Girl, 12 trampled to death by horse on Pitt Town property
PITT TOWN is mourning Billie Mayson-Kinder, 12, an accomplished show jumper who was trampled by her mother’s startled horse on Sunday.
NSW
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A 12-YEAR-OLD show jumper who died after being trampled by a horse was a “gorgeous young girl” with a bright future in the sport.
The equestrian community of northwest Sydney is in shock after the tragic death of Billie Mayson-Kinder in a Pitt Town paddock on Sunday.
Police said Billie was leading the horse, which belongs to her mother, when it became spooked and trampled her at 5.30pm.
She suffered serious head, chest and abdominal injuries and was flown to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. She died about 6.45pm.
Despite her tender age, Billie was an experienced equestrian rider, competing against riders several years older than her. Sydney Showjumping Club’s Christine Johnson said she was a “gorgeous young girl”.
“She was very talented,” she said.
“She was a really delightful, gorgeous young girl. It’s just a tragedy.
“She competed every weekend, she was very experienced. You couldn’t imagine a more delightful child.”
Billie lived at the Emcee Equestrian property with her parents and older sister Charlie, who posted a tribute photo of the pair online.
Sharon Hutton-Mayson commented: “Living on in the hearts of those she loved”.
Billie was a junior school leader at Arndell Anglican College in Oakville, where flags were flown at half-mast yesterday.
Headmaster Gareth Leechman said that she was a “beautiful, caring and intelligent young lady who will be sorely missed”.
Paula Hamood knew the family through the close-knit equestrian community.
“She was a sweet little kid, always smiling, happy, keen to ride and improve,” she said.
“It’s not fair. It’s one of those terrible things that probably won’t happen again, freakish.”
Equestrian NSW chief executive Bruce Farrar said Billie was a gifted rider.
“Billie competed at the NSW Interschools Championships in 2014 and 2015. In 2015, she was the Champion Primary School Showjumping Rider and Overall Primary School Champion Rider,” he said.
Billie’s death is the third horse-riding fatality in as many months.
Caitlyn Fischer, from Victoria, fell while competing in a cross-country event at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre at Horsley Park in late April.
And in March, Olivia Inglis, 17, was killed when her horse fell on top of her during a botched jump at the Scone Horse Trials.
The daughter of bloodstock auctioneer Arthur Inglis, she was an accomplished rider and was riding her family’s horse when the horrific accident occurred.
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