@Jealoushe - sad to add this: https://eventingnation.com/british-eventing-confirms-rider-fatality-at-solihull-riding-club-one-day-event/?fbclid=IwAR3C7-EEQGs0OBJkAMhaOVBfzVR6vypRvbr77vvc9jx9A0c22bv7T84P-3s
Not much info yet.
1 Like
From Facebook:
Solihull Riding Club - updated statement Wednesday 17 July
We are deeply saddened to confirm that Mrs Clare Bedford died as a result of a fall whilst competing, during the cross country phase, at the Solihull Riding Club one day event on Saturday 13 July.
Clare Bedford was aged 31 and from Rugby, Warwickshire. Clareâs horse was unharmed in this tragic incident.
Our thoughts are with Clareâs family and friends at this difficult time.
British Riding Clubs is carrying out an investigation into the incident and assisting the Local Authority with their usual inquiry.
1 Like
Thank you, very sad. Will update the thread in a few days. Sad week.
JFC⊠will it ever end? 
I wish they would start looking more into improving safety vests, because frangible pins and collapsible tables arenât enough at this rate.
2 Likes
I think that might have been the final straw for me. My hometown event. FâŠballs! My 17 year old is obsessed, moved up to Prelim this summer & Iâve been SO nervous. Her horse would be nifty in the Jumper ringâŠ
5 Likes
#rideforashley was still trending, and now it will be #rideforjeffie. Three fatalities in a month.
I told my trainer after Ashley that I had decided to keep my horse, who I competed at training all last season, at novice this year (for multiple reasons). We discussed fatalities and how uncommon they are. Now sheâs been at 2 events in the last 4 or 5 years where there has been a fatality. And she doesnât compete that often.
2 Likes
Just read about Jeffie this morning. How awful. It seems like these are getting closer and closer to home. Lower levels, more local, places weâve been or conceivably might be. Terrible for her and her family but also for the people at GMHA.
I feel much better about sticking with my BN/N fences.
3 Likes
This is absolutely awful. Does anyone know if it was a stadium fence in warm up or a XC fence? Or what might have happened, like bad distance, footing etc? I canât even imagine how awful that day would have been.
I am not sure whether to add these fatalities to the list.
Now there is news of a 15yr old girl who was killed schooling at home yesterday. Iona Sclater https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/bright-star-eventing-dies-riding-accident-aged-15-693827
Many condolences to the friends and family of those who knew and loved.
It is also worth noting that it looks like both these riders were wearing air vests.
2 Likes
XC warmup also often doesnât have max height solid fences set up ⊠so a lot of times the Prelim warmup, for example, may have a handful of Novice and Training height fences and may or may not have one at true Prelim dimensions. Iâm not sure about GMHA specifically, though.
I think that as long as people are jumping horses over solid obstacles of any height, the potential for rotational falls exists. Better vests, better helmets, LandSafe courses may reduce to risk of serious injury or fatality in the event one occurs, and more frequent use of frangible devices may reduce the likelihood of a rotational fall, but unless all fences at all heights are made fully frangible, they will still occur. (And even with all frangible fences, they probably wouldnât be eliminated completely, as rotational falls can occur over showjumping-type obstacles, theyâre just extremely rare).
2 Likes
I agree, I am just curious for the details to note if there does happen to be a noteable reason like, bad footing, etc.
Always room for improvement, hopefully something can be gleaned from these tragedies. It is a damn dangerous sport despite helmets, vests and frangible pins. For my wife and I , almost all of our worst injuries happened in stadium. Case in point, (video) although this guy was lucky. Ironically, itâs the danger that makes the sport fun.
[video]https://www.facebook.com/boyd.martin.37/videos/10157226818675993/UzpfSTEwMDAwMDcyOTcxMDIzODozMDYwNjExMjk0OTk0MTQ6MT A6MDoxNTY3MzIxMTk5OjQ1MTU5Nzg4NTg3MTM1Nzk0Mg/?fref=search&tn=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARCVgEdDJ-Go3gRvHT8Aoi3H3IRt9MLwkHhFyM8hr9ARCJxNASaxylkSu7Pm TE5Kx0dKmx86w2rQUAhC[/video]
2 Likes
Iâm at work and facebook is blocked. Is that the video making the rounds of facebook this weekend of the rank horse body slamming that rider into the turf? A wonder he didnât break his neck. Anyone know who and where that occurred?
Any time you are throwing 1200 to 1600lbs over obstacles, fixed or not, a bad take off or landing has the potential for dire consequences. I think everyone knows this, just the odds for the individual are, âNot Todayâ, until they are. Very sorry to read the recent losses.
3 Likes
Yes, thatâs it.
So side note⊠Lots of folks are swearing that this video IS Boyd, just because he posted it. (Itâs not, itâs from either Mexico or some other place in South America. The business that is on the standards in the foreground is a Mexican business)
Em
3 Likes
I saw from a trainer who was there that the fall was over a rolltop in xc warmup. Donât know the details otherwise re:footing, distance, but Jeffie was a capable rider on a seasoned horse. I boarded at the same barn with her years ago. Though I wasnât close with her, this one definitely hits harder for me than the others. Just heartbreaking.
8 Likes
Thank you for the information. Sorry for your loss x
it was Boyd Martin with one of his young horses on a schooling level jumper course. it was ugly. very ugly.
That is NOT Boyd. Boydâs social media peeps posted it as a joke.
8 Likes
