The Hippos board justified the decision by saying that the man’s actions violated the law and regulations regarding animal welfare and damaged the reputation of trotting sports.
A trotting instructor from Central Pohja who was sentenced to fines for an animal welfare crime has been banned from competition.
The board of Hippos banned the trotting instructor for three months for violating the law and regulations on animal welfare and damaging the reputation of trotting.
The competition ban starts on 20.5. and lasts 19.8. until. It was presented by Hippos’ Rules and Licensing Committee
At the beginning of April, the trotting trainer was sentenced to a 50-day fine in the district court of Ostrobothnia for an animal welfare crime that occurred in a training situation in Kaustinen in October 2023. The case was settled in the district court based on testimony, because the man himself did not explain his own position on the course of events to the court.
During the preliminary investigation, the man admitted that he hit the horse more than was necessary, but in his opinion it was necessary to restrain the horse.
According to two witnesses, the man hit the trotting horse he was controlling several times hard on the rough track. Another witness heard the whippings continue in the forest, where the man led the horse. The witnesses told the court that they were badly shocked by the events.
The trotting instructor has announced that he will appeal the fine to the Court of Appeal.