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Michael Barisone is an American dressage rider, former Olympian, and trainer. He was a member of the United States dressage team for the 2008 Summer Olympics and later worked as a coach and clinician in dressage and eventing.[1][2]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Equestrianism |
Event | Dressage |
In August 2019, Barisone was charged with attempted murder after dressage rider Lauren Kanarek was shot at his training facility in Long Valley, New Jersey.[3] In April 2022, a New Jersey jury found him not guilty by reason of insanity on charges related to Kanarek and not guilty on charges involving Robert Goodwin; he was also acquitted on weapons counts.[4]
Equestrian career
editBarisone competed in Grand Prix dressage. In January 2009, The Chronicle of the Horse reported that he won the Grand Prix Special at the Exquis World Dressage Masters in Wellington, Florida, riding Neruda with a score of 69.29 percent.[5] The article reported that Barisone chose the Grand Prix Special rather than the freestyle, which allowed Dutch rider Anky van Grunsven to compete in the freestyle.[5]
A 2018 profile by the United States Eventing Association described Barisone as an Olympic dressage rider and clinician based in Long Valley, New Jersey, and Loxahatchee, Florida.[2] The same profile stated that he had worked with Olympic team members Phillip Dutton, Boyd Martin and Clark Montgomery, and that his career included more than 100 CDI Grand Prix wins and a World Cup gold medal at Hickstead in 1997.[2]
2019 shooting and criminal case
editOn August 8, 2019, the Associated Press reported that prosecutors in Morris County, New Jersey, had charged Barisone with two counts of attempted murder and weapons offenses after a shooting at his farm.[3] According to a criminal complaint summarized by the Associated Press, a woman called 911 and said Barisone had shot her twice; police found the woman bleeding on the ground and another man holding Barisone down until officers arrived.[3]
At an August 2019 detention hearing, Barisone's lawyer said that Kanarek and Goodwin had threatened and harassed Barisone, while prosecutors argued that Barisone should remain detained pending trial.[6] State Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor ordered him held without release pending trial.[6]
Barisone pleaded not guilty after a Morris County grand jury indictment.[1] The Associated Press reported that Kanarek had been placed in a medically induced coma and underwent surgery to repair damage to her left lung, and that she later continued to recover.[1]
The trial took place in 2022. The Associated Press reported that the jury deliberated for about 18 hours after a two-week trial and found Barisone not guilty by reason of insanity on the attempted murder of Kanarek and not guilty on the attempted murder of Goodwin.[4] The jury also acquitted him on weapons counts.[4] CBS News later reported that the jury found Barisone legally insane at the time of the shooting.[7]
Psychiatric treatment and release
editAfter the verdict, Barisone was committed for psychiatric evaluation and treatment.[4] Eurodressage reported that he was discharged from Greystone Psychiatric Hospital in November 2023 under court-imposed conditions, including remaining in New Jersey, receiving regular psychological treatment, possessing no firearms and having no contact with Kanarek.[8]
Later litigation and eligibility status
editIn September 2025, The Chronicle of the Horse reported that Barisone had filed a federal lawsuit against the United States Equestrian Federation, alleging that the federation failed to act on earlier complaints he and others had made about Kanarek before the shooting.[9] The article reported that Barisone remained suspended by SafeSport for allegations of misconduct and was ineligible to participate in USEF-recognized shows and activities.[9]
In 2026, People reported that SafeSport had permanently banned Barisone from United States Equestrian Federation events for sexual harassment, emotional misconduct and bylaw violations, and that Barisone denied the allegations and sued the USEF in 2025.[10]
In media
editReferences
edit- 1 2 3 "Ex-Olympian pleads not guilty to attempted in shooting". Associated Press. January 6, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Sprengers-Levine, Natasha (July 8, 2018). "Featured Clinician: Michael Barisone". United States Eventing Association. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Ex-US Olympic dressage athlete charged with attempted murder". Associated Press. August 8, 2019. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Jury acquits former Olympian equestrian rider in shooting". Associated Press. April 14, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
- 1 2 Lieser, Sara (January 30, 2009). "Sacrifice Pays Off For Michael Barisone In Grand Prix Special". The Chronicle of the Horse. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
- 1 2 Porter, David (August 14, 2019). "Judge detains former Olympian charged in shooting at farm". Associated Press. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
- 1 2 Battiste, Nikki (June 11, 2023). "A riding student is shot by her Olympian trainer. Will he be found "not guilty by reason of insanity"?". CBS News. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
- ↑ "Michael Barisone Discharged from Psychiatric Hospital". Eurodressage. November 18, 2023. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
- 1 2 Wright, Melissa (September 16, 2025). "Barisone Sues USEF For Failing To Report Kanarek Complaints To SafeSport". The Chronicle of the Horse. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
- 1 2 Sager, Jessica (April 22, 2026). "Olympian Michael Barisone Shot His Student Twice at Hawthorne Hill, Then Claimed He Didn't Remember It. Inside His Life Now". People. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
- ↑ Piccotti, Tyler (April 20, 2026). "Where Is Michael Barisone Now? All About The Shooting at Hawthorne Hill and His Feud with Lauren Kanarek". Biography. Retrieved July 10, 2026.