Rich Fellers

Last updated

Rich Fellers
Personal information
Full nameRichard Rankin Fellers
NationalityAmerican
Born (1959-10-03) October 3, 1959 (age 64)
Coos Bay, Oregon, United States

Richard Rankin Fellers (born October 3, 1959) is an American former Olympic equestrian and horse trainer. In 2023 he pled guilty to sexually abusing one of his students when she was 17. According to the Washington County, Oregon district attorney, he will serve 30 months in state prison concurrently with a four year federal sentence. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Fellers, the son of Richard D. and Colleen M. (Smith) Fellers, [2] was born in Coos Bay, Oregon. [3] [4] He graduated from Yamhill-Carlton High School in 1978, [5] and attended Oregon State University as an engineering major. He left the university in his junior year to start a riding business, and moved to California, where he met Michelle "Shelley" Bramble. [6] In 1987 they returned to Oregon, wed, [7] and started a family. They have a son and a daughter. [6]

Career

According to the U. S. Equestrian Foundation (USEF), when Fellers was eleven years old his birthday present was a two-year-old Appaloosa: "The short, stocky horse had a talent for jumping, and the pair eventually became winners from the West Coast U. S. Grand Prix circuit to Spruce Meadows in Canada." [8]

By 1988, Fellers had won the Arthritis Foundation Grand Prix at the Oaks in San Juan Capistrano three years in a row— twice riding the veteran mount Bailey's Irish Cream, and then on El Mirasol, his own 6-year-old chestnut thoroughbred. [9]

In 1998, the Calgary Herald reported on his wins at the North American show jumping championships: "In the long history of Spruce Meadows, no one could quite recall a week like Fellers had. Of the nine featured classes over five days of competition, Fellers finished either first or second in every single event." [10]

Fellers began riding Flexible, an Irish Sport Horse stallion, in 2002. [11] According to the USEF Network,

In 2007, Fellers and Flexible won the Los Angeles National Grand Prix CSI2... In 2008, aboard Flexible, Fellers won three of the four FEI World Cup qualifiers at HITS Thermal... Flexible was one of the USEF's Horses of Honor in 2008... Their strong results in the 2010/2011 season earned them the top spot again in the North American West Coast League... Fellers and Flexible won the 2012 Rolex/FEI World Cup, the first American pair to do so in 25 years... Fellers and Flexible represented the United States at the 2012 London Olympic Games, where they finished eighth individually. [8]

Fellers at age 52 and 16-year-old Flexible were the oldest pair in the show jumping finals at the World Cup finals in the Netherlands. [12] Flexible was retired in 2017, and he died of natural causes in 2021. [13]

A resident of Sherwood, Oregon, [14] Fellers and his wife Shelley operated Rich Fellers Stables in Oregon City, Oregon starting in 2011. [15] Fellers trained horses there, offering jumping lessons as well as purchasing and selling horses. Harry and Molly Chapman, the owners of Flexible, hired Fellers in 2012 to train their horses and ride their best in competition. [6]

In 2021, the United States Center for SafeSport ruled Fellers ineligible to participate in the sport, [16] in connection with a criminal indictment. [17] Fellers initially denied allegations that he sexually abused a minor, [16] pleading not guilty to all four criminal charges.

In March 2022 a Bloomberg News article about tensions between SafeSport and traditionalists explored the background to Feller's case. [18] His trial on the state charges was set for fall 2022 [19] but was ongoing as of April 2023, when Washington County deputy district attorney Rayney Meisel confirmed that he expected the case to reach a resolution and global settlement, in coordination with federal prosecutors. [20]

Federal prosecutors brought charges in May 2023, the month after his wife Shelley filed for divorce. [20] Fellers initially pled not guilty to those as well. [21] [22] He changed his plea to "guilty" in July 2023, as part of a plea deal which, per a statement from the Washington County district attorney's office, will result in a 30 month state sentence and a four year federal sentence. [1]

Selected competitions

Awards and honors

See also

Related Research Articles

The International Federation for Equestrian Sports is the international governing body of equestrian sports. The FEI headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Anne Kindig Kursinski is an American showjumper and two-time Olympic silver medalist in team jumping, at Seoul 1988 and Atlanta 1996. Representing the United States, she was a member of five Olympic teams, forty-seven Nations Cup teams, and three World Equestrian Games teams. In 2017, she was inducted into the Showjumping Hall of Fame.

