Equestrian Sports New Zealand (ESNZ) today released a statement saying that it had received news of the failed doping test, taken as part of the Equine Clean Sport programme on September 8 following the conclusion of the event in the United Kingdom, from the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).

Clifton Promise - the first horse to win both the Badminton and Burghley trials in the same season since 1989 - produced a positive A sample finding for the banned tranquiliser reserpine, resulting in a two-month provisional ban pending the B-sample results and "any subsequent hearings".

Paget is also automatically provisionally suspended as the "Person Responsible" for the horse in accordance with FEI regulations, but, according to ESNZ, he is "shocked" by the findings.

"Surrey-based Paget was understandably shocked at the finding," the national governing body said.

"He and all relevant parties state categorically that none of them have taken any actions with the intent of administering any prohibited substance.

"ESNZ and Paget are establishing a likely cause of the positive test and will provide submissions to the FEI Tribunal as required."

Jonathan Paget won Olympic bronze at London 2012 as part of the
New Zealand eventing team


Paget is now said to be requesting that a B-sample is tested at a different laboratory and claims that the test results of the A-sample must be "some sort of mistake".

"It's been a massive shock to us, devastating news," Paget told Fairfax Media.

"We are looking at everything and trying to find out just how this has happened.

"There's obviously been some sort of mistake, but I've got no idea at this stage.

"I haven't even heard of it [reserpine], I have never done anything with that sort of stuff.

"It'd be sheer stupidity to because you know if you do any well your horses will be tested, I'm absolutely dumbfounded by it all.

"To my knowledge, from what I've heard in the past 12 hours, you can't even get this stuff in the UK although I'm not 100 per cent sure on that.

"I have also learned it can be confused with other substances and plants so we need to find out more about that.

"The whole thing is just crazy."

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