Two athletes competing at the Defender Kentucky CCI5*-L have been sanctioned for their actions on cross-country day.

Ema Klugman received a yellow card warning for abuse of horse. While the FEI database lists her yellow card as “abuse of horse—continued pressing of a tired horse,” an FEI spokesperson said she was also yellow-carded for “excessive use of whip/spurs.” Klugman, who lives in the U.S. but represents Australia, completed cross-country on Bronte Beach with 29.2 time penalties but withdrew before the second horse inspection, posting to social media that the mare sustained a heel grab on course.

Klugman declined to comment on the yellow card.

Germany’s Calvin Böckmann received an eventing recorded warning for “dangerous riding (series of dangerous jumps).” His horse The Phantom Of The Opera went down to his belly after taking a long spot at the final element of Pete’s Hollow (Fence 14ABC) but stood up and continued. Later in the course, the horse stumbled upon landing at Fence 22C, the final element of the Cosequin Cove water complex. The pair finished the course with 15 penalties for missing a flag at the Cosequin Cove and 10 time penalties. The gelding was held at the second horse inspection but passed upon being re-presented, and they went on to finish 11^th overall with a double-clear show jumping round.

“He actually did a very, very good jump over the first [element], and I thought, OK, I’m going be OK for the three strides, and I just wanted to give him time to get his balance back,” Böckmann said Saturday of their trouble at Pete’s Hollow. “I should have maybe ridden a bit more forward. So there was a very, very big distance to that one, but he just managed to save himself so great.”

Yellow cards and recorded warnings differ in what they are issued for and the potential penalties they carry. 

Per FEI rules, eventing yellow cards are issued “systematically” for all cases of abuse of the whip, pressing a tired horse, riding an exhausted horse or other instances of horse abuse. Any rider who receives two yellow cards in a one-year period is automatically suspended for two months.

Eventing recorded warning cards can also be issued for pressing a tired horse, as well as instances of dangerous riding and minor blood on the horse. Any rider who receives three recorded warnings in a two-year period is automatically suspended for two months.