Portland, Ore. – Internationally known Olympic Equestrian Rich Fellers is expected to take a plea deal as part of a global settlement with both State and Federal prosecutors– according to court documents and records obtained by NW Horse Report.
The discovery, first reported here by NW Horse Report, comes after obtaining audio from a hearing in Fellers’ criminal case where his attorney and a Washington County prosecutor were speaking in court about a proposed global settlement being coordinated with prosecutors for the US Attorney’s Office in Oregon.
Details regarding the plea deal are still unknown. Washington County Deputy District Attorney Rayney Meisel had previously spoken with NW Horse Report but would not comment about any specifics.
Richard Fellers after being arrested in June of 2021 on charges of sex abuse involving his then 17-year-old equestrian student – Photo Credit: Washington County Sheriff’s Office
Meisel did confirm that a resolution and global settlement was underway in coordination with the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon and the defense counsel.
She also expressed that State was hopeful to come to a resolution of the case in a short time, in particular for the victim.
Numerous attempts seeking comment from the US Attorney’s Office in Portland went without response, although it’s standard practice for most US Attorneys to speak solely through their legal fillings.
Fellers has been facing charges in Oregon on four counts of felony sex abuse stemming from an investigation into his sexual relations with a then 17-year-old student. The case also sparked significant attention on Oregon’s Clackamas County equestrian and hunter-jumper community which remains embroiled in scandals.
Former Oregon Congressman Kurt Schrader– who is also an equestrian– recently expressed his disappointment with numerous abuse reports involving Fellers and other equestrian trainers and staffers over the last couple of years.
A trial for Fellers had originally been scheduled for October last year, eventually being delayed several times. It did appear the trial was about to be underway this last month until motions filed shed light on efforts by Fellers to secure a plea deal.
Countless individuals had also relentlessly attacked SafeSport over their investigation, with some going so far as engaging in sometimes relentless personal attacks against Fellers’ victim Maggie Kehring.
Maggie Kehring pictured in 2022 detailing her past involvement with her equestrian trainer Richard Fellers to Bloomberg News. (Photo Credit – Bloomberg Businessweek)
While Fellers had not yet been charged by federal prosecutors, past details on the involvement of agents from the FBI in assisting local law enforcement gave clues the disgraced equestrian could also be charged federally.
The investigation into Fellers was prompted after over a dozen reports were made to the US Center for SafeSport about the relationship between Fellers’ and Kehring, which then suspended Fellers in February of 2021 after Kehring eventually consented to the investigation. Fellers was then arrested by detectives from Tualatin Police Department in June of 2021 after SafeSport provided initial details to law enforcement.
Fellers’ son Christopher had also been suspended by the US Center for Safesport for alleged misconduct, reportedly for conduct that was not related to the case against the elder Fellers. The conduct included allegations of an intimate relationship involving a power imbalance; abuse of process; failure to report; and physical misconduct.
NW Horse Report also obtained newly filed court documents filed on Monday that included a petition for dissolution of marriage by Fellers’ wife who has also retained Magolin Family Law.
The heading of the divorce petition filed by Michelle (Shelly) Fellers to end her marriage with her husband and disgraced equestrian champion Richard Fellers.
The petition cited, “Irreconcilable differences between the parties [having] caused the irremediable breakdown of their marriage.”
It was also revealed during the investigation into Fellers that the relationship between him and Kehring was actually uncovered in a quite public spectacle after Fellers’ own wife caught her husband and Kehring during a horseshow in Michigan in 2020.
The court documents further confirmed that the Fellers’ have both continued to reside on the property where their business was located, a business which Christopher Fellers’ later took over and changed the name to Genesis Sporthorses.
NW Horse Report could not confirm if other minors continued to train at the property following the elder Fellers’ SafeSport suspension and arrest.
Oregon Secretary of State records however showed Fellers’ wife as the only listed owner of the business by April of 2022.
Attorneys for both the Fellers, as well as Kehring, could not be reached for comment prior to press time. This story will be updated if any statements are released within the coming days.
This is a developing story that you can count on NW Horse Report to keep you updated on.
Updated at 9:38am on 4/1 – A correction was made that the allegations and suspension of Christopher Fellers by SafeSport was for conduct not connected to his father’s case. The error was that it originally said “was” instead of “was not”.
Grants Pass, Ore. – A couple already facing several dozen criminal charges in connection with a case that started in September of last year have now received new charges in connection with their continued alleged illegal care of numerous animals.
