American FEI dressage horses Horizon and Don Principe have both tested positive to the FEI banned substance Ractopamine at the 2017 CDI 3* in Wellington held on 8 - 12 February 2017. Both the riders and horses have been suspended.
The cases involve the use of Banned Substances under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs). Ractopamine, also known as PayLean, is a beta agonist which has recently been shown to improve growth performance.
The FEI’s Prohibited Substances List is divided into two sections - Controlled Medication and Banned Substances. Controlled Medication substances are those that are regularly used to treat horses, but which must have been cleared from the horse’s system by the time of competition. Banned (doping) substances should never be found in the body of the horse.
The athletes have been provisionally suspended from the date of notification (5 April 2017) until the FEI Tribunal renders its decision, and the horses have been provisionally suspended for two months.
At this 2017 CDI Wellington Adrienne Lyle competed Betsy Juliano's Oldenburg mare Horizon (by Hotline x Don Schufro) in the international small tour classes. The combination finished third in the Prix St Georges (70.482%) and won the Intermediaire I (by 73.553%) and Inter I kur to music (75.325%).
Due to the positive medication test, the horse is suspended from 5 April 2017 till 4 June 2017.
At the same CDI Wellington, Kaitlin Blythe's 18-year old Hanoverian stallion Don Principe (by Donnerhall x Prince Thatch xx), owned by Maryanna Haymon, competed in the Under 25 division. They were third in the Intermediaire II (68.202%), fourth in the Short Grand Prix (64.814%) and third in the Kur to Music (68.925%). At the vet check for that show Don Principe already had to be reinspected but was then passed by the FEI vet
Due to the positive medication test, the horse is suspended from 5 April 2017 till 4 June 2017.
In the race horse industry, Ractopamine is considered doping in the race horse industry as it makes horses very muscular and enhances their endurance. Ractopamine mimics the effects of steroids by building muscle mass.
Photos © Astrid Appels
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