Irish rider Bertram Allen has had his Olympia Grand Prix title stripped from him after blood was found on his horse’s flanks.
Devastated
Proceedings ground to a halt at the London International Horse Show while the rider and Quainton Stud who own the horse put in an appeal. However the FEI upheld its decision and Michael was announced as the winner.
A clearly devastated Betram said he had seen “bigger nicks when shaving”.
“It’s a tiny cut and it wasn’t where my leg goes so my foot must have slipped” he said holding back his tears. “I understand the welfare of the horse is paramount but there has to be a line. I think we will put in another appeal against the decision.”
‘Hard done by’
Michael agreed the cut was “barely there” and gave the 20-year-old rider his winning rosette as a sign of solidarity. “I couldn’t see much there at all” he told H&C. “Bertram was very hard done by he rode a fantastic round. “
Michael and Bertram were two of 15 riders to make it through to the jump-off out of 35 starters.
Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum set the standard with Chiara but his time of 32.09sec looked like it could be beaten.
Bertram Allen did just that producing a fluid and fast clear to shave 1.64sec off Ludger’s time with Quiet Easy.
Ducked out
It was a time no other rider could beat although many of the world’s best gave it a good go.
Scott Brash was clearly determined to add the Grand Prix to his string of wins this year and rode a fast round. It looked like he might just do it until the last turn when he came very tight to a big upright and Hello Forever ducked out. This was the second time this week the nine-year-old had a run out in the jump-off.
John Whitaker also had a stop when he came in wrong to the double. Argento made it over the first element but couldn’t make the second and ran past it.
His son Robert was on target for the time but took a costly pull to the last which clocked up extra seconds.
‘My way’
Last to ride was Michael riding his European gold-medal winning partner Viking. Never one to hang about he rode a great round but couldn’t catch Betram’s fast time and crossed the finish line in 32.05sec.
This put Michael in second place until the FEI’s decision which meant he was the 2015 Grand Pix winner. Ludger moved up to second place and Marcus Ehning (Gin Chin van het Lindenhof) was third.
“I’m very happy with the way my horse jumped” said Michael. “It went my way but I’d have sooner won it in the ring.”
Statement
There was much debate following the announcement with the majority of showjumping fans believing Bertram Allen was hard done by.
Former Olympic rider Geoff Billington hit out at the officials’ decision saying: “”Surely discretion is the better part of valour. Bertram Allen could not kick his way out of a bag made from rice paper he is absolute poetry in motion. Tonight you won the Grand Prix in absolute style it was beautiful to watch.””
The organisers of Olympia released an official statement today 22 December: “Following the Olympia Grand Prix CSI5* at Olympia Bertram Allen (IRL) was disqualified by the Ground Jury under Article 242.3.1 of the FEI Jumping Rules when the FEI Steward tasked with the mandatory post-competition boot and bandage control reported to the Ground Jury that Allen’s horse Quiet Easy had presented with blood on the offside (right) flank.”
Appeal
An appeal was lodged by the rider and owner and the Appeal Committee heard from The Ground Jury the FEI Steward and the appointed representative of the rider however the decision was upheld.
The rule in question states that “Horses bleeding on the flank(s) in the mouth or nose or marks indicating excessive use of spurs or of the whip anywhere on the Horse” will lead to Mandatory Disqualification.
It was the second incident of a rider being disqualified following a win on the final day of Olympia. Earlier Victoria Gulliksen was disqualified from the Six Bar after it transpired she was ineligible to compete.
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