Top US showjumper and coach Rich Fellers has been jailed for sexually abusing an underage girl who was his student.

The 63-year-old, who represented the States at the 2012 Olympics, was sentenced on 12 October, to 50 months in a federal prison, and five years’ supervised release.

In a statement, the District of Oregon US Attorney’s office said: “According to court documents, from late 2019 until the summer of 2020, Fellers maintained an intimate sexual relationship with a minor female equestrian student who he had been coaching since the student was 14 years old.

“The relationship, which began when the student was 16 years old, culminated with a multi-day road trip in June 2020 to an equestrian event in Michigan. Investigators later learned Fellers planned the trip so he could engage in sexual conduct with the student.”

The age of consent in Oregon is 18. On 24 May 2023, Fellers was charged by criminal information with one count of travelling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. On 13 July 2023, he pleaded guilty.

“Fellers has a pending state criminal case in Washington County Circuit Court where he is facing four counts of second-degree sex abuse for illegal sexual conduct with the same minor student,” the US Attorney statement read.

“As part of a global resolution with the US Attorney’s Office and the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, Fellers’ federal prison sentence will run concurrently with any state prison term imposed when he is sentenced on 27 October 2023, in Washington County.

“Fellers was ordered to voluntarily surrender into the custody of the US marshals service following sentencing.”

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to “combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse”.

Rich Fellers is best known for his success with Flexible; they competed in seven World Cup finals, finishing in second in 2008 and winning in 2012. They competed at the London 2012 Olympics, where the US team finished sixth and Fellers was eighth individually.

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Rich Fellers, a US showjumper who competed at the London 2012 Olympics, has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor.

Rich Fellers, 63, appeared in a federal court in Oregon on 11 July where he pleaded guilty to the federal charge of interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, and on 12 July he appeared in court again and pleaded guilty to two state charges of second-degree child abuse.

It has been reported by US media that Fellers is expected to be sentenced to four years in prison on the federal charge, plus a 30-month concurrent sentence on the state charges, as part of a plea agreement. Sentencing is due to take place at a later date.

The case began in February 2021 when Fellers was added to the US Center for SafeSport suspension list and temporarily suspended for “allegations of misconduct”. The allegations related to Fellers’ former pupil Maggie Kehring, who at the time released a statement stating she had answered US Center for Safe Sport’s questions.

In June 2021 Fellers was arrested on charges of sexual abuse involving a 17-year-old minor. The age of consent in Oregon is 18. The police confirmed Fellers was the victim’s horse trainer and in a statement at the time said, “Over the course of a long investigation, lasting several months, with witnesses in multiple states, Tualatin Police established that Mr Fellers had a sexual relationship with a female victim who was 17 years old.” Following his arrest, Maggie said she was “relieved and grateful” and thanked the work of the police and FBI.

Rich Fellers was best known for his success with the gelding Flexible. The pair competed in seven World Cup finals, finishing in second and in 2008 and winning in 2012. They competed at the London 2012 Olympics, where the US team finished sixth, and Rich was eighth individually. Flexible retired from competition in 2017, but remained in work at home until he died in 2021 aged 25.

You might also be interested in:

Olympic showjumper arrested on charges of sexual abuse

In February the rider was added to the US Center for SafeSport suspension list and temporarily suspended for “allegations of

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Steve Guerdat won tonight’s second leg of the Longines FEI World Cup jumping final in Las Vegas. He sits joint first in the overall classification ahead of Sunday’s closing round.

Six riders reached the jump-off, as predicted by course-designer Anthony d’Ambrosio, and the USA’s Beezie Madden jumped the first clear on Simon, recording a time of 33.31sec. Dutch rider Steve managed to shave fractions off her target, finishing in 32.87sec on Albfuehren’s Paille.

Only the USA’s Rich Fellers could go ahead of Steve on the 19-year-old Flexible, but he had the first fence down, to gasps from the crowd. He finished fourth tonight, but sits equal first in the overall classification with Steve.

“My plan was to make up as many points as possible tonight — I wasn’t really focused on winning today but on the overall picture,” said Steve. “I knew Rich would be faster than me so my plan was just to catch Beezie. If I go a bit faster my mare doesn’t get hot for the next day and she responded very well, so I’m pleased.”

The Americans fielded four of the top six riders tonight and Lucy Davis took third. As the second rider to start the jump-off she made a bold bid for glory, including taking the inside turn to the final fence, but it didn’t quite come off and the fence fell.

“I planned to go for it a bit,” she said. “I was in 16th place going into today, so there was no room to be conservative. I tried to go as fast as I could without totally unravelling my horse for Sunday and I’m pleased as I think I’m now in a good place for Sunday [equal eighth].”

Bertram Allen still in the hunt

Young Irishman Bertram Allen, who won yesterday’s speed class, remains very much in the hunt, sitting third overall. He had the final element of the troublesome treble down in the first round today with Molly Malone V, so missed out on the jump-off, but as the fastest four-faulter he took seventh place.

The legendarily complicated World Cup final scoring system converts the riders’ points from yesterday’s speed leg and today’s jump-off class into faults, which are carried forward into Sunday. Steve and Rich start on zero faults, with Bertram on one.

French rider Penelope Leprovost is fourth on five faults, with the USA’s Beezie Madden, Belgium’s Jos Verlooy and Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs tied for fifth on six.

