The German magazine, St. Georg has shared the news, that after more than three years, the 57-year-old Swiss jumping rider, Paul Estermann has been definitively convicted for animal abuse. As a result the Swiss federation has requested to temporary suspend Estermann from competitions.
The court case started in 2018 when the Swiss magazine, Blick shared some images on which you could see an injured Castlefield Eclipse (Obos Quality). The images were delivered to the authorities in 2017 by groom, Zdenek Dusek.
Estermann was prosecuted and convicted for animal abuse in 2019, however the jumping rider filed appeal and the case was moved to the jurisdiction of Luzern. There the Swiss rider was convicted again, however plead free for two minor accusations. Again Estermann filed appeal.
After the case was handled in the federal court, the jurisdiction of Luzern estimated the final fine in December 2022. The jumping rider this time didn't protest the court's decision. Meanwhile, as a result of the conviction, the Swiss federation has requested the temporary suspension of the rider with the Swiss Sanction Commission.
source: St. Georg