Former Canberra jockey Chynna Marston faces a lengthy ban from the racing industry after being found guilty of animal neglect.
The Sky Racing presenter and her fiance Alex Kean were found to have neglected a number of retired racehorses in their care by a Racing NSW stewards panel.
The pair did not show up for Tuesday's hearing and stewards proceeded with the inquiry in their absence. They have denied the allegations.
Racing NSW eventually published their findings late Wednesday, with Marston found guilty of eight charges and Kean guilty of seven.
Among the most horrific was an admission by Kean he had killed a horse by shooting it and disposing of the body by placing it in a bonfire. Vets or Racing NSW were not consulted before he euthanised the retired thoroughbred.
The findings relate to treatment of horses at the pair's Recycled Racehorses charity in Bowning, near Yass. In denying the charges, Marston said she had stepped down as a director of the organisation in 2021 and is now a volunteer. Kean is currently listed as the chief executive on the charity's website.
Stewards have invited the pair to make a submission to the panel before a punishment is handed down.
Marston hit back in a 17-minute video published online and expressed her desire to take the allegations to a formal court.
"I intend to take my side of things, and the truth to the grown up court if you would, and have things heard in an actual court scenario," Marston said.
"Certainly things will play out quite differently there, I'm sure."
Both Marston and Kean were placed on a Racing NSW exclusion list on June 5 after stewards uncovered welfare concerns during an inspection of their Bowning property. The move provisionally banned the pair from having retired racehorses in their care.
Marston immediately denied the allegations on social media, however, more reports of animal neglect at Recycled Racehorses continued to emerge in the following days.
The duo was later hit with two charges of animal neglect and one of bringing racing into disrepute, Kean served an additional charge of destroying a horse and failing to confirm the decision with a vet.
The allegations related to 12 horses that were not provided adequate nutrition from late March to June 5.
Additionally, it was alleged from February 14 to March 27, they opted not to seek veterinary treatment for horses likely to be suffering from salmonella. Stewards found they failed to do so due to the cost of treatment, however, Marston defended the treatment of the horses in her video.
The ex-jockey eventually faced a panel to defend the charges on July 10. Marston pleaded not guilty in a fiery encounter that saw her refer to a vendetta against her. Kean did not attend due to a mystery illness and the hearing was adjourned.
Another inquiry was scheduled for August 10, however, the pair failed to attend. Marston was then hit with an additional five charges, Kean a further three.
The fresh charges related to a failure to follow stewards' instructions regarding the treatment of horses in their care, a failure to arrange veterinary appointments, blocking stewards' access to the property and failure to attend a hearing.
The pair failed to follow a prescribed feeding routine for 14 horses and did not seek vet treatment for three of the horses despite directions to do so by Racing NSW in early August.
Marston was also hit with two additional charges relating to two thoroughbreds in her care during 2017 and 2018. The former jockey was found to have failed to provide sufficient nutrition and veterinary care, leaving the horses emaciated and in poor condition.
Eventually Racing NSW opted to proceed with the hearing despite Kean and Marston's refusal to cooperate. They were found guilty of all charges.
The final report makes for difficult reading as stewards outline the pair's failure to care for multiple racehorses on their Bowning property.
In addition to Kean admitting he had killed a horse with a firearm before burning it in a bonfire, Kean and Marston were found to have left 12 horses emaciated while they did not seek veterinary treatment for a number of sick horses.
The ruling caps a stunning fall from grace for the face of the Canberra racing industry throughout the past decade.
Marston was a rising apprentice, however, her career was cut short by a serious fall in 2014. The jockey was left unconscious and airlifted to hospital following the incident in Tumut. She continues to fight the effects of her injuries after suffering brain damage and now has epilepsy.
While her riding career was over, she soon found her feet and joined the Sky Racing team as a presenter for country meetings in Canberra and south-eastern NSW. Marston was stood down when the initial allegations surfaced.
Marston also established Recycled Racehorses to help find a home for retired thoroughbreds. While she has always claimed to provide the utmost care for her horses, Racing NSW stewards have found otherwise.
Given the seriousness of the charges, the future of the organisation remains up in the air.
In a series of Facebook posts, Recycled Racehorses denied the allegations and vowed to continue operating. The charity will hold an open day on September 9.
Marston revealed she has received significant abuse since the allegations were first aired, but thanked the charity's volunteers for their continued support.
"I've also had some great support because everyone who knows me and who knows the charity that I volunteer for [and those] involved in the charity know that the horses are the number one priority," she said.
"I know that everyone's been invited out to come and see the horses again."
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