As reported by NW Horse Report days ago, Joseph LaRue, 37, and his wife Danielle Brown (aka Danielle LaRue), 36, were both arrested on Tuesday morning after the execution of a search warrant. Joseph LaRue was already out on bail following his arrest in September at an arraignment hearing. Danielle LaRue continued to be a fugitive from justice with a nationwide extraditable search warrant.
New details have emerged regarding Tuesday’s raid by authorities, including the involvement of federal agents with the US Marshals Service and the original search warrant tied to a stolen John Deer tractor that was on the property.
Photo Courtesy of Josephine County Sheriff’s Office
A later statement from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office stated, “While executing the search warrant, Deputies located the tractor and also discovered 10 dogs in a garage, some of which were in cages. The living conditions for the dogs did not appear to meet the requirements of ‘providing minimum care’ and a second search warrant was applied for and granted to seize the dogs.”
The statement further indicated the animals were taken into the custody of animal control.
Jason LaRue, 38, was also arrested and as of Thursday morning appeared to have made bail. “While Deputies were still conducting their investigation, Jason Larue, the brother of Joseph Larue, arrived on scene and became hostile. After refusing to leave the property, he was taken into custody for Interfering with a Peace Officer.” said the Sheriff’s Office.
Jason LaRue also allegedly had a confrontation with deputies outside of the Josephine County jail on the day his brother posted bail and was released.
Photos showing the condition of one of the 10 dogs recently seized in the latest development of a case against Joseph LaRue and Danielle Brown of Josephine County – Photos Courtesy of Josephine County Sheriff’s Office
In addition to the original charges stemming from the September case, Joseph LaRue is facing new charges of felony Hindering Prosecution after trying to hide Brown in an attic on Tuesday, along with felony Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle, and two counts of Animal Neglect in the Second Degree.
Joseph LaRue and Danielle Brown remain in custody as of Thursday morning, March 30th. According to court records, Brown’s bail was set at $250,000 which requires $25,000 to be posted for release.
Joseph LaRue’s bail was also raised following his arraignment on Tuesday to $375,000. He was originally out on bail following his September arrest after posting $25,000 which is 10% of his original $250,000 bail.
While JCSO previously only indicated the location was on S Caves Ave in Junction city, the property was identified by NW Horse Report as 230 S Caves Ave in Cave Junction after a follow-up from a tip from a local source. Property records show it is owned by a Vance Watters. It is unclear if Watters was aware of the charges against Brown and LaRue or knew that Brown had an active warrant for her arrest and was residing at the property. He could not be reached for comment.
Details surrounding Brown’s 16-year-old daughter who she had shared custody with her ex-husband and had allegedly been with Brown while she was on the run were also not immediately available. Details surrounding the couple’s own two children were also not available.
Sources familiar with the efforts of the Josephine County Animal Shelter also indicated that while all the animals are receiving plenty of care, the shelter’s “resources have been stretched”. Those interested in helping the shelter can make monetary or needed item donations. Information can be found online at: https://www.jocoshelter.com/donate
This continues to be a developing story that you can count on NW Horse Report to keep you updated on.
Cave Junction, Ore. – Josephine County Sheriff’s Deputies in Oregon captured a woman who has been a fugitive with a nationwide extraditable warrant since September on a slew of felony criminal charges.
Danielle Brown (aka Danielle LaRue), 36, and her husband, Joseph LaRue, 37, were charged in September of 2022 with a long list of felony charges of animal neglect, fraud, and other crimes, after authorities executed warrants at their business Pawsitive K-9 Solutions in downtown Grants Pass and at a property the couple was renting in Selma, Oregon.
Sheriff Dave Daniel spoke to NW Horse Report about the execution of a warrant at a property in Cave Junction Tuesday morning, saying they had received a tip about Brown’s whereabouts. Upon investigation, detectives spotted Joseph LaRue at the property, along with Brown.
While executing the warrant, deputies found LaRue with 10 more dogs on the property in violation of his court-ordered release agreement, prompting them to rearrest LaRue for contempt of court. Daniel said LaRue told detectives that they missed Brown by about 12 hours, however, Brown was then shortly found hiding in an attic at the residence and taken into custody.
LaRue was then also charged with hindering prosecution due to his knowledge of Brown’s whereabouts.
Daniel also told NW Horse Report that detectives were working to obtain a second warrant in order to search a detached garage for more animals believed to be located inside. He also went on to again thank the community and their continued efforts to be the eyes and ears for their deputies and provide tips to investigators on such cases.
