American rider Kaitlin Campbell, who was celebrating a double victory just last weekend at the international CSI4* competition in Traverse City, has now been temporarily suspended by the international equestrian federation, FEI. The reason? A positive doping test involving her World Cup Final horse, Castlefield Cornelious.
In December 2024, a doping test was conducted on Castlefield Cornelious during the $1 million MLSJ FEI CSI5* Coachella Cup in Thermal, where the pair finished in 15th place. Unfortunately, the test results revealed the presence of Dexamethasone and Octopamine. The FEI made the news public on Tuesday.
Octopamine is a stimulant listed as a banned substance, while Dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, is classified as a controlled medication.
According to FEI regulations, a positive test for a banned substance results in the automatic provisional suspension of the rider from the date the violation is reported, as well as a two-month provisional suspension of the horse.
The U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) has since acknowledged and enforced the suspension.
“I hope to resolve this situation soon,” Campbell told Chronicle of the Horse in a statement. “It’s quite perplexing at the moment…”
