Mother 'doped rival horses' to help son win

13 April 2012

Starry-eyed showjumpers in the pony world have long had something of a competitive streak.

But competitors in a national championship were stunned when the equestrian event was hit with a drugs scandal - and even more so when they discovered a mother-of-two was at the centre of allegations.

Kim Baudains was accused of doping her rivals' ponies with sedatives shortly before they took to the course in a bid to help her 11-year-old son Josh win.

Witnesses claimed they spotted her feeding what looked like mints to a number of the 30 ponies in the junior championships of the British Show Jumping Association event.

But it was only when onlookers saw former trophy winners Dromard Gizmo and French Mustard lolling apathetically and appearing lethargic that parents of the other competitors became suspicious about her actions.

Yesterday police were set to quiz former racehorse trainer Mrs Baudains over the allegations, made after one pony owner saw something fall from the animal's mouth and found a sedative tablet on the ground.

The event, which would have seen one of the eager youngsters crowned junior showjumper of the year, was called off after at least four ponies appeared to be behaving out of character during a qualifying round.

Event chairwoman Penny Crutwell said: "We had a few ponies which were not acting in their normal manner and in consultation with the senior judge, I decided to call vet Charles Gruchy. "We had earlier been informed by a man that there were suspicions a mother had fed something to the ponies. Two ponies had blood samples taken.

"If ponies are jumping under sedation of any description it can hinder their performance and it could cause an accident."

Dromard Gizmo and French Mustard were blood-tested at the showground in St Lawrence, Jersey, but shocked owners and competitors feared there might be more ponies involved.

Flying Sunbeam, who was tested after the event, was said to be the worst-affected. He was unsteady on his feet and had to be helped into the trailer taking him home.

Another suspected victim said: "We thought our pony might just be tired after the recent trip to the Guernsey horse of the year show but now we are not so sure."

Yesterday divorcee Mrs Baudains, who is in her late 30s, insisted she was innocent.

A family spokesman said: "This is in our solicitor's hands. It is very upsetting, particularly for Josh. We do not wish to comment any further."

Mrs Baudains' father Basil Carie denied the allegations and said the family, along with other showjumpers, had consulted lawyers.

But a spokeswoman for Jersey police said only one possible suspect had been asked to speak to officers in connection with the allegations. She added: "We were called at the request of a showjumping representative on allegations that ponies had been doped."

Officers were today waiting for the results of blood tests and analysis of the tablet found on the ground.

Privately friends and colleagues of divorcee Mrs Baudains said she was an ambitious mother desperate for 11-year-old Josh to become a jockey.

She accumulated numerous show jumping trophies as a teenager but her riding career was cut short by an accident while on horseback. She then worked as a horse racing trainer for years before marrying dairy farmer Richard, the father of her two sons. The pair split up two years ago.

A source said: "She has been around horses all her life. She used to ride a lot but gave it up several years ago and now she concentrates all her efforts on her son and has ambitions for him to become a jockey.

"I would describe her as an over-ambitious mother. She has always been keen for her son to win and achieve records and has kept lists of all his competition results.

"He has been regularly competing since he was five years old and has a few ponies, not just one.

"This was the first year he had graduated from small ponies and was riding a bigger one called Picketts Pride County Esquire."

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