According to a source familiar with the case, Brown was being held on a $25,000 bail, while LaRue was being held on a $5,000 bail for the alleged contempt of court. It was not yet known if the couple could face additional charges related to the newly discovered animals and if there were any new issues of neglect.
This is a breaking story that you can count on NW Horse Report to keep you updated on.
Congressman Kurt Schrader was among the first riders out during the 2014 Molalla Buckeroo Trail Ride. – Photo Courtesy of Jim Beseda, Pamplin Media Group
This article was contributed by Raymond Rendlemen, Editor of the Clackamas Review with Pamplin Media Group.
Clackamas, Ore. – In response to allegations in the Clackamas County’s equestrian community, former U.S. Congressman Kurt Schrader said that he was disappointed to hear about recent reports of abuse, but said that the organization he voted to create is doing its job.
About five years ago, Congress passed the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act, giving the U.S. Center for SafeSport, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the national authority to resolve abuse and misconduct reports for more than 11 million people who participate in U.S. Olympic and Paralympic programs. As previously reported, all five of the Oregonian equestrians who have been disciplined are from Clackamas County, out of the 62 equestrians nationally who have received suspensions or restrictions since the program began.
Schrader represented Clackamas County in Congress from 2009-2022. Prior to his time at the U.S. Capitol, he served in the Oregon Legislature while working as a veterinarian.
Schrader said he’s now splitting his time during retirement between his wife’s residence in Maryland and his house in Canby, where he still keeps horses. He plans to remain at least a part-time resident of Clackamas County for the rest of his life.
Schrader told Pamplin Media Group that his veterinary practice saw a lot of horses, but he never witnessed anything that led him to suspect coaches of abusing their equestrian athletes. He said that he would spend only a few hours visiting each barnyard and was focused on healing the animals.
Pamplin Media Group edited the following interview for brevity:
How did you draw on your experience as a Clackamas County veterinarian in supporting the SafeSport legislation?
Clackamas County had more equestrians per capita than any other county in the state of Oregon. I don’t know if that’s still true, but in my veterinary career, that was the case. Most of the time, it was young women who were getting into equestrian sports.
As the father of several young women, I thought it was a great opportunity for families, and sometimes single moms, to get their daughter involved in what we thought was a very safe, pure activity where they learned responsibility and didn’t end up wandering off into drugs or abusive boyfriends, but they may have wandered off into a different spot from what we’re hearing now. But the goal, I thought, for a lot of these parents was to get their children involved in a very good, safe activity.
I was most impressed with the single moms who would spend money to take care of their daughter’s horses, and they would do that for the sake of their daughter. That was a great opportunity to get kids, what I thought, on the right track, but to have this shadow lingering in the background is really, really disappointing to hear.
What would you tell young women or parents thinking about entering their teenage daughters in equestrian sports?
I’d try to be positive and say to know your power as an athlete. You have rights and privileges, just like any athlete, male or female, codified by the United States Congress. Sport authorities are on notice now that they have to treat everyone fairly and equally, with no shade of abuse whatsoever, or they will be held to account. This is the 21st century. Enjoy what you should be able to enjoy and know that it’s going to be safe going forward.
What do you remember about the situation that led you and other members of Congress at the time to support SafeSport legislation?
It seems self-evident that when some of the women from the U.S. gymnastics team were willing to come forward and talk about how they suffered both physically and mentally at the hands of their abusers, and to find that out got Congress’ attention. Abuse against the U.S. women’s soccer team also had a lot of concerns and scrutiny. You’ve done a good job covering the alleged abuse in the equestrian industry. It’s sad. It should not be that pervasive, but women who come forward should feel safe coming forward, and the goal of the legislation was to provide at least a little bit of a safe place for women to come forward and talk about their experiences.
We’re seeing it now on the political scale, certainly one of our former presidents is in the crosshairs of that sort of potential abuse of power.
What is your take on the various investigations targeting the former president?
He’s the reason the Jan. 6 insurrection occurred. His manipulation of the ballot boxes in Atlanta was totally illegal. I don’t know if the payoff of Stormy Daniels was illegal, but it certainly should be criminally prosecuted, and to try to force the Georgia election officials to change the vote count was certainly illegal and potentially treasonous. I’m looking forward to seeing some measure of justice against the former president.
Edited at 5:06pm on 3/22 to reflect the discovery that Eugene Horse Auction again edited the Terms page for several of their auctions back to the original terms that matched with the other auctions and their primary auction terms page after original publication. The owner of Eugene Horse Auction makes a statement to NW Horse Report following publication.
