Dangerous Riding: Austrian Rider Banned after Disturbing Round Goes Viral

Dangerous Riding: Austrian Rider Banned after Disturbing Round Goes Viral
Video still from the round of Bernhard Maier & Paddy’s Darco
Video still from the round of Bernhard Maier & Paddy’s Darco
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After a display of riding that has been described as a disgrace to the sport, an Austrian show jumping rider has been banned by his federation.

The round of Bernhard Maier riding Paddy’s Darco in a 1.40m class at CSI1* Wiener Neustadt in Austria over the weekend caught immediate backlash after it was posted to Facebook by a page called Turnier Kiebitz.

The video shows the rider crashing the horse through most of the fences, and carrying on despite loud boos and whistles from the audience, until he was eliminated after two refusals. Maier was not immediately given a yellow card for dangerous riding, which brought on harsh criticism of the judges and stewards at the event.

Paddy’s Darco, a well-bred 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Darco x Cruising), has been ridden by Maier since April. The horse passed through the stables of several well-known riders previous to that, including Qatar’s Bassem Hassem Mohammed, and Ireland’s Stephen Moore.

The Austrian federation OEPS strongly condemned the ride after the video made the rounds on social media on Monday, June 12, 2017, picking up over 800,000 views.

“OEPS and its committees are strictly against such unfaithful behavior and assures the horse sport community that everything is done to severely impose these monstrosities against our sports partner horse,” read a statement.

The round can be seen below:

Aktuelles Video vom Wochenende!Fazit: wir plädieren auf-Lizenz Entzug für Reiter UND Richter!!!! Teilen!!!

Posted by Turnierkiebitz on Sunday, June 11, 2017