“We Get So Much Abuse Online”: Trainer Defends Jockey After Careless Riding Leads to Harsh Criticism on Social Media

The British Horse Association (BHA) recently suspended showjumper Charlotte Jones for 12 days and penalized her for irresponsible riding. The equestrian community was not pleased to see this shared on social media, as trolls and doubters wasted no time in making negative comments about the showjumper. Jones’s trainer, Jimmy Moffatt, leaped to her aid, firing forth a statement that blasted the internet haters who had been harassing the showjumper.

The Racing Post covered the comments made by Jimmy Moffatt. Moffatt provided further context regarding the circumstances and the jockey’s emotional state after the events of the last several days.

Bottlenecking the naysayers and trolls

On the second circuit of the 3m1½f handicap hurdle, Charlotte Jones began to take the 16-1 chance of Moonlight Spirit seriously, increasing her lead to three lengths over the top bend. The showjumper, however, was unaware that they still had one more segment to complete before crossing the finish line. Jones attempted to reenter the track, and almost collided with Alex Edwards’ Bobby Dazzler. The BHA officials wasted little time in correcting the showjumper’s error, with Jones receiving a 12-day suspension. This ban was extended by an additional three days because of reckless riding, as mandated by the BHA.

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Jimmy Moffatt, the jockey’s trainer, reacted quickly because he knew the rider well; she has ridden 12 of the trainer’s 11 winning horses. Moffatt is optimistic that Jones will make a successful return after realizing her error, but he has also condemned the growing social media backlash against her in the wake of the tragedy. In the report by the Racing Post, Moffatt says, “People make mistakes, we are all human. We get so much abuse online and you just have to have thick skin.”

Moffatt also slammed the BHA, saying they should prioritize the riders above the gambling business. He has a simple statement for the equestrian world, saying, “People make mistakes and we move on.”

The career of the equestrian

The 2023–24 equestrian season has gotten off to a shaky start for Charlotte Jones. The equestrian’s official competitive debut came during the 2016–17 season.

She has ridden in 284 races, winning 55 of them for a total of $486,082 in prize money. With a total of $211,265 in earnings over the previous season (2022–23), it was one of her greatest seasons ever.

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