Junction City, Ore. – A horse and livestock auction house in Oregon was recently found to have assessed surcharge “fees” on debit and credit card transactions for buyers over years despite the practice being a violation of Visa & Mastercard Merchant Rules, as well as being illegal in some of the states the company allowed bidders from including California. The fees potentially amount to tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars from consumers who made auction purchases.
The revelations were uncovered in the midst of recent scrutiny on social media involving the Rafter B Livestock, Inc. dba Eugene Livestock Auction and Eugene Horse Auction (ELA), and one of its frequent sellers, Roy Crosson of Oklahoma, over the auction sale of a horse with an undisclosed and life-threatening medical issue to a woman in California. NW Horse Report will have more details in a follow-up story about the horse.
Despite having generally positive experiences as a buyer in the past, Kandra Aguilar, the woman who purchased the horse at the center of the scrutiny had also realized the surcharge fees charged during the past sales of two horses in 2022 and the recent horse just over a week ago, were improper.
Aguilar then requested the fees charged to her Visa debit card– which according to receipts totaled $268.80– be refunded to her by ELA. Aguilar pointed ELA to both California law as well as rules for Visa merchants which prohibit the practice. The receipts also clearly stated it was a “surcharge”.
An official with ELA responded by saying “It is not a % surcharge, there is a 3% buyers fee which is waived when cash or business checks are used as payments.”
Following this email response to Aguilar, NW Horse Report noticed that the terms written on the two most recent auction ads were suddenly changed to the new language of “buyers fee” referenced in the email.
Prior to Aguilar’s request, NW Horse Report had already documented the original language after speaking with her and other former buyers which clearly references the “processing fee” and “surcharge”, confirming that ELA officials promptly edited the terms after Aguilar emailed them.
A screenshot of the evening of March 21st of the edited terms on the February 10th Horse Auction by Eugene Horse Auction following a customer’s request for a refund of the illegal surcharge. The terms for the upcoming April, as well as the now past March and February terms which were edited after the fact, based on screenshots from multiple consumers and NW Horse Report which originally showed the
A link to the main Terms page was no longer on the ELA website, but by using a direct URL to the page NW Horse Report was able to find the original terms. As of the original publication, most of the past auction pages still showed the original language along with the main terms page, most of which have now been documented.
Aguilar also provided copies of her 2022 and recent 2023 receipts with ELA that also clearly indicated the 3% “surcharge”.
An attorney familiar with illegal surcharges and violations of the payment card network rules, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity, stated that the change in terminology is likely to still be viewed as semantics, explaining it was still a fee that is added and not a true “cash discount” from the actual price charged to the customer. It must be reflected as a discount, and simply removing a fee is not a discount.
The sudden website edits by ELA officials further raise serious questions on blatant efforts to cover up the improper fees that have been charged to consumers. The original language included, “We accept cash, credit or debit card (3% surcharge for debit or credit)” and “CREDIT CARD PURCHASES: An additional 3% processing fee will be charged for all card payments. We accept: Visa, Master Card and Discover.”
The Eugene Horse Auction had not yet edited all of the terms pages by Wednesday, March 22nd, 2023, showing the original terms as also seen on their primary main terms page for their recent end-of-year 2022 auction.
The original terms also stated in the “Payment” section, “There is an additional 3% fee to use any card. Payments accepted are credit/debit card and cash.”
NW Horse Report then discovered that following the original publication of this story on March 22nd, the three edited Terms pages for the last three auctions were then edited back to the original form. The edited “buyers fee” term language can still be seen in one of the above-included screenshots obtained by NW Horse Report.
According to Visa, “The ability to surcharge only applies to credit card purchases, and only under certain conditions. U.S. merchants cannot surcharge debit card or prepaid card purchases.”
A 2013 ruling as part of the Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement allowed merchants to begin charging a surcharge where not prohibited by State law, but only with credit cards and not debit cards, and only in specific circumstances.
This included that merchants must first notify Visa or Mastercard and their acquirer of their intent to surcharge at least 30 days prior to implementing surcharging. Fees were also not allowed on debit cards even when “credit” was selected at a point-of-sale terminal.
The PCIFS ruling allowing merchants limited means to apply surcharges only on credit cards was almost entirely affirmed last week by the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, but the affirmed ruling still had no impact on past and future transactions involving debit cards.
