Holly GILLOTT riding GRENNANSTOWN SARCO LUX HILL in the International Competition 22 6/7 Handicap Final, Class 34, during Bolesworth CSI **** held in the grounds of Bolesworth Castle near Chester in Cheshire in UK on 18 th June 2016
A showjumper who rode her horse over a spectator at a show has been fined £250 by British Showjumping (BS).
The BS disciplinary panel found Amy Ridler had breached its rules by assaulting Jill Williams at Arena UK, Lincolnshire, in April last year.
Amy, of Solihill, West Midlands, was also reprimanded and warned as to her future conduct, and will not be allowed to re-join BS until after 3 January 2019.
BS chief executive Iain Graham said: “We have a clear code of conduct that we expect our members to adhere to and I trust this serves as a clear notice that behaviour such as this will not be tolerated in any shape or form.”
Amy was found to have broken rule 82.1, which says no member shall “conduct himself/herself at a show in a manner which is offensive to the public”, and rule 82.10.
In January, Amy pleaded guilty at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court to assaulting Mrs Williams by beating. She was fined £250, made the subject of a restraining order and told to pay £300 compensation and £85 costs.
Mrs Williams told H&H at the time that Amy was “shouting and swearing and saying she was going to run me down as she rode her horse at me” at the show, as she thought Mrs Williams had been filming Amy’s horse refusing in the ring.
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Mrs Williams remembers being dragged along a walkway by her hair, and being under Amy’s horse.
Police were called and an ambulance, although Mrs Williams escaped serious injury.
After Amy’s sentencing, Mrs Williams said: “I’m just glad it’s been seen that what she did was so wrong. I was dreading her getting away with it.
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“I’m glad she’s got a criminal record, as that’s with her for life, and also, I’ve met some lovely people as a result of this, who have been really kind and supportive. That means a lot.”
H&H attempted to contact Amy, but received no response.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
