finding out about possibly? fatal accident at event

[Sunshine]

Last summer I was spectating at a BE event and there was a terrible accident where a rider had a bad fall hitting her head and neck on the fence next to me. The air ambulance was called in the end and she was very seriously injured and in a coma.

I have never heard any updates since, nothing in the press or anywhere to even say how she is and if she has recovered, and it has been bothering me ever since. Her FB hasn't been updated since and nobody has even mentioned it. I had heard that she was thought to be so badly hurt that they didn't expect her to survive and was still in ICU in a coma some weeks later, but I think it is so awful that nobody has shown any concern, sympathy or celebration that she pulled through, since. In fact there has been such a silence that I am beginning to think that it has been deliberately hushed up because something was wrong with the event. I know there wasn't even an investigation or examination of the jump and the press haven't even reported it.

It bothered me again at Christmas when I heard about a friend having a little accident out hunting and it was brought back to me how lucky he had been. Would I be able to find out anything anywhere to put my mind at rest?

 

[smja]

Which event was it? I have been at several events where similar (though not as serious) things have happened, it is an unfortunate hazard of our sport.

I do not know the circumstances of this particular incident, but any fall on cross country is documented by the fence judges and reported. The jump itself would not have needed inspection afterwards, unless someone raised concerns that it had been altered in some way during the competition or contributed to the fall itself (the course is inspected before anyone rides on it, by a BE official).

It may be that the silence is the rider's own wishes, or that of their family. Regardless, I too hope that the rider has made a full recovery.

 

[Magnetic Sparrow]

The information is normally available somewhere although after the sad demise of Eventing magazine, not as easily as before. The only accident I can remember that fits the description is Gubby Leech's fall, and if it was that one, Gubby was OK.

 

[Sunshine]

Thanks, no it wasn't Gubby's fall.

It was in August last year in North Cheshire but I don't think it was ever documented as there is nothing at all on ti'interweb, not even a report that it has happened, which I didn't think the family could prevent from being reported

 

[Swirlymurphy]

To be honest, if there was an ongoing serious medical situation, it isn't really any concern of anyone other than family and friends. I know it's human nature to want to know the outcome of these falls, but it really isn't any of our business.

 

[ChwaraeTeg]

I do not know the area so probably do not know who you are asking about even if you gave her name , ... but I thought I might put your mind to rest very slightly... Some years ago I had a bad fall, fractured skull etc etc and was in a coma for some time. The accident was reported in the newspapers, but there never was any follow-up. My family and friends were too busy with my recuperation /re-education etc and it was not interesting enough for newspaper coverage. (which I am grateful for as I would have been massively embarrassed looking back). Hope you will find it is good news about your rider.

 

[LCH611]

To be honest, if there was an ongoing serious medical situation, it isn't really any concern of anyone other than family and friends. I know it's human nature to want to know the outcome of these falls, but it really isn't any of our business.

Absolutely right! How can you say that nobody has shown any sympathy, concern or celebration when you have no idea who the person is! As a spectator you are not privy to what the local HSE and organising team and BE subsequently investigated. A RIDDOR form will have been filed and it is up to the local authority as to whether or not they chose to initiate an investigation, but as an organiser I can assure you that it categorically will not just be hushed-up and I think it is rather offensive to imply that is the case. I get that you wish the individual well but I do think it is rather intrusive to expect it to be plastered all over the media.

 

[Cortez]

Just because it isn't on Face Book doesn't mean nothing has happened, you know....

 

[FfionWinnie]

The rider might just have FB privacy restrictions so you can't see anything new. Just a thought.

 

[Lexi_]

There are only three August BE comps in Cheshire - Bold Heath, Cholmondeley and Somerford. Which one was it? I don't FJ at the former any more (organisation was rubbish when it came to volunteering) but the other two are incredibly well run and organised, so I'd be frankly astonished if anything had been at fault there. Especially Somerford - I was FJing there the day of the fatality a couple of years ago and the the team there were distraught by it. There's no way they'd try and hush anything up.

Isn't it more likely she's just recovering slowly at home, hence the lack of updates?

 

[MungoMadness]

You can't assume that because you can't find mention of it, that it's a hushing up job. Bit of a leap in logic!

 

[MargotC]

I think it is lovely of OP to care about the outcome. But I agree that no news shouldn't necessarily be taken to mean the worst. With my logic I'd take the lack of major coverage as a positive sign.. I am unfamiliar with the incident in question.

 

[VRIN]

There are only three August BE comps in Cheshire - Bold Heath, Cholmondeley and Somerford.

Its also a possibility that it was kelsall ... poster said 'summer' rather than August.

 

[Lexi_]

Its also a possibility that it was kelsall ... poster said 'summer' rather than August.

Post #4 mentions August

Either way though, I can't see any BE event hushing something up!

 

[popsdosh]

Post #4 mentions August

Either way though, I can't see any BE event hushing something up!

How could they hush anything up like that! Its incredible that the OP even thinks it could be .
I smell a rat how come OP you cannot even remember which event it was and if the concern was so great why such a large delay to enquire?

By the way OP if this is genuine. Every without exception fall at BE is noted and investigated however small . Its a fence judges worst nightmare not the fall but the form that needs to be filled in imediately!!

 

[alainax]

If your on her facebook have you searched for her name? Often there may be no media coverage but a small note in the herald ( in Scotland anyway). There was a tragic fatality at a local event near here, and thankfully there was no media coverage.
That's not to say that investigations were not carried out, as I am sure BE will also, but just that the media didn't run the story.
I understand the closure aspect and that you care, I don't think it's morbid to want to find out if she is ok.
Hopefully the girl is ok.

 

[Mooseontheloose]

Having been an official where there was a fatal accident some years ago I can assure you that there is no chance nor wish to 'hush' things up. There is an inquest, a report, an investigation of all the circumstances and how things were handled both on the day and afterwards.
There is an immediate silence from organisers because if it is a fatal accident relatives have to be informed and with today's instant news messaging this can be very distressing.
I'm always amazed at how many people think there are conspiracy theories of silence after something happens. The same thing happened after the death of the horse at Liverpool where posters here were talking about 'whitewashing'.
If you've had anything to do with running or officiating at events I can assure you there are a huge number of formal hoops that have to be gone through.
For instance even a PC event has a pre-written format of comment for press in the event of a serious accident to a rider or a horse. These allow for a certain amount of information to be released but not so much as to allow for massive speculation, comment etc that might later prejudice an enquiry/inquest.

 

[BDbeginner]

If it's the fall I think it is, the rider was seriously injured but lived. The last I heard she was still in hospital with a life-changing brain injury.

 

[ajn1610]

There are only three August BE comps in Cheshire - Bold Heath, Cholmondeley and Somerford. Which one was it? I don't FJ at the former any more (organisation was rubbish when it came to volunteering) but the other two are incredibly well run and organised, so I'd be frankly astonished if anything had been at fault there. Especially Somerford - I was FJing there the day of the fatality a couple of years ago and the the team there were distraught by it. There's no way they'd try and hush anything up.

Isn't it more likely she's just recovering slowly at home, hence the lack of updates?

I volunteer at Somerford too and second this. On that occasion, despite repeated requests over the tannoy people were sharing things on social media before the family had been contacted which is appalling. Perhaps silence on social media is, as others have said at the request of family and not necessarily a bad sign. People handle things differently and although I recognise that the OP might have the best intentions in wanting to send good wishes you have to understand that kind of attention is not always appreciated.