AMERICAN show jumper Andrew Kocher has been suspended for 10 years for using electric spurs on horses.

The 38-year-old is barred from participating in or attending, in any capacity, including as a spectator, any competition or event that is authorised or organised by the FEI or any National Federation until October 27th, 2030. Kocher has also been fined just over €9,000 (CHF 10,000) and ordered to pay costs of €6,800 (CHF 7,500).

An FEI spokesperson told The Irish Field: “This is one of the longest suspensions handed down by the FEI Tribunal.”

Allegations about Kocher’s use of electric spurs were reported to the independent Equestrian Community Integrity Unit (ECIU) last year and the FEI Legal Department notified the athlete on June 29th 2020 that an investigation had been opened. It was alleged that Kocher had used electric spurs on a number of FEI registered and national horses in international and national events, and during training.

Electric shocks

Pictures, first published on French website Grandprix, showed Kocher holding a push button device in his right hand, used to electrify spurs. Via the spurs, this system sends electric shocks to the horse’s flanks. Following the investigation, the FEI formally opened disciplinary proceedings against Kocher in October 2020. He was provisionally suspended on October 28th, 2020 pending a hearing before the FEI Tribunal, and this period will be credited against the full suspension.

He has also been disqualified him from eight events between June 2018 and November 2019 after the Tribunal was provided with photographic evidence establishing the athlete’s use of electric spurs. One of the results disqualified is his victory in the 1.60m ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Spruce Meadows, Calgary, on July 6th, 2019. Kocher was at the centre of a controversy a day later when he rode the winning horse – the then 10-year-old gelding Carollo – in the Spruce Meadows Derby class at the show, finishing with 28 faults.

The full reasoned decision will be published in due course. Parties can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of the full decision. A statement from the United States Equestrian Federation said it “unequivocally supports the decision of the FEI Tribunal to suspend athlete Andrew Kocher.”

USA jumping chef d’equipe Robert Ridland said: “The US Jumping team does not tolerate any form of cheating or horse abuse and fully stands behind the outcome of the FEI Tribunal decision. Horses are our willing and trusted partners in sport and deserve our ultimate care and respect in the pursuit of excellence. It is our duty as athletes and leaders in the sport to put the welfare of the horse first while ensuring a fair and level playing field at all times.”

Appeal

Kocher, whose website lists his stables as based in Charlottesville, Virginia; Wellington, Florida; and Northern Ireland, released a statement in response to the decision.

He said: “I can only state that it is my intention to immediately petition [CAS] for review. The result was expected as the FEI Tribunal was not concerned about the truth of the matter and chose to ignore clear evidence against the FEI’s position. There was no question during the FEI proceedings that the Tribunal gave great deference to the FEI, and that the FEI relied entirely on hearsay of the current employees of a company that I have sued because they owe me a lot of money.

“The FEI’s primary evidence was a video of a device purportedly owned by me. A video of this all-important piece of evidence was presented to the FEI. The FEI did not even take this evidence into their possession for safekeeping. They allowed the witness to keep possession of the device. When I asked to examine the device, they were unable to produce it for inspection. The FEI’s witnesses testified the device did not even belong to me. It belonged to an employee of the same company that I previously mentioned I had sued. FEI witnesses testified that they used the device when they were training their own horses. Those witnesses, by information and belief, were given immunity from their own admitted actions so long as they testified against me.

“The FEI was unable to produce even one steward or show official that ever saw or witnessed the use of the alleged device. Even more astronomical was the FEI Tribunal’s refusal to allow my legal team to review the evidence firsthand when requested a month before the final hearing.

“There is no question there were many instances that make the appeal of this matter necessary. Everyone deserves a level playing field in these very serious and important matters and I was not afforded a fair hearing. Indeed, I was told that at the end of every FEI hearing, the Tribunal asks, ‘Do you feel you received a fair hearing?’ In my case, they never even asked!”