers ester.

IMHO Professionals should have a minimum of a full year ban - to the end of the following year. Hit them hard in the pocket with a fine, they'll also get hit by a drop in trade too.
 
Ah ok, no sympathy at all then! thanks for clarifying :).

It was just notable that one said owner and the other said producer and I wondered who the buck really stopped with with regards to sanctions.
 
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