Family rushes from England after Dabernig stable accident

The family of a Warrnambool track rider have flown out from England to be by her bedside in a Melbourne hospital after she suffered life-threatening injuries in a track-work fall.

Kendall Dickinson, 24, moved to Australia in the past year and was working horses for trainer Tom Dabernig on the sand track at the Victorian country course early Friday morning when she fell.

Trainer Jo Davis posted a picture of her former employee, Kendall Dickinson, on her Facebook page.Credit: Facebook/jodavisracing

She was flown to The Alfred in a critical condition, suffering upper and lower body injuries. Her condition had improved to serious, but stable on Tuesday night.

The Dabernig stable released a statement on Tuesday to say that they were deeply distressed by the incident.

“Kendall’s safety and wellbeing are of the utmost importance to us,” the statement said.

A track insider, who was not authorised to speak on the record, said the fall was a freak accident and did not involve other horses.

Tom Dabernig (right) during his time at Lindsay Park with David and Ben Hayes (left).Credit: Getty Images

Dickinson’s former boss, UK-based trainer Jo Davis, posted a statement on Facebook across the weekend to say that her “prognosis is grave”.

“Our beautiful gorgeous Kendall has had a horrendous fall in Aus and is currently in her second surgery,” Davis posted on Friday night.

Davis then added a heartfelt message to the former English jockey.

“Kendall, I know you. You’re a hardy, tough, amazing, gobby woman, you will survive. I am not giving any other option, we need you,” Davis wrote.

“Understandably, Kenny’s mum is beside herself, and is now enroute to Aus.”

Davis started a GoFundMe page that has so far raised almost $43,000 to help support Dickinson and her family.

The Dabernig stable statement said Dickinson was one of the business’s dedicated team members.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Warrnambool racetrack team, whose trained personnel were immediately on-site to assist Kendall,” the statement said.

“We kindly request privacy and respect for Kendall and her family as they focus on her recovery.

“Our team will not be making any further comment at this time.”

Warrnambool Racing Club CEO Luke Cann said the club’s major concern was for Dickinson’s welfare. He said the club would not be making further comment.

WorkSafe has been contacted for comment.

Dabernig, the grandson of the late Colin Hayes, moved to Warrnambool to train on his own in 2021 after leaving Lindsay Park where he worked alongside his uncle and hall of fame trainer David Hayes.

Dickinson grew up in Banbury, between London and Birmingham.

In a May 2023 interview with the Point-to-Point Racing Company website in England, she said her parents discouraged her from riding when she was young because she was allergic to horses.

But she became hooked after sitting on a horse at the age of 12.

“I used to ride ponies for a lady down the road. She’d led me ride in exchange for mucking out,” Dickinson said of her upbringing.

After learning to ride, Dickinson enrolled in a horse management course at Hartpury College before working her way up to riding in point-to-point jumps races.

“While I’m serious about my riding, I do it because I enjoy it,” she said.

“I’ve got no massive aspirations – I’d love to ride round Cheltenham and in one of the Foxhunters, and I’ve got a category A licence but haven’t ridden under rules yet.”

When asked about her ambitions in life, Dickinson said: “It sounds boring, but just to have a nice life, own a house and have a nice car. I’m a real family person – I don’t want to be a millionaire.”

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