Michael Barisone Files Federal Lawsuit Seeking Damages from US Federation for Allegedly Failing to Act on Repeated Appeals About Behavior of Woman Student he Shot
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Sept. 13, 2025
Michael Barisone, an American Olympic dressage team reserve, has filed a federal lawsuit seeking damages from the U.S. Equestrian Federation for allegedly failing to act on repeated appeals by himself and others about the behavior of the woman student he shot at his New Jersey farm in 2019.
The suit initially filed by Michael, 61, in U.S. District Court in New Jersey then transferred to the court in Manhattan stems from the case when he shot Lauren Kanarek at his 60-acre farm in Long Valley. He was arrested but eventually acquitted of attempted murder by reason of insanity that the suit alleges was fostered by abusive behavior of Kanarek and her boyfriend at the time, Rob Goodwin.
The suit names three women–a U.S. team Paralympian, an equestrian based in North Carolina and a woman with no involvement with horse sports as well as Barisone–who filed complaints with the USEF as the governing body of horse sports, against Kanarek a year before the shooting. Two senior USEF executives were identified in the suit as receiving the complaints.
Barisone was in prison for 2 1/2 years, and after his acquittal in mental health facilities for 18 months but upon his release not allowed to leave New Jersey for almost another year.
Filing of the lawsuit was first reported by the New York Post.
Extensive details were provided in the lawsuit of alleged behavior of Kanarek and her boyfriend.
However, the lawsuit claims, the federation failed to take any action and did not report the cases to the U.S. Center for Safe Sport set up by Congress specifically to deal with abuses in sports.
“Kanarek has been engaged in decade long attack on innocent women and had SafeSport been made aware of her conduct by the USEF, an investigation by SafeSport would undoubtedly include a review of her social media postings and such review would have revealed not less than fifteen (15) additional woman who have been attacked by Kanarek,” the suit said.
“The inescapable fact is that had the USEF met its legal obligation under the Safe Sport Act and referred these numerous complaints regarding Kanarek to Safe Sport, the only reasonable conclusion one could reach is that Kanarek would have been investigated and with the wealth of irrefutable evidence of her habitual violation of the Safe Sport Code of Conduct, Kanarek would have been suspended in 2018, or in 2019 at the latest.
“It is not irresponsible or hyperbole to speculate that it is likely she would have been severely sanctioned if not banned for life. Such sanctions would have become public knowledge and would have prohibited, under the SafeSport Code, other USEF members and professionals, including the Plaintiff, from engaging in any professional equestrian activities with Kanarek.
“Had sanctions, or a lifetime ban been imposed upon Kanarek in 2018 or 2019, the Plaintiff would have been legally obligated to terminate his relationship with Kanarek, and she would have been required to leave his farm. As a result, the August 7, 2019, incident would never have happened.”
The damage to Barisone, the suit said, was to his reputation as a lifelong competitor and coach at top sport, legal costs that forced the sale of his New Jersey farm as well as almost five years in prison and mental health facilities.
USEF did not respond to a request for comment by the time of this post.
