The World Cup Finals in dressage and jumping have just finished. The show jumping was a spectacular competition, won by the defending title who is also the current Olympic Champion, with two other former World Cup champions in third and fourth, so no lack of quality as well as excitement. The dressage was a triumph for a man who had often been the bridesmaid in these competitions. So, what was the story of the Finals? A second successive win for Steve Guerdat or a first for Hans Peter Minderhoud? Or was it the countless withdrawals and refusals to travel to Sweden that was more worthy of discussion? Frankly, after having bleated for so long that riders from the Americas were at a qualification disadvantage which resulted in the FEI creating new sub leagues, you would have thought the riders from that area, having qualified, would be gagging to go…

Apparently not. After whining for years that to qualify for the World Cup was much more difficult for them, the declarations of withdrawal came thick and fast. Kent Farrington, Beezie Madden, Laura Kraut. In fact the US selectors had to go down as far as 10th place to find enough riders to fill their qualifying spots. Too far to travel to Sweden in an Olympic year, they said. Well the riders all knew that while they were clamouring for extra chances to qualify. Perhaps they should be made, like the riders in the Central European League, to do an extra round, a semi final if you like, to make sure they want to go. Oh yes, the riders from countries such as Poland and Hungary can win their leagues and still not qualify direct. They have to go to Poland for an extra round, but having done so, you bet the top three all turned up on the day and they were not disgraced. Perhaps the qualifiers should be limited to those who intend to travel? Perhaps if once qualified, you just CHOOSE not to go, you should forfeit the qualifying prize money? Bet they would get on a plane then. And it was not just the jumpers. Spain’s Beatriz Salat Ferrer won two qualifiers and decided Gothenburg was even too far for her.

But the withdrawals should have been the only unpleasant story in what was an altogether fantastic final. The jumping especially was a feast of sublime show jumping. Or at least it was until the horse of Penelope Leprevost tripped in the warm up. In full view of the cameras Vagabond de la Pomme stumbles and falls to his knees while trotting a circle. After a cursory look to check for blood or that his shoes were still on, Leprevost picks up the reins and thumps the horse in the ribs viciously with her spurs. A few seconds later she yanks him to a stop, gives a couple more yanks on the bit adds another kick in the ribs and carries on. Nothing is said at all. The horse jumps and Leprevost is placed in the top 10. Over 24 hours later, during which time the incident was being massively discussed on social media, the FEI state they are “looking into the incident.” Oh? How does that work?

There are stewards in the warm up to look out for this sort of horse abuse, or there should be. It was televised on the FEI’s own TV channel, where commentator Jessica Kurten was just beginning a sentence about the French lady rider’s excellence when the incident left her lost for words. So, it is not as if the FEI had to wait for some random TV station to release the footage. Officials managed to act quick enough at Olympia where, despite his round being watched live by thousands, a spur mark made entirely without malice resulted in Ireland’s Bertram Allen being disqualified from winning the Grand Prix within minutes of his round.

For us on the outside, the mere mortals, how can the two things not have the same end result if welfare is the prime concern of those running horse sport? Leprevost subsequently issued an apology on her Facebook page. Does that make it alright? It is entirely sad that the ruling body of horse sport cannot be seen to act decisively, in at a championship where so many are watching. Do they not understand that no matter how many bans they impose or yellow cards they issue after the fact and behind the scenes, none of that will count much with the public and the sponsors if they are not seen to address blatant horse abuse when it happens in front of their noses? Perhaps they need to take advice from a small show centre in England. During the World Cup, Houghton Hall Equestrian Centre in Cambridgeshire ran a small jumping show. They are regular venue for both affiliated dressage and jumping, but do not run internationals. Nevertheless, when a poor looking horse entered the warm up and was kicked about and then seen to collapse (according to their statement) there was no discussion about the matter. The show was stopped, the welfare authorities called in and the horse rescued. That is how it should be.

We all have a duty of care to the animals who provide us with such enjoyment and after Vagabond de la Pomme had produced that amazing clear to win the first round in Sweden, who would have thought we would be talking about abuse and not the way the way an amazing World Cup had opened and closed, with outstanding performances from great riders and equally great horses.