So I am clearly not in a good mood today (see post below) for many reasons and as I was catching up on blogs I went to see Jackie’s blog and saw something that really upset me. Courtney King-Dye’s Olympic mount, Mythilus, tested positive in a drug test at the Olympics. Now the drug in question is not even manufactured in the US and Mythi went into the equine clinic in China when he first got there because he was under the weather. So what most likely happened was someone slipped in an anti-informatory to help out his treatment without knowing the FEI drug rules. And now my dressage Idols name is going to be run through he mud. I firmly believe that Courtney is innocent, but it is not up to me to decide. If you saw the way she acted around her horses at all the shows before, after and during the ride you wouldn’t believe it either. I just don’t believe that someone who loves horses like she clearly does would do anything to put them in harms way. I am really upset by this. I hope her reputation is not scared because of this mess. And you can take me out to the street and tar and feather me if it is proved that he was drugged knowingly. That is how sure I am that this is all some sort of horrible mistake. To go to the Olympics at 30 in dressage and score in the 70s is an amazing accomplishment, but that is likely to be overshadowed by all of this drugging nonsense. I believe Courtney King. I hope everyone else does too.
To read more about it…
check out Jackie’s post on the matter
Or read equisearch’s aricle
Or the FEI’s Official Statement
And of course you should stop by Courtney King’s Website to see what she has to say in the matter.
My heart goes out to her right now. I cannot even imagine how stressful a time this must be. And to be suspended from international competition is just heartbreaking. Not you all know why I gave the other 4 riders whose horses tested positive the benefit of the doubt in my post here. Drug testing is a tricky thing. I am hoping that Courtney King Dye can be cleared by the FEI, but I am doubtful it will happen.
I’m all about benefit of the doubt too. There’s a good chance she will be cleared (there’s always hope!). And since they waited to announce it, not as many people are paying attention to Olympic news so I don’t think it’s going to be any huge scandal, especially since so few new sources have picked up on it so far. I just happened to come across it looking for Paralympic information.
Just go look at that hilarious photo of your boy for a few minutes – it’s guaranteed to cheer you up!
Jackie – I hope that they do clear her…but it seems to be very tough to actully get through a drug test failing with your reputation intacked. I mean Ludger Beerbaum came back to international competition yes, but I think most people know him as the guy who gave his horse steriods.
Sad but it seems as people get more competitive and into higher levels, the sport usually becomes the priority over the health of the horse. Over the years, I have seen my own father do it to his race horses as he got more competitive. Last week, he had to meet with the racing steward to discuss another high test. Don’t put things past people….look at what Amy Tryon did to Le Samaurai—-people are capable of all sorts of autrosities when they want the glory.
I am very upset about this also. I work for good personal/professional friends of Courtney’s and I know that her horse was not purposefully dosed. The levels of drug found in the horse were not even a ‘dosage’ amount. It was such a trace amount that it was obviously accidental exposure. It’s great that we are rigorously testing for drugs in our sport horses, but this is not at a level where it could have in any way affected performance. We don’t even produce or sell the drug in the US, so it was definitely not something that Courtney could have been using to enhance performance any time before being in Bejing. And just logically…who would introduce their horse to a brand new drug right before Olympic competition?! Every one should support her! She finally made it to the Olympics, just to have this disaster happen. She deserves to come out of this with full support!
photogchic – I am just the kind of person who always belives the best in people. It is my nature. And I just find it hard to belive that someone would knowingly give a horse a banned substance at the Olympic games when they know how much drug testing goes on. I know Courtney King-Dye is competative, but I just don’t think she would do it. I am sorry to hear about your Dad…I think in racing though it is a bit easier to get caught up in everything because your livelyhood is based on the race. In dressage people will still pay you lots of money regardless of outcome if they “like your style”.
Lauren – I didn’t even know it was only a trace amount…man I hope she fights and wins against the charges! Only time will tell…I hope she is going out for the hearing.
We have know Courtney since she was 16 and have watched her at shows here and there, and I know her ethics are unmatched when it comes to everything in her life, especially her horses. This issue, in my opinion, is a fluke or someone’s bad idea of a set-up. It is a substance marketed in China and Korea and if USEF has never heard of it being used in the US – it seems pretty suspicous. That’s like accidentally using DMSO – it just doesn’t make any sense. Anyway, regardless of the FEI ruling, Courtney is a wonderful person and I will never consider her guitly! I look at her like a daughter – and would vouch for her any time!