Andrew Hoy was framed, says student

The student at the centre of a horse cruelty scandal involving Andrew Hoy has told an Australian newspaper she believes the Olympic gold medallist was set up.

Hoy is the coach of Dutch rider Madeleine Brugman. In March, a set of banned spiked boots were found in her bag during an event in Portugal.

She says she has no idea how the boots got to be there and that the bag had been unattended for periods of time. The boots are considered cruel in that they hurt the horse when its legs hit a fence, thus encouraging the animal to lifts its legs higher.Hoy, a triple gold medallist, was approached by officials after he picked up the bag.

In an interview published in Australia's Daily Telegraph newspaper, Brugman said it was her belief that “enemies” may have set Hoy up.”To me it comes across that someone is after him for some reason,” she reportedly said.

She claimed officials had opportunities to approach her with the bag. “When I'm with the bag, nobody comes. When suddenly he comes to collect it, he's got five of these pit bulls around him.”

Andrew Hoy horse abuse hearing closes – (30.05.08)

Closing arguments in the alleged abuse case involving Australian Olympic eventer Andrew Hoy and Dutch student Madeleine Brugman were heard by the FEI on Wednesday via a teleconference.

The FEI panel of three will make a ruling in 30 days. At worst Hoy could be suspended before the Olympics.The case had been referred to the FEI Tribunal by the Ground Jury and Appeal Committee officiating at CCI 3* Barroca d'Alva after it was reported that Madeleine Brugman had used spiked boots on her horse, Sundance 6, during the warm-up of the show-jumping phase.Both deny the allegations, with Brugman saying the boots were planted in her bag and Hoy telling Horse and Hound that he did not condone the use of irregular boots.

Hoy, 49, has represented Australia at the last six Olympics, winning the team gold three times and individual silver in 2000.

He said last week that he had “never been involved in any abuse of any horses.”
“I've never appeared in front of a governing body for irregularities. I started national competition 30 years ago.”