Amateur jockey Rob James has been handed a 12-month ban after a video showed him climbing onto the back of a dead horse.
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board concluded its investigation into the 2016 incident yesterday.
Eight months of the term will be suspended.
The IHRB found James, who rode a winner at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival, acted in a manner "prejudicial to the integrity and good reputation of horse racing".
James issued an apology for his actions last week, calling them "wholly inappropriate and disrespectful," saying he was “heartbroken by the damage” caused by the clip.
Following the hearing on Wednesday, the IHRB tweeted: “Having considered the evidence, the Referrals Committee found Mr James in breach of Rule 272(i) in that he acted in a manner which was prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of horseracing.
“They imposed a 12-month suspension of his Qualified Riders licence and Handlers Permit with this last eight months of this suspended.”
James, who has had 235 winners in point-to-points, rode Milan Native to win the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival last March.
The video emerged just days after Gordon Elliott was pictured sitting on a dead horse – and later received a 12-month ban, with six months suspended.
