Farmer Guilty On Doping Charge

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30155, 12 June 1963, Page 4

Farmer Guilty On Doping Charge

(New Zealand Press Association)

WANGANUI, June 11.

Found guilty on a charge of administering the drug caffeine to the horse, Ah Ha, A. V. Emeny, a farmer, of Kaponga, was disqualified for two years by the Wanganui district committee today.

Ah Ha. raced on lease by Emeny, won high-weights on both days of the Feilding Jockey Club’s Easter meeting on April 13 and 15. The charges arose from a positive test for the drugs caffeine and theobromide in a urine sample taken from the horse after its first-day win in the Kawakawa High-weight. The saliva sample was negative The horse was disqualified from the Kawakawa Highweight. Emeny was represented _t the inquiry by Mr N. H. Moss, of Stratford. Mr E. D. Blundell appeared for the racecourse inspector, K. T. S. Samson, who laid the charges. Mrs J. MacDonald, of Morrinsville. who owns Ah Ha and had leased the horse to Emeny. was" not represented. Mr Samson gave evidence of interviews he and a racecourse inspector, W. Harper, had had with Emeny. He said Emeny had shown complete surprise at the analyst’s report, but after questioning admitted he had used a ionic known as ’’Collovet,” which contained caffeine, but in such minute quantities, he thought, that “it Wbuld not hurt." Mr Samson told the committee Emeny had admitted obtaining two 4oz bottles of “Collovet," which he had administered to the horse in his feed on the Tuesday and Thursday before he raced. As a result of information obtained from the veterinary group from which the tonic was ordered. Emeny was later questioned about an 80oz bottle of "Collovet” delivered to his property on the Wednesday before the horse raced Emeny had admitted receiving this, and said he had not mentioned it earlier because he had not been questioned about it Mr Harper gave similar evidence. The conference analyst, Mr C Addis Smith, gave evidence as to the clear presence of caffeine in the urine sample he had tested. He said he had also analysed the contents of the 80oz bottle obtained from Emeny. from which 2Joz were missing, and was satisfied there had been a substantial dilution of the “Collovet” remaining in this bottle. Further evidence for the prosecution was given by Mr I. N Amoore, a veterinary surgeon of Manaia. Emeny claimed in his evidence that he had used "Collovet” purely as a tonic to improve the condition of the horse which was restless He said he had been warned against using “Collovet” within two or three days of a race His failure to inform the inspectors about the 80oz bottle was because they did not ask him about it. and none of this had been used before the race He had used some on the Saturday evening and again on the evening before the inspectors interviewed him, but he could not account for any diluting of the contents. Mr S R Burgess, a veterinary surgeon of Palmerston North gave evidence on Emeny’s behalf that “Collovet” was a recognised tonic widely used with animals. If used to improve the physiological condition of the horse in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions it should not. in his opinion, be regarded as in breach of the doping rules. After finding Emeny guilty of a breach of the Corrupt Practice Rule 338 (1) (0) relating to the administration of a drug or stimulant for the purpose of affecting speed.

stamina, courage or conduct, the committee withdrew an alternative charge under rule 103 (8). This rule relates to the responsibilities of the person in charge of a horse to take adequate precautions to prevent the administration of a drug. The committee also exercised its powers under rule 351 (2) to allow Emeny three months from today in which to dispose of his thoroughbred horses if he wishes. If he failed to do so within the specified time they will also be automatically disqualified.

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