Equestrian veteran vows to fight board on dumping

Maurice Beatson, pictured on Conyers during The Ultramox FEI World Cup Series held at the Hawke's Bay Show on Friday, has been dumped from show jumping's administrative body. Photo / Glenn Taylor

Veteran showjumping star Maurice Beatson is promising a lawyer's letter to Equestrian Sport New Zealand (ESNZ) board chairman Chris Bray after being dumped from the board that administers the sport.

Mr Beatson said the letter would protest at the legality of board actions and his treatment, after he spoke against the sport's new user-pays fee structure.

He said the ESNZ board had no mandate from the Jumping Discipline Board to impose a $5 fundraising levy, to be collected at every competition.

Mr Bray said Mr Beatson argued against the levy being collected at the Hawke's Bay Show with show organisers, following numerous communications telling Mr Beatson he should keep his personal opinion to himself.

"The Jumping Board has had a number of discussions about the behaviour expected of board members. Maurice was part of those discussions," Mr Bray said.

"Unfortunately, he has chosen to disregard them. For the sport to function properly, its board must function properly, and ESNZ had to take action to support the other members of the Jumping Board."

Mr Beatson, a riders' representative on the board and former Olympian, said Jumping Board members had not come to an agreement about the levy at its annual meeting, so the ESNZ board had no mandate for the levy.

"The announcement they made has not gone through the board - no one agrees with it," he said. "They are talking about suspending riders if they don't pay these levies and taking their series points off them. They can't ban riders just because they are not paying their levy."

Jumping Board acting chairwoman Kathryn Roberts said the ESNZ board was entitled to set fees and levies "and that was done in consultation with the Jumping Board".

Mr Beatson said costs were already about $200 per horse per show "and what they are doing is packing on another levy".

"It is escalating. If we pay all these levies and everything else it would cost some of these riders another $100 registration."

Mr Bray said, as in any sport, people on boards had to play by the rules or be disqualified. Members could have robust discussion in the board room but once a decision was made it had to be supported.

"Disagreements are fine. That's why we have boards, to ensure a diversity of views.

"But, once a decision has been made, the entire board must support that decision," he said.