US jumper Andy Kocher has been provisionally suspended by the FEI from October 28 for alleged use of electric shock devices on his horses, pending proceedings against him for horse abuse at the FEI Tribunal. The proceedings also extend to training as well as in-competition use.
It is unusual for the FEI to provisionally suspend riders over abuse allegations prior to a final Tribunal decision.
An article published earlier this year on French website Grand Prix shows close-ups from a number of professionally-taken photographs where Kocher appears to be holding a device between the reins. Horse Sport also saw a similar device in a photo taken at the 2019 Royal Horse Show in Toronto (see image above). After a wave of publicity others came forward with photos from other events. The FEI notified Kocher he was being investigated on June 29. The FEI case status table shows the case involved “several” unnamed horses.
Grand Prix started scrutinizing photographs of Kocher, 37, after being contacted by a whistleblower. The photographs, one of which was taken at Spruce Meadows in 2018, variously show a black object peeking out from Kocher’s black gloves, a wire running up into his sleeve, and a protuberance over the rider’s knee under his riding breeches, which Grand Prix believes is the wire working its way down the rider’s leg for eventual connection with the spurs. Grand Prix’s informant sent a video showing how the button-operated device allegedly works.
In a statement today the FEI said: “The FEI has opened disciplinary proceedings against USA Jumping Athlete Andrew Kocher (FEI ID: 10064248) following allegations that he has used electric spurs on a number of FEI registered and national horses in international and national events, and during training.
“The Athlete has been provisionally suspended, effective immediately from the date of notification (28 October 2020), meaning that he is ineligible to participate in any FEI Events. The provisional suspension is mirrored by the Athlete’s National Federation, so he is also ineligible to participate in any national events.
“The FEI Legal Department had previously notified Andrew Kocher on 29 June 2020 that an investigation had been opened following allegations of him using electric spurs reported to the independent Equestrian Community Integrity Unit (ECIU).
“In order to ensure the integrity of the ongoing legal proceedings, the FEI will not provide further comment on this case at this time.”
At Tribunal, the minimum suspension for horse abuse is three months. Until this year, the longest suspension handed was two-and-half years, though in June a record 18-year ban was given to the Emirati Sheikh Sh Abdul Aziz Bin Faisal Al Qasimi after his endurance horse sustained a fatal fracture in an incident associated with alleged nerve blocking.
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