Walt Bogdanich ,The New York Times,Walt Bogdanich, The United States Equestrian Federation and the United States Olympic Committee Turning a Blind Eye on Drugging at USEF Sanctioned Shows New York New York

 

 Originally Posted by amberhill 

Walt Bogdanich ,The New York Times,Walt Bogdanich, The United States Equestrian Federation, The United States Hunter Jumper Association and the United States Olympic Committee Turning a Blind Eye on Drugging at USEF Sanctioned Shows

"The report makes clear sickening reports of all the inhumane practices being done by every BNT at the shows. But for Christ Sake please stop saying you are not responsible for killing that pony! Magnesium doesn't test and kills almost all of the reported deaths at usef events. If you want to reform the sport, start with yourself and file protests concerning all the people you mention in the rip off report. I agree reform needs to happen. I also believe it starts with telling the truth! The whole truth in this case would at least help... If you kill an animal at a USEF event it should be investigated and person responsible for said death should be held responsible for it. You can kill a horse and not get fined, set down or investigated, but a positive test for a sedative gets you 2 months and $$$$ for the USEF. People say shame on the penalty not being longer. I mean really? .12cc of a sedative I guarantee is a lot better for the horse than 30+cc of Magnesium! The federation never takes the horses welfare into account when they make the rules or assign their penalties. They don't consider the animal or the USEF members. If you send a medication or supplement to the USEF and ask them to test it before administering it to an animal. They throw it away and will not respond or acknowledge the request. They are only focused on catching people and depositing the penalty $$$. If an administrative penalty is offered for an action it is accompanied with a nice little letter telling you if you don't except the offer bc the charge is unjust be prepared for a lot of expense and a greater penalty. Really they are equally responsible for the drugging problems in the sport. 
Regardless, just stop lying about HUMBLE"

A full investigation was done by the USEF and animal welfare and one of the most respected clinics in the nation, New Bolton and my name was fully cleared. Humble was not administered magnesium and his magnesium levels were well within the normal limits. I am a member in good standing and you can spew your lies just like Walt Bognavich but the investigative findings stand. 

As for the current suspension, I only know the Raposa's in passing but Karen has been nothign but lovely and her daughter is one of the sweetest and most lovely girls on the circuit. She did not get that way by having unscrupulous parents and and I am willing to give them a pass and so should others. 

This still does not know explain how this horse died. Where it died? And whether the USEF did a full investigation? 

I can tell you that I am not willing to give the owner, Redfield Farms a pass. I have firsthand knowledge of Emil Spadone's drugging of horses. I leased a horse named Carrera (USEF #5045087) from him when Emma was younger to do the 3ft and then Big Eq and Emil insisted it be kept at a trainers facility (Autumn View). That is when the first lightbulb should have gone off. When Emma was on a school break we showed up early one day as she had finished riding hers at home and the horse spun, spooked and reared, a behavior I had never witnesed before. The next day, I made sure we showed up unexpectedly and the horse exhibited the same behavior. I then knew something was amiss. 

I snuck into the office at Autumn View and found a medicine chest with drugs. The barn was set up so that the clients were in the viewing room and Kelly Wilson, who coincidentally also exercised horses for Emil, could scurry around the back barn unbeknownst and I surmised she was medicating animals before customers arrived. I have no proof of this and decided I needed to see for myself the true horse I leased for my daughter. 

I demanded the horse be placed into my program to see what was really going on and with much hesitation, Emil, agreed. I took the horse to Virginia to a horse show and it was unrideable and unsafe. I immediately returned the horse to Emil as I was not willing to put my daughter on a dangerous animal and the horse had been misrepresented to me. I asked for a refund or a replacement and was basically told to "go pounce sand". 

-----Original Message-----
From: (((email redacted)))
To: mscott@usef.org; espadone@aol.com; joe@magnajm.com
Sent: Tue, Jun 1, 2010 12:24 pm
Subject: Carrera USEF Membership # 5045087

Melissa,

 

Please note the lease on the above horse has been terminated and is to be removed from Amber Hill Farm's (#5035137) roster. The horse is to be shown at HITs Saugerties this coming weekend under a different trainer and rider and Amber Hill no longer has responsibility for any liability that may arise.

