The American Horse Shows Association (AHSA), the National Equestrian Federation of the United States, announced Wednesday that following a meeting of its Hearing Committee, two plea agreements entered into by McLain Ward of Brewster, N.Y., were approved, and he has been suspended from all of the AHSA’s recognized competitions in the United States and fined a total of $13,000.

The signed agreements were also entered into by the AHSA’s Executive Director, Kevin Carlon, as specified by the rules regarding plea agreements. They eliminated the necessity of a formal hearing, which had been scheduled for New York on Monday, December 13, 1999. The hearing had been noticed based on formal charges the AHSA issued in the wake of actions by the sport’s international federation, the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), to discipline Ward for alleged infractions of FEI rules at a major international event at Aachen, Germany, in June. Although Mr. Ward has denied any knowledge of or involvement in any FEI rule infraction, he acknowledges in the plea that as rider he was “the person responsible” under FEI rules. The AHSA’s charges were based on reciprocity between the AHSA and the FEI in enforcing the sport’s rules, as well as alleged violations of the AHSA/USET (United States Equestrian Team) Code of Conduct, which all athletes representing the USA in international competition are required to sign and observe.

The AHSA’s suspension begins on the date set by the FEI, Sept. 20, 1999, and continues until May 19, 2000, unless it is reduced by the FEI or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), before which Ward has an appeal pending. Ward has stated that he has not competed in national or international competition after Sept. 20, pending his appeal, and the AHSA accepted that representation. The FEI imposed costs and a fine totaling CHF $7,500 (approximately $4,500 U.S.) and the AHSA’s fine of $10,000 in the reciprocity case is in addition to that amount. Should the CAS overturn the FEI’s action in its entirety, the AHSA has agreed to waive the fine and the suspension. Should the CAS or the FEI reduce the time of the suspension, the AHSA has agreed to end its suspension on the date set by the CAS or FEI, but the fine will not be reduced unless the FEI penalty is overturned in its entirety.

Ward also faced separate charges for a violation of the AHSA’s Drugs and Medications Rules, as trainer of a horse in an Amateur/Owner Jumper class at the American Gold Cup in September 1999 which tested positive for metabolites of a forbidden substance (cocaine). As part of that plea agreement approved by the Hearing Committee, while denying he administered any forbidden substance to the horse under his care, Ward accepted his responsibility under AHSA rules as trainer. He was fined an additional $3,000, and suspended for one additional month, to be served following the conclusion of the pending FEI/AHSA suspension of 8 months. Ward’s fines are payable to the AHSA on or before Feb. 1, 2000