OLYMPICS SHOW JUMPING BOMBSHELL

Jesus, I cannot believe this is all over capsicum. I use Tiger Balm ALL the time to prevent headaches and I didn't even realise that capsicum was a banned substance. I agree that skin samples need to be taken - the margin for error here (that the substance was not intended for horse or it was deliberate) is huge.
 
If it was transferred to the horse via a plant or rat poison etc why have none of the eventers or dressage horses tested positive for it? Have to ask Boss as she was out there if they warmed up in different arenas.

I thought it was announced about a year ago that they were going to start testing the front of horses legs for things like this, maybe that is where the samples have come from.
 
It could've just been someone walking round the stables patting the horses.......did they test all of the horses or was it just at random?
 
Sorry Weezy but I dont think the margin for error IS huge here. You dont get as far up the ladder as these guys without knowing the ins and outs not only of the rule book but also the products you can or cannot use. And if they are genuinely not sure then what the heck are the chef d quipes for???
 
Supposedly one of the teams (Germany I think) got a rollocking for riding off the site up some trails into the fields beyond the venue. Really stupid thing to do and who knows (though highly highly unlikely) what plants or substances that are NATURAL could they have brushed against or walked through that could have gotten into the system and shown up as a banned substance.

Even Lavender contains chemical elements that are a no no. And remember some feeds actually contain capsicum now (particulary in the USA) given it's new fame as an anti-tumour agent.
 
Dieseldog made a good point - what was the requirement for SJ to keep their lottery funding?

Would be interested to know what the multi-olympians like Nick Skelton & John Whittaker think of the benefits of lottery funding now, compared to 16 or 20 years ago... ?

I remember when it came in a certain rider (not on our current team) saying that the nutrionalists, fitness coaches, psychologists etc were not relevant to showjumpers.... Needless to say, don't think he ever won a medal.....

(sorry - realise this is a bit offpost)
 
But just brushing against any capsicum would not be enough to get capsaicin on the skin and even if it did I would be very surprised if it managed to get into the system in sufficient concentrations to show up in a drugs test...
 
Message from friend at Sha Tin : -

The German team was discovered by American grooms out "back on the hacking trails" without permission. And that reported GM was furious. Is there any other news on this...given their performance in the team jumping whatever they did out there didn't help, but it is interesting
 
They must be man made ones, as the racecourse is on reclaimed land. It was pretty much a concrete jungle the last time I saw it.
I know there were very strict times and areas to exercise in, but I thought that was because of the quarantine aspects.
Hmm.....curioser and curioser.........
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Yes it would get into the system if the plant was rubbed or broken. Ask any dermatological reasearch lab - canine, feline, bovine, human, whatever.

Capsicum Annum is a particular popular source of Capsaicin (methyll vanillyl nonenamide). One of the most common plant related exposure calls to poison control in the USA is for painful contact to capsaicin producing capsicums, the pith is the immediate area holds the most of the chemicals, not the seeds as most people think.
 
Yes! And my mother lived there for a while. Hong Kong is not just the city.

If you read my original post it was from someone who is there now (one of the Canadian team group). Nothing at all said about Sha Tin. Just about hacking trails of which there are several in Hong Kong.
 
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Yes it would get into the system if the plant was rubbed or broken. Ask any dermatological reasearch lab - canine, feline, bovine, human, whatever.

Capsicum Annum is a particular popular source of Capsaicin (methyll vanillyl nonenamide). One of the most common plant related exposure calls to poison control in the USA is for painful contact to capsaicin producing capsicums, the pith is the immediate area holds the most of the chemicals, not the seeds as most people think.

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*giggles*
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You *do* realise that DR Weevil is a doctor for a reason
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Not only because she has a Phd, but she has been working in her lab with this very specific substance *very* recently - ironically she was telling me about it whilst we were watching the XC coverage t'other week before the Sjimg even began.
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I'm sorry, but I think she is probably one of the most informed and education people on this forum to discuss the effect of this substance given she is currently working specifically with it!
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[

*giggles*
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You *do* realise that DR Weevil is a doctor for a reason
smile.gif


Not only because she has a Phd, but she has been working in her lab with this very specific substance *very* recently - ironically she was telling me about it whilst we were watching the XC coverage t'other week before the Sjimg even began.
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I'm sorry, but I think she is probably one of the most informed and education people on this forum to discuss the effect of this substance given she is currently working specifically with it!
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DITTO - one of our (hubby & I) companies has funded research and conducted field trials in both medicinal and cosmetic applications for capsaicin amongst other plant and herbal extracts. Been doing this since 1981. Not unusual for lab to have conflicting "ideas" on subjects. And yes I did do 2 yrs work in this for the FDA Poison Control centre on Capsaicin toxicity along with several other plant derived substances. Also for the FDA records the effects and survival rate of Calciferol based rodenticides on canines. Sincerely Dr Cefyl BVM&S BSC phd MRCVS
 
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Hey, at least everyone's forgotten about Peppermill.
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Gosh isnt that lucky.....shall we start a conpiracy theory Tarr?
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How about Sef being "headhunted" by all the other dressage nations, UK included?

Maybe he had better find a decent hairdresser before he starts going on job interviews.
 
Look, I'm saying nothing. But you know, Yorkshire memories are long, right?
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And what happens if this whole thing turns out to have been about the grooms sharing a raw pepper salad?
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[ QUOTE ]
Message from friend at Sha Tin : -

The German team was discovered by American grooms out "back on the hacking trails" without permission. And that reported GM was furious. Is there any other news on this...given their performance in the team jumping whatever they did out there didn't help, but it is interesting

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What I'm struggling with here (and OK, yes I am being a bit saucy but there's an element of truth here!) - and I confess to having worked with dressage horses so for all I know jumpers might be different though in Germany I'm not convinced - is the notion of a German voluntarily hacking anywhere?
If indeed they did, of their own accord, abandon the confines of an all weather arena, I can see why one would be suspicious!
(humour/seriousness in roughly 50:50 ratio)
 
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