On Sunday, the top 30 riders jump in the first round, then the top 20 after that take on the second course. A jump-off can follow if there is equality after these two performances.

“It comes down to clear round jumping now, unless there is a jump-off,” said Beezie. “A lot can happen on Sunday and there is usually a lot of movement. I’ll try to think of it as a seperate class and jump a couple of clear rounds.”

Results of second leg

Overall standings

Check back on www.horseandhound.co.uk for more updates from the World Cup final. Full reports in H&H out next Thursday (23 April).

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Former World Cup winner Flexible has suffered a bout of colic in the build-up to this year’s Longines FEI World Cup jumping final in Las Vegas.

“For the first time in his life he colicked yesterday [Tuesday, 14 April] and was very sick,” said US rider Rich Fellers, who took the final in 2012 on the chestnut, who is now 19 years old.

“We could hardly get him to walk, he was just crumpling and trying to lie down. He had his first rectal examination — Dr Tim Ober, our team vet, did some magic there with his arm and moved things around, then we put him on a lunge line and got him jogging around. Little by little he got better and he was great this morning, he feels perfect.

“Because I know him so well, every time he has a problem I just think he’s going to overcome it because he always does. I was bit panicked when I saw him so sick. I know him well, obviously, and I could see he was in a lot of pain and was really uncomfortable.”

Rich explained that Flexible hasn’t been jumping clear rounds in his last few competitions before the final.

“You wouldn’t say he’s on his best form, but I just know that horse and I really believe he’s going to make adjustments as he doesn’t like having rails.”

Flexible starts as number 34 in the opening speed leg, which starts at 7pm tonight Las Vegas time (3am British time).

The draws for the jumping final and the Reem Acra dressage final took place yesterday at the Hakkasan nightclub in the MGM Grand Hotel. The nightclub usually has a lower age limit of 21, but an exception was made for the two 19-year-old showjumpers, Jos Verlooy and Bertram Allen.

Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro are the 12th pair to go in the grand prix, which starts at noon today (8pm British time).

Jumping draw

Dressage draw

More updates from Las Vegas on www.horseandhound.co.uk all week — full reports in magazine out next Thursday (23 April).

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America’s Rich Fellers and the amazing Irish-bred stallion Flexible stormed to victory in a thrilling third-round jump-off at the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands.

Only Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat and his 11-year-old gelding, Nino des Buissonnets, were left to challenge the US partnership against the clock, but despite a superb effort, they had to yield to the pure determination of a horse and rider who, quite simply, never give up.

Flexible, a 16-year-old son of Cruising, was all but written off twice during his career due to severe injury, but overcame the odds to return to the pinacle of the sport.

Unorthodox in his movement and jumping style and the oldest horse in this year’s competition, Flexible has competed at all of the last five Rolex FEI World Cupâ„¢ Jumping Finals, but today it was his turn to stand under the spotlight.

The courageous stallion and his rider fought every inch of the way, bringing the packed stadium at the Brabanthalle in ‘s-Hertogenbosch to their feet after their amazing jump-off performance. Guerdat stood second on the podium, with fellow-countryman Pius Schwizer in third.

Final results

1. Rich Fellers (Flexible) USA 0/0/0 25.97

2, Steve Guerdat (Nino des Buissonnets) SUI 0/0/0 26.61

3, Pius Schwizer (SUI) 5

4, Philipp Weishaupt (GER) 10

5, Kevin Staut (FRA) 11

6, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson (SWE) 12

7, Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) 15

7, Marcus Ehning (GER) 15

9, Rik Hemeryck (BEL) 16

10, Harrie Smolders (NED) 17.

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America had success in the first leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup jumping final in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands yesterday (19 April).

Rich Fellers (pictured) won the first round with the oldest horse in the competition – the 16-year-old Irish-bred Flexible.

He will now go into tonight’s second leg (20 April) with a two-point advantage at the top of the leaderboard.

“He’s a tough horse and so lucky for me,” said the American.

“He continues to learn and improve every year. He’s a better horse now than he was five years ago.”

Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat and Nino des Buissonnets were second and Rik Hemeryck finished third for Belgium with Quarco de Kerambars.

Thirty-seven competitors from 19 nations started in yesterday’s class but only 10 partnerships went clear over designer Louis Konickx’s course.

Guerdat said: “[The course was] very good for the start of the final, and not stupid – there was nothing to confuse the horses.”

The 2011/2012 Rolex champion will be crowned on Sunday afternoon (22 April).

No British riders are taking part in the competition because they are saving their horses for the Olympics.

Result:

1, Flexible (Rich Fellers) USA 60.26;

2, Nino des Buissonnets (Steve Guerdat) SUI 61.94;

3, Quarco de Kerambars (Rik Hemeryck) BEL 62.66;

4, Ulysse (Pius Schwizer) SUI 62.84;

5, Silvana HDC (Kevin Staut) FRA 63.07;

6, Casall la Silla (Rolf-Goran Bengtsson) SWE 63.60;

7, Regina Z (Harrie Smolders) NED 63.67;

8, Baronez (Kirsten Coe) USA 65.76;

9, Sabrina (Marcus Ehning) GER 65.87;

10, Coriana van Klapscheut (Eric Lamaze) can 65.97

21, Abbervail van het Dingeshof (Denis Lynch) IRL 71.98

34, Hallmark Elite (Dermott Lennon) IRL 94.00

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