The Fédération Equestre Internationale has issued Bahrainian endurance rider Sh. Mohammed Bin Mubarak a yellow warning card and fined him $560 after an issue recorded on video Feb. 8 at the Sakhir CEI** (Bahrain). In the video, recorded by the competition, Mubarak’s horse slows to a trot. The horse is then chased, and appears to be struck, by people on foot, and he resumes cantering. The horse and rider won the race. “The FEI has now received the official report from the chief steward at [the] CEI** Sakhir in Bahrain, which confirms that this incident was reported to the president of the ground jury,” said FEI press relations manager Malina Gueorguiev in a statement. “Once the facts had been verified, through the use of video evidence and witness statements, the ground jury issued a yellow warning card to the person responsible (the rider Sh. Mohammed Bin Mubarak) and also imposed a fine of CHF 500. Additionally, the Bahraini National Federation has suspended both the rider and the groom involved in the incident until the end of the endurance season.” The reason for the yellow card is cited on the FEI site as “abuse of horse” and “non-compliance with applicable endurance rules.” FEI endurance rules state that riders are forbidden from: “Being followed, preceded or accompanied on any part of the course by any bicycle, pedestrian or athlete not in the competition.” “Someone on course encouraging the horse(s) by any means whatsoever” is also forbidden.
The Fédération Equestre Internationale has issued Bahrainian endurance rider Sh. Mohammed Bin Mubarak a yellow warning card and fined him $560 after an issue recorded on video Feb. 8 at the Sakhir CEI** (Bahrain). In the video, recorded by the competition, Mubarak’s horse slows to a trot. The horse is then chased, and appears to be struck, by people on foot, and he resumes cantering. The horse and rider won the race. “The FEI has now received the official report from the chief steward at [the] CEI** Sakhir in Bahrain, which confirms that this incident was reported to the president of the ground jury,” said FEI press relations manager Malina Gueorguiev in a statement. “Once the facts had been verified, through the use of video evidence and witness statements, the ground jury issued a yellow warning card to the person responsible (the rider Sh. Mohammed Bin Mubarak) and also imposed a fine of CHF 500. Additionally, the Bahraini National Federation has suspended both the rider and the groom involved in the incident until the end of the endurance season.” The reason for the yellow card is cited on the FEI site as “abuse of horse” and “non-compliance with applicable endurance rules.” FEI endurance rules state that riders are forbidden from: “Being followed, preceded or accompanied on any part of the course by any bicycle, pedestrian or athlete not in the competition.” “Someone on course encouraging the horse(s) by any means whatsoever” is also forbidden.