Only one B sample from nine horses tested on domestic circuit proves positive

JUST one of the nine A samples taken from horses on the domestic circuit that tested positive for a banned substance has been confirmed by a B sample positive, according to ShowjumpingIreland.

The fact that eight of the B samples tested negative, that all contained the same banned substance, betamethasone, and yet that they came from a wide geographical spread will add to the puzzlement.

ShowjumpingIreland veterinary committee chairman Ivan McDonogh conceded the situation was out of the ordinary.

“I agree it’s unusual that, of nine A samples, only one is confirmed by a B sample positive. It is a priority for the veterinary committee to investigate this and we hope to talk to the Irish Equine Centre when we meet in the next couple of weeks,” said the Limerick vet yesterday.

The A samples were tested by the highly-respected Irish Equine Centre in Johnstown, Co Kildare, while the B samples were sent abroad.

“Five of the samples went to Newmarket at the request of the riders, which is their entitlement, and they all came back negative. Four went to Paris and three came back negative,” said Mr McDonogh, who added that, if a B sample is positive, the person responsible can have a hearing before an SJI panel, or they can go before a Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) equivalent.

SJI currently conducts the testing, but HSI is due to take over next year.

A spokesperson from the Irish Equine Centre declined to comment and referred queries to HSI, who chose to do likewise.

Meanwhile, SJI chairman Christy Murphy has revealed that the Revenue Commissioners is undertaking an audit of the SJI.

“A PAYE audit is being conducted by the Revenue Commissioners, but there is nothing unusual about that, particularly in a climate where the Government is acutely consciousness of the need for stringency,” said Mr Murphy yesterday.

Revenue Commissioner audits are not unusual; in 2010, it carried out 11,008 audits, resulting in a yield of €434.7m.

The latest financial statement of the SJI showed a surplus of €32,187 for the financial year ended October 31, 2009, compared to a deficit of €254,966 in the previous year.

* ACTION continued at the Millstreet Horse Show yesterday, with Christian Coyle taking the first of the grand prix qualifiers on After Van Luzerhof. He had a three-second winning margin over Francis Connors and John Murphy’s Heracross, with Gabriel Slattery riding Captain’s Magic Touch into third place.

The second of the Boomerang qualifiers saw Cian O’Connor and Everything edged out by Stephen Moore on Rincoola Go Deo. Tipperary’s Trevor Breen filled the next two places with Halltown Royal and Murchu, respectively.

A grand prix qualifier will again be the main attraction today, followed by a 1.40m jump-off, a speed class and a six-bar contest.

lHAVING played her part recently in Ireland’s team silver-medal winning performance at the European Championships, Emma O’Dwyer put the icing on the cake at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show by taking the top two places in the 148cms Pony Championships. O’Dwyer stood out by producing the only two clear rounds in the five-pony jump-off, with her championships pony Jacknell Street proving faster than Kalim de Montlieu.

O’Dwyer was also selected as the winner of the RDS Bursary Competition for young riders. US chef d’equipe George Morris conducted a public assessment of four selected riders that attracted much interest and, referring to O’Dwyer’s intelligent riding, he picked her for the prize of two weeks training with a top international trainer, which includes travel and accommodation costs.

Also in winning mode at Dublin was Shane Dalton, who took the 138cms title on My Irish Luck with the fastest of the competition’s three double clears. He was three seconds ahead of Matt Garrigan (Cider Girl), while Hannah O’Shea (Creative Dancer) placed third.

Luke Garrigan and My Little Sweetheart were fastest in a four-pony jump-off to take the 128cms Championship.

Meanwhile, the RDS announced that next year’s show is deferred to August 15-19, due to the London Olympics.

* CAR dealership Johnson & Perrott Land Rover are to be the title sponsor of next month’s Ballindenisk International Horse Trials in Cork.

Organisers, the Fell family, are also staging a warm-up Johnson and Perrott Land Rover Challenge at Castlemartyr Resort on September 13, featuring an invitational dressage competition, with a winner-takes-all prize of €1,000.

* A PRIZEFUND of €7,500 is on offer at next week’s Camphire International Horse Trials in Co Waterford. The feature competition is the Horse Sport Ireland CIC two stary, while others include the Bucas CIC one-star for five and six-year-old horses, and the Eventing Ireland CIC one-star.

* BRIAN DALY from Newmarket beat off 39 competitors to win the €1,000 3-year-old loose-jumping class at the recent West Cork Horse Breeders Annual Performance Show in Kilbritain, Co Cork. One of seven recalled for the second round, his bay filly by Newmarket Jewel out of a Cavalier Royale dam was adjudged the winner.

Earlier, Blayne Sheehan from Beara took the top prize in the 4/5-year-old and young rider classes. The pony classes also attracted big numbers, with Seamus O’Driscoll, Drimoleague, and his grey three-year-old filly, out of a dam by Actinium, tasting victory.