Fatal accident at a horseshow. Should the show go on?

[OverandOnward]

I’ve never been at a horse event with a fatality. The one thing I do know for all accidents and other medical events: For heaven’s sake have a radio channel dedicated to medical incidents, and if something major happens get the EMT and helper traffic over to that channel.

The entire volunteer group with radios, as well as anyone that can hear them, does not need to be listening in on the many radio messages and details about the patient. Not only can it be upsetting to people listening who aren’t involved, but it’s sharing private info about the patient that the patient might not welcome.

[fivestrideline]

I think people are going to be pointing their feelings in a lot of directions for a while.

Personally, shutting down the show wouldn’t be my idea of an appropriate response, but shutting down the ring would, for the day. It would give time for a good comb over to make sure there wasn’t anything possibly contributing to the accident, and I wouldn’t ask my kid, or anyone really, to immediately go in. I think judging would be tough as well - shutting down the ring would give the judge a chance to process and the show to make some changes.

This is all so terrible, and I can’t imagine what people connected to the family are going through. And the spectators, and show crew as well.

[MHM]

Here is the Chronicle’s account, which is extremely similar to the notice sent out by the USEF.

https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/junior-rider-fatally-injured-at-florida-show/

[Janet]

@OverandOnward

I’m sure there are some guidelines somewhere in the USEF rules & regs. I wonder where they are?

GR848

[Janet]

@MadTrotter

I remember reading a couple of race car events were postponed or even canceled after fatal crashes.

I have been at two motorcycle road races (ETA and a car race) where there were fatalities, and a horse trial with a serious injury.
I was at Watkins Glen when Francois Cevert was killed in F1 qualifying. Everything shut down for a bit, Jacky Stewart retired on the spot (he was planning to retire after this, the last race of the season), and then practice resumed.

The first bike race, at Bridgehampton, where I was a racer, everything shut down for about an hour, then practice/racing continued.

The second, at the Daytona 200, where I was on the safety crew for practice/qualifying, but not for the actual race, a friend of mine was killed during the race. Not only was the race NOT stopped, there was no announcement made, even over the safety crew radio. The only way I found out what happened was by going to his garage and talking to his pit crew.

Back to horses. I was on the organizing committee for the Horse Trial where/when Christopher Reeve was injured. Once he had been transported to the local hospital (from which he was medevaced to a major trauma center) , cross country competition resumed.

[OverandOnward]

Thinking about it, probably the scene will be screened from casual view by screens or by human bodies. The rider will be loaded on an ambulance and taken to the ER.

No one but the family, the medical personnel and maybe a few show officials will know the seriousness of the incident, and what was the outcome.

Likely only a very few people will be aware of a fatality. So what happens from there?

It is when a rider is down and is not moved from the spot of a fall for an extended period of time that people become aware of a serious situation. That will be of concern to the others in the vicinity.

People will notice an ambulance, but may not think much of it, as it will be far more comfortable to load in place in most accidents that need to go in for a look at an ER. It doesn’t mean anything life-threatening occurred.

I agree that the Damar Hamlin situation isn’t comparable. When Damar Hamlin went down in the middle of the NFL game, there was a long period of saving his life right on the field, in full view of the players, spectators and television. Players were visibly upset, some were kneeling and praying. Roving commentators were communicating the situation. Everyone was well aware of what was happening.

[Capall]

Slightly related, my now expensive hobby is flying. Two years ago there was a plane crash the day that pilots were going to arrive for the big Fly-In we have every year. The crash wasn’t on the actual runway or area where planes landed. My friend actually landed about 30 minutes after the crash happened- the bodies hadn’t even been moved yet. The Fly-In did go on for the whole weekend. Sat they had a Missing Man formation to honor the men who died. It was a freak accident that happened to two very well known and very experienced pilots.

[MHM]

@Janet

I was on the organizing committee for the Horse Trial where/when Christopher Reeve was injured.

Did that happen at what is now the Hits Culpeper showgrounds? I heard that recently for the first time.

[MustangSavvy]

No, I don’t believe the show should have gone on. I can’t imagine witnessing that and then walking back into the ring. I know everyone processes things differently but I personally think we are way to cavalier with the way we handle tragedy in this country. We shouldn’t always be pushing through and the show most definitely doesn’t always need to go on.

[Janet]

Yes. At the time it was Commonwealth Park.

[MHM]

Thanks.

[2bayboys]

@Janet

Accoring to this post
WTF Are We Doing?
“the classes in the jumper ring were cancelled after this accident.”
ET fix to link to the intended post.

It appears though that they completed the class before shutting down the ring. But it’s quite possible at that time they didn’t know it was a fatality.

[vxf111]

Yeah “hey internet strangers, post a picture of yourself riding” seems like a weird way to honor a child who just died… but what do I know.

[Xctrygirl]

Reports say she later was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Em

[Xctrygirl]

Been done MANY times. Sadly.

Tons.

Em

[vxf111]

Sure. Doesn’t make it any less tone deaf

[Railbird]

@vxf111

Sure. Doesn’t make it any less tone deaf

My personal favorite today was someone posting a glamour shot sans helmet, just for an additional layer of tone-deafness.

@Janet

I was at Watkins Glen when Francois Cevert was killed in F1 qualifying.

Ah you were in similar circles to my dad at similar times. He describes a few scenes of watching someone die and having to get back into his car. It was a brutal sport then and I know some of what he saw still affects him. He tells a story of the corner workers at laguna devs telling everyone in the drivers meeting that if their car went into the water, they should wait calmly and someone would come in with a scuba tank for them. I’m sure it’s been embellished over the years but apparently his response involved some
colorful language and an all out rejection of that concept.

We are fortunate that such a horrible outcome is rare enough in our sport that there isn’t a standardized response. I don’t know that I could fault show management either way, as long as they addressed the immediate safety concern. It’s heartbreaking.

Having lost someone I loved in a sudden and traumatic fashion, some of the commentary from the peanut gallery makes me cringe. I don’t know what’s fair to discuss on ways to prevent future tragedies, but I am quite certain that any of the suggestions that X or Y could have prevented it are extremely painful for her family and friends right now and hope people can be more thoughtful about where to share those thoughts. Here is one thing where you’d have to go looking, on Facebook attached to the tags to honor her memory is quite another, at least to me; but I still remember how unintentionally cruel some people were when I was the one reeling from a loss.

[clanter]

@Railbird

but I still remember how unintentionally cruel some people were when I was the one reeling from a loss.

However, then there are thoughtful people, 21 years ago my son was killed by a drunk driver, even to this day his close friends send my wife Mother’s Day Flowers for him

In the mid 1990s I was a regional youth director for a large breed association, during my tenure at least five youth in my region died in riding accidents, none were in association with the youth I represented but still these all were tragic events that I have not forgotten

[vxf111]

That is very sweet. I’m sorry for your loss

[Old_Mac_Donald]

@vxf111

Yeah “hey internet strangers, post a picture of yourself riding” seems like a weird way to honor a child who just died… but what do I know.

When two young teen eventers died in Aus a few years back, that was how they were honoured and remembered on FB. I believe the family were supportive of it, and it really brought the accidents - and the memory of the girls - home to all of us who might otherwise not have heard about the accident. It wasn’t weird, it was community rallying behind the Inglis and Fischer families.

I think the hashtag was #RideforOlivia