Teenage equestrian riders voiced concerns before their deaths
Two teenage equestrian riders killed at separate cross country events had both discussed with their coaches concerns about the jumps on which they later fatally fell, an inquest heard.
NSW
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An Equestrian coach whose pupil was one of two talented and experienced teenagers who died while competing told an inquest into the two girls’ deaths that the sport was, “not for the faint-hearted.”
Elite rider and equestrian coach, Christine Bates, told an inquest into the deaths of Caitlyn Fischer, 19, and Olivia Inglis, 17, that the sport of eventing which involves riders jumping obstacles such as fences, ditches, water and flower beds required courage.
“Our sport is about jumping fences at speed — you can’t change that fact,” she told the inquest.
The two-week inquiry began on Monday into the deaths of the elite, young sportswomen who both died when their horses suffered rotational falls during the cross country sections of separate eventing competitions.
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Olivia, 17, died while competing at the cross country event in Scone horse trials at “Broomfield” in Gundy on March 6, 2016. Caitlyn died at the Sydney International Horse Trials on April 30, 2016.
Counsel Assisting the Coroner Dr Peggy Dwyer said both young women, “excelled,” in the equestrian sport of eventing which is, “widely recognised as one of the toughest equestrian disciplines for both riders and horses.”
Ms Bates, the first witness at the inquest, said, “there was no doubt in her mind,” that Caitlyn and her 16.2 hand horse Ralphie were ready to compete at the one star level equestrian event.
She gave evidence that she watched Caitlyn and Ralphie, “travel well,” out of the start box and make a “good approach” to the first fence.
Ms Bates said she then turned and ran to reach the tricky seventh and eighth fence ahead of her pupil which meant she did not see Caitlyn fall at the second jump.
“I probably ran 10 to 15m and looked back expecting to see her departing from fence (2) but I didn’t and I stopped and that’s when I realised Ralphie was under the steeplechase fence, ”she said.
The inquest heard a video of the jump later showed Ralphie appeared to be distracted and not looking at the fence he was about to jump. He hit the fence mid-stride causing him to have a rotational fall and giving Caitlyn catastrophic head injuries.
Although the video was described it was not shown in open court.
Caitlyn’s mother Ailsa Carr, a registered nurse, ran the 50m to 70m to her daughter and realised immediately that she was dead.
She called her husband, Mark Fischer, an intensive care paramedic, to break the terrible news.
Ms Bates said Ms Carr was on the phone when she arrived at the scene.
“She said, “she’s dead, she’s dead, my girl’s gone,” Ms Bates said.
Counsel Assisting the Coroner Peggy Dwyer recounted the details of Olivia’s death seven weeks earlier. Olivia, who had been riding since the age of four, was one of the youngest members of the NSW eventing squad.
Dr Dwyer told the court that Olivia started the course with her horse, a 16-hand thoroughbred gelding called Coriolanus, at 9.11am and at 9.13am attempted the combination jump 8A and 8B.
“At jump 8B it is expected your Honour will hear that Coriolanus missed his stride … causing him to have a rotational fall and fell on Olivia,” Dr Dwyer said.
The first person to arrive on the scene was a paramedic who observed that Olivia was unconscious but breathing.
A helicopter was called to fly her to hospital but Olivia died of crush injuries to her chest before that medical team could take her. Coriolanus broke his neck in the fall and had to be euthanized.
Ms Dwyer said that before Olivia competed her mother and coach Charlotte Inglis, was concerned about jump 8A and 8B and had discussed it with another rider.
Ms Inglis and her husband Arthur Inglis of the 150-year-old bloodstock auctioneering business William Inglis and Sons, attended the inquest.
The couple sat next to Caitlyn’s parents Aisla Carr and Mark Fischer.
Dr Dwyer told the inquest that, “the common thread,” between Caitlyn and Olivia is that they were, “young woman with enormous potential … Who knows what potential both of them had in eventing but it may have taken both of them right to the top of the sport.”
She said the families had expressed their hope that the sport of eventing could be made, “as safe as it possibly can be particularly for young riders.”
Dr Dwyer said the inquest will look at several issues of concern including whether, “the physical aspect of the courses … contributed to the deaths of Olivia and Caitlyn.”
She said since Olivia and Caitlyn’s death there has been significant changes to NSW equestrian events including the purchase of “collapsible technology” for fences to reduce the risk of rotational falls.
The inquest before Magistrate Derek Lee is set down for two weeks.
Originally published as Teenage equestrian riders voiced concerns before their deaths
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