The owner of a popular stirrup company, a California hunter/jumper trainer, a Florida show barn groom, and a Kentucky veterinarian recently featured in the Chronicle are among the equestrians who have recently been sanctioned by the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

Martin Cohen, president and CEO of MDC Stirrups and a retired Fédération Equestre Internationale and U.S. Equestrian Federation course designer, steward and judge who worked the 1984 and 1996 Olympic Games, is now permanently banned from participating in U.S. Equestrian Federation-sanctioned activities. He was added to the SafeSport sanction list, and his permanent ineligibility reciprocated by USEF, on April 9. His violation is listed as “sexual misconduct—involving a minor; physical misconduct.”

Cohen, Seaside, California, provided the following statement to the Chronicle: “Mr. Cohen is a lifetime professional horseman. He is 78 1/2 years old, and the charges against him were based upon allegations from 1975, prior to him becoming a member of the American Horse Shows Association.”

According to the SafeSport disciplinary database, his sanction is permanent and no longer subject to appeal.

Also newly listed as permanently banned is Brian Gruber, who runs hunter/jumper facility Tulucay Farm Show Stables in Napa, California, with his wife, Missy Gruber. Brian was added to the sanction list in 2022 on temporary restriction for “allegations of misconduct.” As of May 27, his status is listed as “permanent ineligibility” for “sexual misconduct—involving a minor; physical misconduct.” His ineligibility is listed as “subject to appeal—not yet final” by SafeSport.

Brian did not respond to the Chronicle’s request for comment by press time.

Jimmin Alvarez Calvillo, 27, was employed as a groom at an unnamed stable in Palm Beach County, Florida. According to court records, the barn owner reported to police that she had an “off feeling” after seeing Calvillo and a 14-year-old female working student together in the office one day, so she started to review the barn’s video footage from the last few months and found several videos showing Calvillo touching the working student in increasingly inappropriate ways over her clothing—telling police what she saw seemed to be ‘grooming,’ with the behavior caught on camera escalating over time. The barn owner told police she fired Calvillo, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office arrested him April 7 on three counts of lewd or lascivious molestation.

He was listed as “ineligible” on the SafeSport suspension list on May 28 with reason given as “criminal disposition—sexual misconduct.” His violation is listed as “subject to appeal—not yet final.”

Chris Newton, DVM, Lexington, Kentucky, is a sport horse veterinarian and shareholder at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, and he is also an eventer who competes through the four-star level. He was suspended by SafeSport and added to its sanction list on May 19, with his violation—still subject to appeal—listed as “sexual misconduct.” According to USEF’s ineligibility list, he has been suspended for three years, ending May 19, 2028.

Newton referred the Chronicle to his attorney for comment, who did not respond by press time. The Chronicle reached out to Rood & Riddle for comment, and no representatives responded by press time. Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners Executive Director Michelle Shane said in an email “KBVE is currently monitoring this situation for a final determination.”

“While such penalties are within the scope of authority of the KBVE, currently KBVE has not imposed a suspension or revocation of Dr. Newton’s license,” Shane wrote. “Once a final determination has been made by U.S Center for SafeSport, KBVE shall evaluate their final order and take appropriate action.”

A representative of the U.S. Center for SafeSport wrote in an email that the center’s jurisdiction does not extend to professional licensing.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport code distinguishes between “suspension or other eligibility restrictions,” “ineligibility,” and “permanent ineligibility.”

Suspension or other eligibility restrictions is explained as “suspension for a specified period of time from participation in any capacity, in any program, activity, event or competition sponsored by, organized by, or under the auspices of the [U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee], any [national governing body], or any [local affiliated organization], or at a facility under the jurisdiction of the same. In the center’s discretion, a suspension may include restrictions or prohibitions from some types of participation but allowing participation in other capacities.”

Ineligibility means the individual cannot participate, until further notice, in any program, activity or competition taking place under the auspices of the USOPC, USEF or a local affiliate. “Ineligibility is typically imposed when a respondent has pending charges, in violation of the criminal charges or disposition provision,” the SafeSport representative added.

Permanent eligibility, as the name indicates, means the individual is permanently banned from all activities happening under the auspices of the USOPC, USEF or local affiliates.