Equestrian SA rocked by mass resignations, allegations of bullying and abuse

THE sport of equestrianism has been rocked by allegations of bullying and abuse, as key administrators leave in droves.

The cross country event at the Australian International Three-Day in Adelaide. Picture Dylan Coker

THE sport of equestrianism has been rocked by allegations of bullying and abuse, as key administrators leave in droves.

The Advertiser has been informed that a former police detective is conducting an investigation for Equestrian SA into allegations made by two sets of parents of juniors competing at the Interschool Equestrian state championships in February.

And nationally, Equestrian Australia, that oversees the sport, supported with millions in funding from the taxpayer, has been forced by five of the six state branches to a crisis meeting to “discuss concerns” over corporate governance.

In SA only two of the 10-member dressage committee, insufficient to hold a quorum, remain after eight members quit recently.

The Advertiser has confirmed that the chair of the eventing discipline, Scott Donner, has also resigned and that several members of the eventing committee are considering their position.

All this is occurring while ESA executive officer Sharon Cimarosti is on extended leave.

ESA chairman Joe Hooper has downplayed the number of resignations although he seemed uncertain as to the precise number. He denied his sport was in crisis.

“That (crisis) would be much too strong a word,” Mr Hooper, who is chief executive of the AMA (SA), said.

Dressage at the Australian International Three-Day Event in Adelaide. Picture: Dylan Coker

“The number of resignations is over-emphasised.

“If you add it up that’s only five over two committees and I wouldn’t say that is a crisis.”

Interim executive officer, Jacqui Lang posted news of the dressage resignations on the ESA Facebook page while calling on members to fill the vacancies as “a matter of immediacy”.

Ms Lang, an HR expert, is an ESA board member seconded to the executive officer role while Ms Cimarosti, who has held the position for more than six years, is on annual leave.

“Jacqui is not a replacement — she’s an interim. She’s keeping an eye on the office while Sharon is away,” Mr Hooper added.

“She’s (Ms Cimarosti) been working hard and she’s got a month off which is unusual in her role to have such a time off but she needed some time off.”

Mr Hooper wouldn’t comment if the organisation was conducting an investigation into the complaints by parents of bullying and abuse.

“We handle a broad variety of complaints around membership protection policies,” he added.

A Facebook page Stop Bullying in Equestrian Sport begun last year from South Australia now has more than 3700 members.

Almost 1000 members of the group recently completed an online survey that suggested bullying is endemic.

The Advertiser understands the co-chairs of dressage, Belinda Lindh and Collette Wheadon, started the mass resignation ball rolling, and were followed in quick succession by another six members of the dressage committee, who resigned in support.

Ms Lindh is the wife of Mark Lindh, a non-executive director of Rossair, a former major sponsor of the sport, and the daughter-in-law of David Lindh, who was awarded an OAM for services to equestrian in 2008.

Mr Lindh is one of the founders of the Australian International Three-Day event, held annually in Adelaide, and is a current board member of the national equestrian organisation EA.

EA has announced an extraordinary meeting with all state equestrian organisations, to “discuss concerns raised by some of our state branches”, to be held June 27.