According to Mastercard, “For merchants who choose to impose a brand level surcharge [on credit cards], a merchant may only surcharge a Mastercard cardholder at the lesser of the merchant’s average effective merchant discount rate that the merchant pays its acquirer for Mastercard credit acceptance or the Maximum Surcharge Cap,”
That means that the surcharge could not exceed the percentage paid by the Merchant, and it’s possible that ELA’s acquirer rate is less than the 3% they are changing. The most common industry rate is 2.22% according to the Nilson Report.
It was not clear if ELA had made the application to Visa or Mastercard and their acquirer service, but had ELA made such an application, the fees charged to auction buyers using debit cards would still have been improper. A spokesperson with Mastercard spoke to NW Horse Report early Wednesday and was in the process of looking into the matter and following up with further comments.
If the company did not meet the requirements for credit card surcharges, then consumers who paid with a credit card could be in the same situation as those who paid with a debit card.
An office manager for ELA, who for the second time in several days informed NW Horse Report that they would pass our requests for comment on multiple matters to the owners, did promptly say when asked about the fees in violation of Visa, “we’re in compliance with the Visa & Mastercard services, we have someone who handles that.” said their office manager. They also referred to the surcharge as a “buyers fee”.
The office manager went on to explain that the “someone” was their payment processing service. However, simply using a payment processor (acquirer) does not inherently make such transactions compliant. The official at ELA promptly ended the call after the brief statement and NW Horse Report did not receive any return calls from the owners prior to press time.
Herring reportedly received referrals as an independent contractor to conduct livestock transports for ELA, as well as working in an employee capacity as an “auction clerk”, all while she was forbidden under her court-issued release agreement from being in the possession of animals.
Hours after the original publication of this story, owner of the ELA Leon Birky returned calls from NW Horse Report seeking comment. Birky expressed his disagreement based on the basis that buyers had ultimately agreed to the terms.
In referring to this original story, Birky implied his attorney would also be contacting NW Horse Report and taking legal action, “By making that statement it’s defamation and libel.”
Birky went on to say, “I’m going to turn it over to my lawyer tomorrow and I’ll have him take care of it.”
“When they sign-up for a buyers number they need to read the terms and conditions, it specifically says in there they will be charged a 3% fee if they choose to use a credit card, so that’s why people get charged for that,” Birky also remarked.
Birky avoided the question when asked if he felt that allowed the company to circumvent the rules outlined by Visa & Mastercard that protect consumers, as well as California law prohibiting such charges when they conducted transactions with buyers in that state.
“I really don’t know about that,” said Birky.
While Birky also explained that he felt it was not specifically illegal in Oregon, he continued to avoid questions about the issue being a violation of the Visa & Mastercard rules to protect consumers. He also wouldn’t confirm if he had submitted the required application with Visa or Mastercard required to apply surcharges for credit card transactions.
Birky also wouldn’t respond when asked about Aguilar’s claims and the fact she used a Visa debit card which would not be exempted in either case, except to say she agreed to their terms.
While Oregon was not one of the states with a law that specifically makes surcharges illegal, the attorney who spoke to NW Horse Report further said that the practice could also be viewed as a violation of Oregon’s “Unfair Trade Practices Act”, as consumers would have a clear expectation as part of the payment card networks– like Visa and Mastercard– for merchants to follow the rules.
“Consumers absolutely have an expectation that the other members of the card networks, which includes merchants, are following the rules outlined for conducting transactions with and to protect consumers.” said the expert attorney.
“They have a duty to the consumer to follow the rules of the payment card network, even if the practice is not prohibited by law in their respective state.”
Another attorney who retired from practicing law in Oregon summarized in a 2016 article the following requirements related to surcharges:
Inform Visa and MasterCard before you begin surcharging.
Show the surcharge as a separate item on all transaction receipts.
Display prominent signage at checkout advertising surcharge fees.
Apply surcharges only to credit card purchases – you cannot legally add a surcharge to a pre-paid card or debit card (even if you run it as a credit card transaction).
Limit surcharges to transactions in the domestic United States and US territories.
Verify surcharges are not prohibited by law.
It appears that ELA also accepted Discover payments through its payment system, according to its own Terms.
The limits set out under the PCIFS are also separate from the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act which has also allowed merchants to impose a minimum of $10 on credit card transactions, but like the PCIFS it does not apply to debit cards.
According to the National Merchants Association which is an advocacy organization for merchants, “If you are one of the many merchants charging your patrons a surcharge for using a credit card, you may be exposing your business to hefty fines and penalties if you’re not following the appropriate guidelines.”
Many Oregon consumers may also recall the $66 Million class-action settlement against ARCO-AM/PM gas stations in 2014 for charging a surcharge on debit-card transactions for years.
