Mother faces a BSJA show ban after doping claims

Members of the BSJA Jersey are to attend an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) next week to decide whether to ban a member over the alleged doping of ponies at a show.

Kim Baudains, 36, of Portinfer, was questioned by police over claims she fed the sedative acepromazine (ACP) to rival ponies in a jumping class, at the BSJA Jersey under 16s championships at St Lawrence on 9 September last year in which her 11-year-old son, Josh, was taking part.

No police charges were made against Mrs Baudains it is not illegal under Jersey law to give sedatives to animals but an inquiry was launched into the incident by the BSJA Jersey. Mrs Baudains denies doping the ponies. A spokesman for BSJA Jersey said: “We took a lot of legal advice and held a panel of investigation. A recommendation will now go forward to our members’ EGM on 15 November.”

The spokesman said the recommendation is that “on the balance of probabilities” Mrs Baudains did drug the ponies and should be banned from attendance at the St Lawrence showground for four years. But he stressed that the final decision lies with the BSJA members.

Under the 50-year-old constitution of the BSJA Jersey, he explained, the committee has no powers to discipline members and all action has to be taken by fellow members at an EGM. He said they had based their recommended punishment on an article in H&H last year which reported that the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) imposes a four-year suspension in cases of doping.

“The ban will be on her attendance at the showground, but her son will be allowed to compete,” said the spokesman.

“We have striven from the beginning to ensure that any action we take does not impact on the boy, and he would still be allowed to attend with his grandparents or another suitable adult.” Blood tests on four ponies in the final proved positive for ACP after riders complained the ponies were unusually lethargic. Mrs Baudains was unavailable for comment as H&H went to press.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (8 November, ’07)

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