The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is launching three new initiatives to support the welfare of sport horses. The initiatives include changes to the Horse Participation Consent Agreement, the development of an educational program for USEF team veterinarians, and the establishment of an education and research program on behalf of Chromatic BF.

Chromatics alleged overmedication

The new initiatives follow the tragic death of Chromatic BF on April 18, 2024, at the 2024 Show Jumping World Cup Final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after a spectacular round that earned him a podium finish. Since then, the USEF has sought as much information as possible regarding the circumstances leading to Chromatic BF’s death. The timing of Chromatic BF’s death raises the question of whether the drugs administered to him that night contributed to the death.

Although the autopsy report was inconclusive, after engaging experts to examine the findings, the USEF believes the most likely cause is medication administered to the horse by a USEF-appointed veterinarian shortly before its collapse. The USEF-appointed veterinarian elected to administer FEI-approved medication to the horse, which he believed would maintain the horse’s performance in the days that followed.

“I recognize that Chromatic’s tragic death was the unintended consequence of the actions of a single veterinarian, acting without prior consultation with anyone on Chromatic BF’s own team, in a well-intentioned but failed attempt to prepare the horse for the show jumping finals scheduled to take place two days later,” said Katharine C (Kc) Branscomb, Chromatic BF’s breeder and lifelong owner. “I greatly appreciate that the USEF is now taking substantive steps to improve the welfare of sport horses and better protect all of our competition horses.”

(Editor’s note: Chromatic’s breeder and owner KC Branscomb and the U.S. Equestrian Federation are not in agreement about the cause of the fatal pulmonary hemorrhage at the 2024 World Cup final in Riyadh, KSA. Branscomb believes her horse died of anaphylactic shock induced by an intravenous injection of Selevit, Legend, Adequan and Arnica given by USEF team veterinarian Dr. Diego Ulibarri, MVZ, minutes before the horse began to have a seizure and collapsed.)

Three initiatives

USEF and Branscomb have partnered to develop a number of initiatives aimed at learning from this tragedy and reducing the risk of a repeat. These include:

1. Changes to the consent form for horse participation: Revision of the Owner Consent Agreement for Horses to Participate, which stipulates that team veterinarians may not administer medication to horses during international competitions, except in emergency cases, without first obtaining the consent of the athlete, who is responsible for any substances present in the horse under FEI regulations.

2. Educational initiatives: The USEF, in collaboration with the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Veterinary Practitioners, will develop an educational program for USEF team veterinarians to ensure they are up to date with the latest in sports medicine and equine welfare in areas such as new therapies, equine exercise physiology, and pharmacology.

3. Establishment of an educational/research program on behalf of Chromatic BF: To promote a better understanding of sport horse welfare and encourage scientific research to improve the lives and well-being of our high-performance sport horses, the USEF has committed to making a financial contribution to the establishment of a philanthropic fund in the name of the Chromatic BF to be used to support research related to the care of sport horses.

Guardians of the sport

“Kc’s decision to partner with the USEF and move forward demonstrates her passion and commitment to improving the lives of performance horses,” said Sonja Keating, USEF Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel. “We are grateful and look forward to implementing these new initiatives. As the steward of the sport, the health and well-being of horses is the USEF’s top priority and these new initiatives are consistent with our mission as an association.”

“On behalf of the USEF staff and leadership, we would like to thank the owner for working with the USEF to turn the loss of Chromatic BF into a positive path for the future and to learn to improve the future of sport horses in the United States and elsewhere,” said Bill Moroney, USEF Chief Executive Officer.

Photo © Dirk Caremans

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