‘Name your price’: Kaley Cuoco offers to buy horse that was cruelly punched at Olympics as she slams disgraced German coach
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Kaley Cuoco expressed her outrage over an incident at the Tokyo Olympics in which a German pentathalon coach punched a horse.
On Friday, the 35-year-old actress slammed equestrian trainer Kim Raisner for striking the horse Saint Boy and criticized rider Annika Schleu with two scathing posts on her Instagram Story.
‘I feel it’s my duty here to comment on this disgrace,’ Kaley wrote on an image of Schleu taken during the competition.
Furious: Kaley Cuoco expressed her outrage over an incident at the Tokyo Olympics in which a German pentathalon coach punched a horse
‘This is not Olympic show jumping,’ continued Cuoco, who owns several horses and competes in show riding.
‘This is a disgusting classless abusive representation of our sport in so many ways. This team should be ashamed of themselves.’
‘You are your team did not do your country proud or this sport,’ The Big Bang Theory star said. ‘You make us look bad.
‘Shame on you and Godspeed to any animal that comes into contact with you.’
The well-known animal lover continued to vent her feelings with another post to her Story. On a picture of Annika astride Saint Boy, she wrote, ‘Pure classless behavior right here.’
‘Disgusting on all levels. This is our sport. This does not represent our sport.’
Making an offer: Kaley said, ‘This rider and her ‘trainer’ are a disgrace. I’ll buy that horse outright and show it the life it should have. Name your price’
She went on to say, ‘This rider and her ‘trainer’ are a disgrace. I’ll buy that horse outright and show it the life it should have. Name your price.’
Kaley, who has been riding horses since she was a teenager, is married to professional equestrian Karl Cook, 30. In March 2016, the couple met at a horse show where Cook was competing.
They immediately bonded over their love of horses and eventually tied the knot in June 2018 at a horse stable.
Interests in common: Kaley, who has been riding horses since she was a teenager, is married to professional equestrian Karl Cook, 30
Cuoco owns 25 horses and frequently shares updates from her 40-acre ranch in the Hidden Hills as well as photos from her competitions.
Karl, who is the son of Intuit founder and billionaire Scott Cook, owns the massive Pomponio Ranch South in Rancho Santa Fe, Calfornia. He has won multiple competitions including the SmartPak Grand Prix in 2015.
The notorious Olympics incident made headlines worldwide and has drawn the ire of animal rights organizations, who are calling for changes to the sport.
Kicked out: Raisner was thrown out of the Games after punching Saint Boy. Pictured in 2016
Breaking down: Annika, who had been leading the field, was in tears as she came into the ring
Raisner was thrown out of the Games after punching Saint Boy. At the time, she was trying to help Schleu as she battled to control Saint Boy ahead of her showjumping round in the women’s event on Friday.
Athletes are given only 20 minutes to bond with an unfamiliar horse before their round and Annika, who had been leading the field, was in tears as she came into the ring.
Saint Boy, who had already proven a tricky ride for his first athlete, bucked and refused to trot around the course, with a number of people on social media raising concerns about the way Schleu and Raisner were treating the horse.
Alarmed: Saint Boy, who had already proven a tricky ride for his first athlete, bucked and refused to trot around the course, with a number of people on social media raising concerns about the way Schleu and Raisner were treating the horse
The world governing body for modern pentathlon, the UIPM, acknowledged those concerns ahead of the men’s event on Saturday and then issued a statement revealing Raisner’s punishment.
The statement read: ‘The UIPM Executive Board (EB) has given a black card to the Germany team coach Kim Raisner, disqualifying her from the remainder of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
‘The EB reviewed video footage that showed Ms Raisner appearing to strike the horse Saint Boy, ridden by Annika Schleu, with her fist during the riding discipline of the women’s modern pentathlon competition.
Scared: Schelu’s horse appeared spooked before and after entering the arena, and aimlessly made his way around the challenging course while refusing several jumps
‘Her actions were deemed to be in violation of the UIPM competition rules, which are applied to all recognised modern pentathlon competitions including the Olympic Games.
‘The EB decision was made today at the Tokyo Stadium before the resumption of the men’s modern pentathlon competition.’
Raisner is a former modern pentathlete who competed at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
Schelu’s horse appeared spooked before and after entering the arena, and aimlessly made his way around the challenging course while refusing several jumps.
Coverage seemingly showed an emotional Schleu, 31, in floods of tears before even beginning her performance. While on top of her mount, she looked to get the panicked Saint Boy to co-operate using her whip.
Having then made their way into the arena, Schleu set about attempting to salvage her dreams of a podium finish. However, despite the horse clearing four sets of hurdles to begin with, he then collided with the fifth.
That brought a rapid end to her lead, and Saint Boy then buckled despite Schleu looking to guide him around the course for another go. In the end, she was made to finish with zero points, leaving her rock bottom.
Having narrowly missed out on a medal in Rio 2016, after finishing fourth, Schleu was again left devastated. Her tears were broadcast for all to see as Saint Boy jumped around, remaining alarmed and in no fit state to compete.
She had held the equivalent of a 24-second advantage after the fencing and swimming legs, but fell out of contention for silverware for the laser round.
The chaos saw Great Britain’s Kate French claim gold, in what is Team GB’s first triumph for 21 years in the event.
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