In addition to being a violation of banking agreements and Visa & Mastercard merchant requirements, 10 states specifically make surcharging illegal, which likely apply to consumers in those states that the ELA permits to bid and pay remotely online. This includes California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma, and Texas.
A copy of the original terms as of mid-day on March 22nd from the ELA website can be viewed by clicking here.
It is unclear how many consumers have attempted to contest the surcharges charged by ELA. The Eugene Horse Auction had also recently announced it would be shutting down its monthly operations after the April auction, but it is unlikely that decision is connected to this new discovery. It also did not appear to be a full closure of the entire Eugene Livestock Auction operation, just the monthly dedicated horse auction.
Consumers can also file reports with Visa related to improper surcharges online at: https://usa.visa.com/Forms/visa-rules.html
A direct online report form for Mastercard was not found.
This is a developing story that we will keep you updated on as we learn more.
You can always count on NW Horse Report to bring you the latest stories and investigations on matters related to consumer protection for equestrians. If you have a news tip be sure to email us at news@nwhorsereport.com or message us on Facebook.
Eugene, Ore. – On Wednesday, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office reported that the horse area used by its mounted posse, which is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization comprised of volunteer equestrians, was targeted by vandals.
The discovery was said to be a significant “disappointment” to the Posse’s members.
“The vandals used spray paint to write hateful rhetoric designed to slander police on Sheriff’s Mounted Posse signs and storage containers. Damage is estimated to be over $1,000.” said the Lane County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook.
The Lane County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse is a non-profit 501(c)(3) group made up entirely of volunteers. This group donates their time and animals to serve our county in many ways. Not only does this group provide a space for equestrians to ride and improve their horsemanship skills, but they regularly donate the funds that they raise to other community organizations.
The Sheriff’s Mounted Posse also provides a vital service to it’s local community in times of emergency. During the Holiday Farm Fire and Cedar Creek Fire, Sheriff’s Mounted Posse members volunteered their vehicles and expertise to transport the animals of evacuated residents that had no means to quickly move animals to safety.
The Lane County Sheriff’s Posse is accepting applications for adult and youth auxiliary members.
For more information on how to apply contact Sgt. Levi McKenny at levi.mckenny@lanecountyor.gov or visit the website at Lane County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse – Lane County.
Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to contact the Lane County Sheriff’s Office at 541-682-4150 opt. 1.
Candy, Ore. – Oregon equestrian professional rider and trainer Jeff Campf is now permanently banned by the US Center for SafeSport, following his initial temporary suspension in October 2021. Campf was sanctioned for sexual and physical misconduct, and also has a “no-contact directive”, though the sanction is subject to an appeal.
Campf, who resides in Canby, Oregon, is operated Oz Inc alongside his wife Shelley until his initial suspension in October of 2021.
He is a former member of the US Hunter Jumper Association. USHJA did not return NW Horse Report’s calls, having been unresponsive to other recent inquiries related to other allegations of sexual misconduct involving another Oregon equestrian, a story which NW Horse Report initially broke.
Campf reportedly won the USHJA President’s Distinguished Service award in 2014. Officials with the US Center for SafeSport have declined comment, saying “The center does not comment on matters to protect the integrity of its investigative process.”
Calls to both Campf and Oz, Inc. were unsuccessful by midday Friday.
Campf is one of three equestrians from Clackamas County in Oregon currently facing allegations related to sexual misconduct, and one of two prominent trainers. Another world-famous question who also had ties to Campf, Richard Fellers, is currently charged with 4 counts of sexual abuse involving his then-minor student.
The other man, Harrison Joseph Brown, 25, was recently issued a temporary suspension for “alleged misconduct” with no-contact provisions. Brown was an employee and former Show Steward for Oregon USHJA trainer Jill McGrady and her Quiet Rein Riding School. He and McGrady had also reportedly been dating.
The revelations involving Campf and the other men have been raising significant questions among proponents calling for increased efforts to protect minor equestrian athletes, especially in Oregon’s Hunter Jumper Community. It was not clear if Campf is under further investigation by law enforcement or facing potential criminal charges.
Eugene, Ore. – The Oregon Horse Center, one of Oregon’s largest equestrian event centers, has announced they are adding a “Spring Greenie” Mountain Trial Show. It is scheduled to take place from April 28th to the 30th at OHC’s main facility.
The announcement said additional details were coming soon, but it did state the event is for “everyone with new or green horses! Special NEW classes will be added!”. Oregon Horse Center is located just outside Eugene at 90751 Prairie Rd.
