Tobias Schult, the breeder and owner of Escaneno, has issued a statement in German on his website following the positive medication test of the newly Westfalian licensed stallion.
Escaneno is by Escamillo x Veneno x Raphael. He was one of six (!) reserve licensing champions at the 2021 Westfalian Stallion Licensing in Munster.
Fluphenazine
Yesterday 30 January 2022, the Westfalian breed society, issued a press release that Escaneno tested positive to the banned substance fluphenazine at this licensing. His breeding permit for Westfalia has been revoked. The stallion can be re-presented for licensing in three months.
On the FEI Clean Sport website fluphenazine is described as "antipsychotic used for the treatment of mental or mood disorders, as well as schizophrenia." Oxford Academy writes that it is "injected into horses to control high-strung behavior by providing long-term sedation."
Tobias Schult Statement - Human Error
In a lengthy statement in German, Schult confirmed that his veterinarian, Dr. med. vet.Wolfgang Göbel, made the human error of mixing up horses when administering the drug.
"The research of his treatment plans and patient cards showed that the entry of a single administration of fluphenazine on 2 November 2021 was done to another young stallion than Escaneno. It also concerned an Escamillo son. He was suffering from ulcers and stress colic. At that time approximately ten Escamillo sons were in our barn to be prepared for the licensing. According to him, the confusion between these two Escamillo offspring is the only plausible explanation as to how the drug got into the stallion Escaneno."
Schult continued, "this mistake had these drastic consequences. A mistake, that shouldn't have happened. But there where humans work, mistakes can sometimes happen. For about 25 years we have been collaborating with Dr. Wolfgang Göbel very well and with confidence and it will stay that way."
He concluded, "I would like to formally apologize, also on his behalf, for the fact that this has happened. This does not detract from the quality of our stallion."
Read the full statement here.
Photo © Petra Kerschbaum
Related Link
Escaneno Tests Positive to Fluphenazine at 2021 Westfalian Stallion Licensing