RESPONSIBILITY FOR drug testing showjumping horses is to be transferred to Horse Sport Ireland from the Show Jumping Association of Ireland next year.
The move follows complaints about an increase in positive samples taken from Irish show-jumpers this year which were later found to be negative when sent abroad for confirmation.
In the period June to mid-July, nine positive “A” samples from horses were found to be positive for the anti-inflammatory steroid Betamethasone by the Irish Equine Centre in Kildare. It carries out testing for the association – the governing body for showjumping in Ireland – which is now officially called Show Jumping Ireland.
Horse owners, who have 10 days to have a “B” sample tested for further examination, sent four of the samples to Newmarket in Britain and a further four to Paris to equine test laboratories.
All four Newmarket samples came back negative and three of the four samples sent to Paris were also found to be negative, reversing seven of the nine Irish results. Yesterday, a spokesman at the Irish Equine Centre said he had “no comment whatsoever” on the issue.
Show Jumping Ireland said it had not fully examined the situation and would not be commenting. It did not have test results from the Dublin Horse Show, it added.
The chairman of Show Jumping Ireland’s veterinary committee, Ivan McDonogh, said it was very disappointing that there had been nine positive samples from horses and for the same substance in a six-week period this year.
He told The Irish Field newspaper there had been only three positive samples found from hundreds of tests last year, and the committee would be meeting shortly to discuss the “unusual and disappointing results”.
Last Tuesday Show Jumping Ireland had told The Irish Times the positive samples that had been found to be negative when tested abroad had been taken at qualifying events for the Dublin Horse Show.
Yesterday, a spokesman for Horse Sport Ireland, the Government-formed agency for equestrian sport and breeding in Ireland, confirmed it would be taking on the responsibility for testing horses for drugs next year.
He said he would not comment on reports and complaints from owners about the testing regime, nor on whether the agency would use the Irish Equine Centre for testing purposes when it takes over the role next year.
Some of the owners of showjumpers found to have positive A and negative B samples are understood to be high-profile players in the sport.
Showjumping sources indicated yesterday that litigation may follow because of the stigma attached to presenting a horse alleged to have been drugged.
Owners are allowed to use drugs on their animals for health and welfare purposes, but there are very specific withdrawal periods during which a horse may not be put into competition.
All performance-enhancing drugs are forbidden in the sport but problems arise when residues from legitimate medicines, which could also enhance performance, turn up in tests.