Jock Paget stripped of his Burghley title

Jock Paget and Clifton Promise have been stripped of their Burghley title, following an FEI tribunal.

Accepted responsiblity

Clifton Promise, who is owned by Frances Stead, tested positive for the banned substance resperpine, after competing at Burghley in September 2013.

Jock has always claimed he hasno idea how the drug got into the horse’s system. However, inJanuary he wrote to the FEI accepting he was the person responsible for the horse, and that reserpine had been present in the horse’s blood.

In light of his acceptance, Jock requested on 4 April that the FEI tribunal rule separately on the disqualification from Burghley,prior to a full hearing in June.

Integrity of the sport

According to an FEI report, Jock stated the tribunal would “have to disqualify him from the event, regardless of whether or not the tribunal accepted his claim of ‘no fault and no negligence’ for the positive finding”.

Jock also said a ruling on his automatic disqualification from Burghley, in advance of a full hearing, was of importance for the “reputation and integrity of the sport”, and to “gain clarity” over the winner of the event in advance of Badminton Horse Trials in May.

Disqualified

As a result, the tribunal ruled that Clifton Promise and Jock are to lose their Burghley title, and that all points and prize money won at the event must be forfeited. The Burghley placings, rider rankings and FEI Classics standings have also been amended, with Andrew Nicholson taking the Burghley title in place of Jock.

This is only a partial decision in the Clifton Promise case. The full hearing is scheduled for 3 June 2014, after which a final decision will be made.