America’s Rich Fellers, 2012 World Cup Jumping Champion, London Olympic Team Rider, Suspended by SafeSport for “Allegations of Misconduct” by Former Student
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Feb. 9, 2021
Rich Fellers, the 2012 jumping World Cup champion and U.S. team rider at the London Olympics, and his wife, Shelley, have been temporarily suspended by U.S. Center for SafeSport effective Tuesday, for “allegations of misconduct,” according to the organization.
The allegations were made by Rich’s former student and junior rider Maggie Kehring, 18, that has resulted in a “no contact directive.”
Rich, 61, rode Flexible, to the World Cup title at the Final at ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands in 2012–one of nine of the annual championships in which he competed from 2007 through 2016. Four months later , he and Flexible were on the U.S. team at the London Olympics.
He and his wife, Shelley 54, operate Rich Fellers Stables LLC in Oregon City, Oregon.
In a statement to the Chronicle of the Horse through her attorney Russ Prince, Maggie said she moved to Wellington, Florida late last year to continue training as a rider with Darragh Kenny and Hardin Towell. She described the experience as “nothing short of amazing.”
“They have provided me a safe place to train and grow as a rider,” the statement said. “While I understand everyone wants to discuss and speculate about my previous trainer, and the circumstances under which I departed, please don’t.” She said she had participated in the SafeSport process and was moving on with her life.
