Oliver Townend has issued two belated public apologies, agreeing he ‘let people down’ after the horse abuse incidents leading to an official verbal warning at Badminton.
The FEI ground jury interviewed him immediately after his second ride, Ballaghmor Class, though it was only later on Saturday evening that they announced Townend received an “official warning” for over-use of the whip following a storm on social media. The updated FEI sanctions listing on Monday showed the offences had been re-evaluated as “abuse of horse/excessive use of the whip.”
After Sunday’s prize-giving, Townend briefly mentioned the topic on BBC TV and then issued this written statement: “I’m aware that there have been negative comments about my riding yesterday (cross-country day), and I apologise wholeheartedly if it looked bad.
“I absolutely love my horses, and their welfare is my top priority. They are both young and inexperienced at this level, and I did have to work hard to keep their concentration and get them home in one piece as they tired in the heavy going. I hope that the way they both show jumped today demonstrates how fit, well and happy they are.”
But on Monday morning, having apparently only just viewed the TV footage himself, he issued a further contrite comment: “Having watched my Badminton cross-country rounds for the first time when I got home last night, I’m so disappointed and upset about the way I rode. It didn’t look good and I don’t want to look like that.
“I fully accept the warning I received from the ground jury. My competitive instincts got the better of me and I will work hard to improve in this area.
“I try really hard to give my horses the best ride possible — I try to be as fit as possible, to be as light as I can be, to sit as still as I can, to get them on the best strides and take-off points to minimise the energy they have to waste. I care enormously about their wellbeing and their welfare.
“I feel I have let my amazing team down. I am aware of my position in the sport and of my responsibility to be a suitable role model to younger people, and I apologise to them.
“I love my horses — I live for them. I am extremely proud of all four horses — Ballaghmor Class and Cooley SRS, and the two who went so brilliantly at Kentucky, Cooley Master Class and MHS King Joules — and of every horse on my yard.”
Townend was also given a verbal warning at Floors Castle, UK, last spring for “abuse of the horse/inappropriate use of the whip.” Had these two offences in a 12-month period been punished by yellow card, an automatic two-month suspension would have applied – disastrous for the world number one’s build up to the World Equestrian Games. He also received a verbal warning at Badminton in 2014 for “abuse of the horse” through his use of “whip and spurs” on Armada.
A FEI spokesman told Horse-Canada that past offences are listed publicly for 12 months and supplied to technical delegates as a “watch-list.”
No cross-country round is ever broadcast in its entirety by the BBC, but the closing stages with Ballaghmor Class provoked particular dismay. Townend can clearly be seen repeatedly striking the tiring grey at and between fences. In some instances he waved the stick without making physical contact. Judges also spoke to him about his riding of eventual runner-up, Cooley SRS.
Welfare issues in eventing sport are already under the social media microscope following the Kentucky four-star. Two sponsors, MDC Stirrups and Enviro Equine, dropped US national champion Marilyn Little because of the further incidence of blood-in-mouth with one of her horses. Even though she broke no rules, Little’s sponsors were targeted by Facebook campaign. A previous sponsor, Topline Leather has posted a forthright blog explaining why they severed connections with Little following an earlier blood incident. Another, Summit Performance has detailed why they stand by her and deplore cyber-bullying.
While much social media ire is directed at the two riders, frustration over the handling of the issues by FEI officials is common to both incidents. There is a widespread perception that less well-known riders and/or incidents occurring at lower profile events are treated more harshly.
At Badminton, the incidents were apparently not serious enough to warrant a yellow card, so there is bewilderment why the ground jury remarked, in their statement, that they would be “carefully checking” Townend’s horses next day Cooley SRs was not lame but was sent to the holding box on Sunday and then passed without being required to jog again – not the normal procedure for a re-presentation.
FEI eventing rule 526.3 sets out a cap on three whip-strikes “per incident” but does not indicate any limit on the number of times a whip may be used overall. Where whip-use constitutes abuse, punishments can include verbal warning, yellow cards, disqualification, elimination or a fine. The sanctions listing published by the FEI Tribunal suggests that only verbal warnings or yellow cards have been applied for eventing whip incidents over the past 12 months.
NOTE: BBC footage is not available in Canada, but a search on Facebook will reveal personal video recordings.
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