George H. Morris is an American equestrian. He won team silver in show jumping at the 1960 Rome Olympics and is considered a founding father of hunt seat equitation. He was chef d'equipe for the United States show jumping team, which won Olympic gold under his leadership, from 2005 until 2013. He also served as chef d'equipe for the Brazilian show jumping team at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Throughout his career, Morris has been a "proponent of the forward seat" and wrote several books on the subject, including Hunter Seat Equitation. Morris trained students at his Hunterdon Stables and traveling clinics, producing nationally and internationally successful riders, including Olympic champions. In 2019, after a United States Center for SafeSport investigation, Morris was banned for life from the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) due to sexual misconduct with minors. Morris is likewise banned from coaching international teams for any country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beezie Madden</span> American equestrian

Elizabeth Madden is an American Olympic champion equestrian competing in show jumping. She has two Olympic golds and one silver in team jumping, and an individual bronze. She won the FEI Show Jumping World Cup twice; won two silvers and two bronzes at World Championships; and won two golds, one silver and two bronzes at the Pan American Games. She was the first American to break into the international top three show jumping ranking, and the first woman to win over one million dollars in show jumping prize money.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McLain Ward</span> American equestrian

McLain Ward is an American show jumping competitor and five-time Olympic medalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Lamaze</span> Canadian equestrian (b. 1968)

Eric Lamaze is a Canadian showjumper and Olympic champion. He won individual gold and team silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, riding Hickstead. Lamaze has won three Olympic medals, as well as four Pan American Games medals and one World Equestrian Games bronze. He is considered one of Canada's best showjumpers. He is currently banned from participating in equestrian activities until 2027.

Timothy Mark Stockdale was an English equestrian who competed in the sport of show jumping.

Ludo Philippaerts is a Belgian show jumping rider. He is a native of Genk, Limburg, Belgium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Authentic (show jumping horse)</span>

Authentic, nicknamed "Bud", is a Dutch Warmblood gelding that used to compete in show jumping. He has won three Olympic medals and two World Equestrian Games medals. He is owned by Abigail Wexner, and was ridden by Olympic medalist Beezie Madden. Authentic is a bay with a star and snip and stands 16.1 hands high. He was retired from competition in 2009 and is now in Cazanovia, NY, at the Madden's farm.

The 2010 Spruce Meadows 'Masters' Tournament was the 2010 edition of the CSIO Spruce Meadows 'Masters' Tournament, the Canadian official show jumping horse show at Spruce Meadows. It was held as CSIO 5*.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janne Friederike Meyer</span> German equestrian

Janne Friederike Meyer is a German rider who competes in show jumping. She was part of the German team winning the gold medal at the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games. In 2012 Meyer participated in the Summer Olympics in London as part of the German show jumping team with her horse Lambrasco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Spruce Meadows Masters</span>

The 2011 Spruce Meadows 'Masters' Tournament was the 2011 edition of the CSIO Spruce Meadows 'Masters' Tournament, the Canadian official show jumping horse show at Spruce Meadows. It is held as CSIO 5*.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Brash</span> British show jumping rider

Scott Brash MBE is a Scottish showjumper. He began riding the horse Hello Sanctos in early 2012. They competed as part of the British Team at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London winning a gold medal in the team jumping event. In 2015, he became the first rider to win show jumping's Rolex Grand Slam, all three of the sport's most prestigious events in a single year, earning the sport's biggest individual prize of €1 million (£735,000).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olivier Philippaerts</span> Belgian professional Equestrian

Olivier Philippaerts is a Belgian show jumping rider. He is a native of Genk, Limburg, Belgium. He is the son of Ludo Philippaerts and twin brother of Nicola Philippaerts, both show jumping riders as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reed Kessler</span> Former American show jumper

Reed Catherine Kessler is a former American show jumping competitor previously based in Europe. At 18 years old, Kessler qualified for the 2012 London Olympics, becoming at the time, the youngest rider to compete in show jumping at the Olympic Games. In 2013, she won the Longines Rising Star Award after winning the 2012 USEF National Jumping title and won the 2013 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Spruce Meadows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santiago Lambre</span> Mexican equestrian

Santiago Lambre was born in Porto Alegre, Brazil on July 23, 1975. His father, Nestor Lambre was a professional show jumping rider with proven success and recognition in South America and Europe, who influenced Santiago’s love for the sport who started riding when he was 5 years old.