OHC’s Show Manager Annie Fike spoke to NW Horse Report and expressed their excitement to offer an event focused on first-timers.
“It doesn’t matter what kind of saddle they have, what kind of horse they ride, it’s just for anyone who has never tried it before.” said Fike.
“This is really focused on those who are new to mountain trails or have been intimidated by the bigger courses we’ve had in the past. We’re really making this show just for them.”
The next major event also hosted at OHC which is part of their Ranch Horse Show series is scheduled to take place this coming weekend.
Clackamas, Ore. – The US Center for SafeSport has issued a temporary suspension for an Oregon man from Clackamas County for “alleged misconduct”. The suspension also includes “no-contact” provisions. NW Horse Report uncovered allegations swirling among local equestrians and hunter jumper community that point to the suspension likely being connected to the alleged past sexual misconduct involving the man and a then minor.
Harrison Joseph Brown, 25, who was suspended by SafeSport on January 30th, worked for Quiet Rein Riding School, a hunter jumper lesson program owned by USHJA Certified trainer Jill McGrady, 44, which primarily serves young women. McGrady was reportedly dating Brown according to multiple sources.
It was also discovered that another Harrison Brown with a different middle name, who is the same age as Harrison Joseph Brown, also resides in the Clackamas County area. This Brown is unrelated to the Brown in this story.
NW Horse Report uncovered documents that confirmed that Brown has been working with McGrady and Quiet Rein, along with the owners of MadKat Equine who own the facility used by Quiet Rein Riding School. One of the documents confirmed that Brown was part of USEF and worked as a “show steward” for Quiet Rein’s annual USHJA Outreach Show Series.
Numerous social media posts further highlighted Brown’s involvement with MadKat Equine and Quiet Rein over the last several years.
Alleged victim is McGrady’s own daughter.
In a shocking discovery, the then minor was later identified by NW Horse Report as McGrady’s now apparently estranged daughter. The young woman respectfully directed NW Horse Report to her attorney Russ Prince when offered an opportunity to speak about Brown’s suspension and to directly confirm additional information.
Prince, who is a partner in Bryan & Prince, PA, is also the attorney representing Maggie Kehring, now 19, a woman at the center of the several felony criminal charges of sex abuse against disgraced Olympic equestrian Rich Fellers. Kehring was later covered in an exclusive story by Bloomberg News last year.
Kehring also endured significant criticism and often harsh attacks from staunch supporters of Fellers after she spoke out.
Prince did not respond to NW Horse Report prior to press time, but the attempt to contact was late on Friday outside the firms normal business hours. Although the woman is now an adult, due to the allegations involving her as a then minor, NW Horse Report will not be identifying the woman until she has had appropriate opportunity to provide a statement directly or through her attorney, should she desire.
Fellers, who is also from Clackamas County, was arrested in June of 2021 by the Tualatin Police Department who was also supported in it’s investigation by agents with the FBI. Fellers’ case is currently set for trial next month unless any more motions delay the trial that was originally set for October of last year.
After Fellers and his wife were originally suspended temporarily by the US Center for SafeSport, Fellers’ wife Shelly eventually received a formal suspension for four years for “abuse of process, retaliation, failure to report.” Then in 2022, Fellers’ son was also suspended by the US Center for SafeSport. Fellers’ son had also reportedly taken over the family business and changed it’s name from Rich Fellers Stables to Genesis Sporthorses.
McGrady & Quiet Rein provide limited response
McGrady spoke briefly to NW Horse Report on Thursday evening when reached for comment. When asked if Brown was still employed by her company she said “he is not”.
When asked for comment about Brown’s suspension, McGrady did not appear to want to provide any further comment, “You’re welcome to reach out to that family directly” she said, apparently referring to Brown.
When asked about her personal relationship with Brown, “I don’t think I’m comfortable talking to you.” McGrady said. She then refused to provide any further answers, saying she had to “sit down for dinner”, but would reach back out to answer more questions.
McGrady did not reach back over the following days. Follow-up attempts seeking comment from McGrady before press time were unsuccessful. McGrady had also made no mention that the alleged victim was her own daughter.
Jordan Graeme-Weingard, one of the owners of MadKat Equine, was reached late Friday for comment as well, but responded with “No comment” each time when asked; if Brown resided at the business property, the company’s relationship with Brown, and if they had any thoughts or comments about Brown’s suspension for the alleged misconduct.
