Fresh calls for rule change after blood elimination
Scott Brash’s disqualification for an ‘almost invisible’ bleed has led to fresh calls for the FEI to reconsider the rules
FURTHER calls have been made for the FEI to change its blood rules after Scott Brash was disqualified for an “almost invisible” mark.
Scott had jumped a “spectacular” round for team Miami Glory in the Global Champions League (GCL) in Cascais, Portugal, on 9 July, but was disqualified after an FEI official found a trace of blood on Hello Forever’s side.
It was emphasised that the horse is unharmed, and GCL co-founder Jan Tops “reflected the opinion of other riders” by saying it is well known “how much Scott cares for his horses”.
“It was a shame,” he added. “It’s a rule, but it’s a rule the FEI have to change. I know how much Scott looks after his horses, how great he is with his team of horses, and he didn’t deserve that at all. It’s a rule but I think these things have to change.”
Miami Glory co-owner and rider Georgina Bloomberg described herself in an online statement as “the ultimate animallover and advocate”.
“Every rider, steward and groom who saw Hello Forever’s side agreed the mark was not an issue except the foreign judge who deferred to the president of the ground jury,” she wrote. “He did not come to examine the mark up close, but observed it from afar.
“He chose to make the call based on an almost invisible amount of blood on a glove after the steward who originally examined the mark rubbed it hard enough to make it bleed.
“I am the first to stand up for an animal who is being mistreated. In this situation I can find absolutely no wrongdoing or abuse at all.
“I am proud of my riders and their horses for the efforts they put in to win this competition, and look forward to others seeing this photo [of the mark] to clear Scott’s name from any idea of mistreatment to his horse.”
The call for change follows the International Jumping Riders Club’s proposal that officials should be able to use discretion in dealing with blood on horses (news, 16 February).
The amended rules would mean sanctions given to riders would be “appropriate to the violation”, as opposed to the current automatic elimination.
This would mean taking into account whether the violation was voluntary or not, and aggravating or extenuating factors.
An FEI spokesman said: “Disqualification under this rule does not imply there was any intent to injure the horse, but the rule exists to protect horses competing in FEI events. FEI officials work at all FEI events and one of their roles is to ensure the FEI protocol regarding blood is respected. There is no doubt the officials at Cascais handled the situation correctly and in full accordance with FEI rules.”