Dr. Cesar Parra is a Colombian-American dressage rider and coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kent Farrington</span> American equestrian (born 1980)

Kent Farrington is an American equestrian show jumping athlete.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andres Rodriguez (show jumper)</span>

Andres Rodríguez was a Venezuelan businessman and an international show jumping competitor. He travelled between Caracas, Paris, and Florida. Rodriguez trained with rider and coach Eddie Macken. His achievements included the team silver medal at the 2005 Bolivarian Games, the team bronze medal at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games, an individual silver medal at the 2015 Pan American Games of Toronto, and subsequent qualification to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Rodriguez entered the world top 50 for the first time in August 2015, and the subsequent series of results enabled him to be world no. 42 in the Longines rankings of October 2015 and no. 2 in the Latin America rankings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashlee Bond</span> Israeli show jumping rider (born 1985)

Ashlee Bond is an Israeli Olympic show jumping rider who competes for Israel. Born in the United States, she is an Israeli citizen. She represented Israel at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, coming in 11th. Bond represented Israel at the 2024 Paris Olympics in team jumping at the Palace of Versailles, and with Team Israel came in 9th.

References

  1. 1 2 Tilkin, Dan (July 12, 2023). "Former Oregon Olympian pleads guilty to sexually abusing a minor" . Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Colleen M. Nelson". The World. April 24, 2002. p. 5. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Olympedia – Rich Fellers". www.olympedia.org.
  4. ↑ Gunther, John (July 1, 2014). "Coos Bay native rides at Olympics". The Coos Bay World. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Seniors, Yamhill-Carlton High School, 1978" . Ancestry.com. 1978. p. 99. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 Snavely, Brooke (September 2012). "Sunriver owner competed in Olympics". Sunriver Scene. Retrieved February 5, 2022– via issuu.
  7. ↑ "Oregon, U.S., Marriage Indexes" . Ancestry.com. 1987. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Athlete: Rich Fellers". USEF Network. 2015. Archived from the original on August 22, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  9. ↑ Sordillo, Darlene (October 22, 1988). "This Rider Messes With Success and Wins for 3rd Year in Row". The Los Angeles Times. p. 225. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  10. ↑ Duhatschek, Eric (July 6, 1998). "North American victory sends Fellers home richer — Rider racks up an impressive record of wins". Calgary Herald. p. 33. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  11. ↑ Bailey, Mollie (April 10, 2017). "Flexible Retires". The Chronicle of the Horse. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  12. ↑ Stark, Rachel (April 24, 2012). "Wilsonville equestrian Rich Fellers becomes first U.S. rider in 25 years to win show jumping World Cup (video)". The Oregonian. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  13. ↑ Berreth, Lindsay (August 24, 2021). "World Cup Winner Flexible Dies At 25". Chronicle of the Horse. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Rich Fellers", Team USA.
  15. ↑ "Rich Fellers Stables LLC". Dun and Bradstreet. Retrieved February 4, 2022. Company Description: Rich Fellers Stables LLC is located in Oregon City, OR, United States and is part of the Other Personal Services Industry. Rich Fellers Stables LLC has 9 total employees across all of its locations and generates $353,143 in sales (USD).
  16. 1 2 Dremann, Sue (February 22, 2022) [February 19, 2022]. "After a riding coach abused her daughter, Woodsider creates nonprofit for young athletes". Palo Alto Weekly. Retrieved February 28, 2022– via Palo Alto Online.
  17. ↑ Ramakrishnan, Jayati (June 7, 2021). "Olympic equestrian arrested in Tualatin on charges of sexually abusing a minor". Oregonian/OregonLive. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  18. ↑ Carville, Olivia (March 10, 2022). "An Elite Sport Plagued by Sex Abuse Is Turning on Itself". Bloomberg. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  19. ↑ Print. "Sexual Abuse Trial Date Set For Rich Fellers". www.chronofhorse.com. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  20. 1 2 Alderman, Justin (April 7, 2023). "DA: Oregon's Olympic equestrian will take plea deal for sex abuse of minor". Clackamas Review. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  21. ↑ Wright, Melissa (May 26, 2023). "Fellers Pleads Not Guilty To Federal Sexual Assault Charge - The Chronicle of the Horse". Chronicle of the Horse. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Feds charge Rich Fellers with crossing state lines to have sex with minor". Clackamas Review. May 26, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Pan American Games Medals Won By American Riders". The Chronicle of the Horse. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  24. ↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Rich Fellers". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on December 4, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Rich Fellers named US Equestrian of the Year - News". Horsetalk.co.nz. January 22, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Harrington adds to Hall haul". The Register-Guard . September 21, 2012. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.