A shocking report by Scott Reid in the Orange County Register has revealed that nationally renowned equestrian instructor Steve Milne, a fixture at Southern California horse facilities and events for decades, is being formally investigated by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for allegations of misconduct. He was fired in late February by the Shea Center, an Orange County equestrian center for people with disabilities.
Milne was interviewed by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department in the 1980s about allegations of sexual misconduct involving a teenage girl, according to the Register
Milne has continued to conduct equestrian clinics and lessons since he was terminated by the Shea Center and had coaching restrictions placed on him by the U.S. Center for SafeSport according to the Register.
Another individual, John Manning, a registered sex offender sanctioned by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for a criminal sex abuse conviction involving minors continues to design courses for some of the nation’s top horse shows including the Temecula Valley National in April where young athletes were going to be present.
According to critics, the Milne and Manning cases, raise major concerns about the transparency and commitment of the U.S. Equestrian Federation in providing young athletes, their parents, and show organizers with vital information about the backgrounds of individuals in contact or near young or vulnerable riders.
If you have any information about misconduct by Steve Milne or John Manning, please contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
Manly, Stewart & Finaldi has represented hundreds of child sexual abuse victims of coaches and employees in Olympic and amateur sports . We are the lead attorneys representing Olympic athletes and victims of former US Olympic Women’s Gymnastics Team Doctor Larry Nassar and secured a $500 million settlement for our clients. In each of these cases we have helped victims and families get justice by conducting a thorough investigation of the organization and the school . In many cases we have discovered that administrators and executives know that the perpetrator was a danger to children and either did nothing or actively covered up the crimes