 

Thank you so much for your immediate attention to this matter.

 

Regards,

Elizabeth M****

Amber Hill Farm

(((phone number redacted)))

Emil insisted the horse could jump 3'6" and I traveled 2 hours to watch the horse perform as he insisted it could. I sat on the stands. The horse squatted over the course and struggled barely making it around with an experienced junior jockey on his back. I walked straight up to Emil at the ingate and asked him what drugs he had the horse on and he OPENLY admitted that the horse was given magnesium. Emil also told me there was nothign wrong with magnesium as it was totally legal. I told him how disgusted I was that he would lease me a horse that needed to be drugged and put my daughter in danger. That was the last USEF santioned show the horse ever attended. It was obviously not marketable unless he could tuck it away in a sitaution that would "mag" it. 

The owner and Emil kept my money and I was told by a "friend" it was donated to Texas A&M. The owner kept my money knowing he leased me a dangerous horse and got a nice donation for his taxes. This "friend" called me a month later and told me it had landed a student at Texas A&M in the hospital with a concussion. I can not confirm or deny this and but do not doubt the validity of these statements based on what I witnessed and that the horse had disappeared. 

So, if anyone thinks I am willing to put my daughters or any other childs life at risk, think again. I could care less about the money. I let it go. My daughters safety is first and foremost. I have no idea where Carrera is now. Maybe still at Texas A&M but my daughter is not on it's back. 

As an aside, my horses and ponies do not need to be drugged to be body clipped. Experienced grooms know how to work with horses and ponies until they become desensitized to body clipping. There are drugs with short withdrawal times if an animal is being desensitized and you can time body clipping so you do not risk a drug infraction. NOTHING gets injected into my animals without my knowledge and approval and I always ask about the legality of drugs given and withdrawal timeframes. Thats my job as a trainer and I want to know what is going into my animals. 

I take my responsibility to my animals very very personally, including Humble's death. While I did nothing wrong he was my responsibility, relied on me and I wish I could have saved him. Hindsight is 20/20. He looked like the picture of health but his interior showed a different story. He was one of my favorites, a freak of nature, with an amazing personality and I miss him terribly and so do his friends on the Hill. 

As for the other drug infraction listed in April on the USEF website, it disgusts me and the suspension is ludicrous. Meprobamate is used to treat anxiety disorders or for short-term relief of the symptoms of anxiety. Meprobamate is in a class of medications called tranquilizers. THE USEF is a sham. They should ahve thrown the book at this trainer.

This is official notice of actions taken by the United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. Hearing Committee on February 4, 2013.

TANYA LEVORCHICK of San Diego, CA, violated Chapter 4, GR410-411 of this Federation, in connection with the Showpark June Jamboree Festival Horse Show held on May 31-June 3, 2012, in that she, as trainer, exhibited the horse MAIJOR after it had been administered and/or contained in its body carisoprodol and meprobamate. For this violation of the rules, the Hearing Committee members present directed that pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1b and GR703.1f, TANYA LEVORCHICK, be found not in good standing, suspended from membership, and forbidden from the privilege of taking any part whatsoever in any Licensed Competition for one month, and is excluded from all competition grounds during Licensed Competitions for that period: (1) as an exhibitor, participant or spectator; (2) from participating in all Federation affairs and activities, (3) from holding or exercising office in the Federation or in any Licensed Competition; and (4) from attending, observing or participating in any event, forum, meeting, program, clinic, task force, or committee of the Federation, sponsored by or conducted by the Federation, or held in connection with the Federation and any of its activities. The one month suspension shall commence on May 1, 2013 and terminate at midnight on May 31, 2013. Any horse or horses owned, leased, or of any partnership, corporation or stable of her, or shown in her name or for her reputation, (whether such interest was held at the time of the alleged violation or acquired thereafter), shall also be suspended,pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1c. Furthermore, the Hearing Committee directed that TANYA LEVORCHICK be fined $2,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. It was further directed that for this violation of the rules, SABRINA PATTISON of Carlsbad, CA, as owner, must return for redistribution all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by MAIJOR at said competition, and must pay a $300 fee to the competition in connection with this penalty pursuant to Chapter 4, GR406.15.