After a reader disputed NW Horse Reports statement about the property ownership, county records have been obtained that list the owner of the property used by MadKat Equine and Quiet Rein as “Jordan Graeme”, confirming the accuracy of our original reporting.
McGrady and Quiet Rein are also scheduled to host their annual Outreach Show Series which kicks off on February 11th and 12th. Meg Dunne, a spokesperson for the Oregon Hunter Jumper Association confirmed to NW Horse Report that their Board of Directors had not yet approved the show, despite the company’s promotional saying it includes “OHJA Medal Classes”.
OHJA’s Show Chair Elise Conlee later provided further clarity in a last-minute email to NW Horse Report confirming that OHJA does not ‘approve’ or ‘sponsor’ shows, but that “OHJA tracks results for its members and their horses at OHJA Outreach-designated shows, and allows shows to run OHJA’s medals, upon submission of an application and payment of all applicable fees.”
Quiet Rein’s show also says it’s approved by the US Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA). Officials with the USHJA have not responded to multiple requests for comment to confirm their sanctioning of the show or on the suspension of Brown.
According to Quiet Rein’s website, it’s lesson program is one of only two USHJA Recognized Riding Academy Programs in the State of Oregon. Official’s with the USHJA have ignored repeated attempts seeking comment.
The Chronicle of the Horse also recently detailed that the former chair of the USHJA’s Diversity and Inclusion Advocacy Committee, David Loman, was issued a permanent suspension by Safesport.
In addition to the Fellers, as well as equestrian Jeff Campf who was also suspended by US SafeSport in late 2021, Brown is now the 5th Oregon equestrian suspended by the US Center for SafeSport in under two years. All five individuals are all from Clackamas County.
NW Horse Report has not yet confirmed the exact nature of the allegations and alleged sexual misconduct against Brown. When reached for comment, a spokesperson for SafeSport confirmed Brown’s suspension but declined to comment further.
When asked if McGrady herself was subject to any investigation by SafeSport, the agency only said “The Center does not comment on matters to protect the integrity of its investigative process.” replied the spokesperson.
Following numerous headlines of abuse in the 2010s, the US Center for SafeSport was created by Congress in 2017 to address issues of sexual abuse and other misconduct in Olympic sports and its amateur pipeline. This includes it’s established Minor Athlete Abuse & Prevention Policies (MAAPP).
Conlee, also told NW Horse Report that they fully support SafePort and its implementation by the USEF, and that OHJA is an affiliate of the USHJA. She also confirmed Brown has never been a member of OHJA.
“We not only encourage our membership to abide by the rules set by the USEF and the USHJA, we explicitly require that our members are in good standing with these organizations,” she said.
Attempts to reach Brown seeking comment and if he denies the allegations have been unsuccessful prior to press time. Contact information was not immediately available for Brown.
This is a developing story that you can count on NW Horse Report to keep you updated on.
The article was updated at 6:41pm on 2/4 to correct “OHJA Medal Classes” which originally said “OHJA Medical Classes”. Additional records were obtained that reaffirmed the accuracy of the original reporting by NW Horse Report as to the ownership of the business property after a reader claimed the reporting was inaccurate.
The horse virus has been devastating to many local businesses, including the Majestic Valley Arena. Staff at the arena have sadly reported that they are losing money due to canceling events, yet understand it is necessary in order to ensure equine safety and health. They remain committed to doing what it takes for horses across Montana during these trying times.
A local equine vet told local reporters about the virus and what it could mean for the future. The Equine Herpes Virus is a typical respiratory malady among horses that share symptoms similar to those of the common cold among humans; however, what makes this strain dangerous is its lethal potential.
“There is one version of the virus that can create what we call EHM which is equine herpes myeloencephalopathy, which could create neurological disease and cause horses to have paralysis. So it’s something that we have in the horse community we’ve had respiratory outbreaks here. We’ve had other forms of the virus but recently we’ve had the myeloencephalopathy, which is a little bit more serious,“ explained La Salle Equine Clinic veterinarian Bob Genovese to 8 KPAX news.
The origin of how the virus made its way to Flathead is unknown, but it could have been transferred from a different state. Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) can be so severe that families are at risk of losing their horse altogether.
“The hard thing is, is when somebody loses a horse, it’s really devastating to the family, especially when there’s kids involved,” said Genovese.
Despite the fact that EHM’s current outbreak is not expected to have a lasting effect, it is still important to take steps in order to slow its spread.
The upcoming Brash Winter Series Rodeo which was scheduled to start today and run into tomorrow was one of the events that were canceled.
