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Jockey receives two-year suspension
endurance riding
Endurance riding is based on controlled long-distance races. (stock photo)

FEI publishes decision on prohibited substance case

The FEI tribunal has published its final decision regarding samples taken from the horse Lunatica in Doha on 2 May 2015. The rider, Abdulla Mahmood Abdulla Darban rode the horse into fourth position in the CEI1 endurance event.

The horse returned positive samples for Propranolol and Dexamethasone, both prohibited under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Rules (EADCMRs).

The Qatar based athlete also received a fine of CHF 2,000 and was ordered to contribute to the cost of the judicial proceedings. His ban will take immediate effect and run until 22 June 2017.

Propranolol, which is a beta-blocker used to lower the heart rate, is on the FEI’s banned substance list, and should therefore never be found in a competing horse’s system.  

As a controlled medication, the corticosteroid Dexamethasone is on the controlled medication list, and should have been cleared from the horse’s system by the time of competing.

The report states that the athlete acted in violation of the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping rules and that the rider has “failed in his duty of utmost caution to ensure that the Horse has not ingested any Prohibited Substance.”

The rider must take any appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in the next 30 days.

Image © olgaru79

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.