Equestrian jump judge reveals shock first moments after death of teenager rider: Not again

The mother of a teenage equestrian rider killed instantly when her horse rolled on top of her said she begged first responders to stop resuscitation as she just wanted to hold her daughter’s body.

The mother of a teenage equestrian rider killed instantly when her horse rolled on top of her said she begged first responders to stop resuscitation as she just wanted to hold her daughter’s body.

Registered nurse Ailsa Carr remained calm and composed as she recounted at an inquest on Tuesday the harrowing details of her daughter Caitlyn Fischer’s death while competing at the Sydney International Horse Trial on April 30, 2016.

Ms Carr said her 19-year-old daughter and her 16.2 hand high horse Ralphie, “looked good” as they approached the second fence but, “at the last moment he hit the front of the jump,” and “somersaulted” over the barrier with Caitlyn still in the saddle.

“I saw that and the first thing I thought was I have to get to her as quickly as I possibly can.”

The parents of Caitlyn Fischer, Ailsa Carr and Mark Fischer, arrive at the Lidcombe Coroner’s Court in Sydney. Picture: AAP

MORE NEWS

Dylan Walker triple-0 call released: ‘He pulled my hair’

Milestone for Sydney Metro after six months of digging

Greenpeace activists detained after scaling Harbour Bridge

Ms Carr said she ran 50m to 70m to her daughter who was lying on her left hand side but knew “straight away” she had died from catastrophic head injuries.

“I looked at Caitlyn and the injuries she had and I knew she was dead and there was nothing I could do apart from be there as a mother.”

Ms Carr said as she was holding Caitlyn she called her husband Mark Fischer, a mobile intensive care paramedic, and told him the terrible news because she did not want him to hear it, “second-hand.”

Olivia Inglis. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Caitlyn Fischer with her horse Ralphie.

Mr Fischer answered the phone, “brightly” expecting his wife to tell him that Caitlyn had just finished the cross country section of the event.

“My first words to Mark were, ‘Caitlyn is dead, she’s gone’.”

“He sounded stunned and shocked and said, ‘what do you mean?’, I said she has had a fall on cross country she had a major head injury she is dead, she is gone.”

Ms Carr said she ended the 30-second phone call when Caitlyn’s coach Christine Bates and the event co-ordinator Rebecca Andrews arrived.

Caitlyn Fischer riding Ralphie in February 2016.

The two women spent several minutes struggling to get Caitlyn’s helmet and protective wear off before starting resuscitation.

Ms Carr said she “begged them” to stop resuscitation but they continued until a medical volunteer, Doctor Alex Golowenko, arrived.

Ms Carr told Dr Golowenko, “I’m a nurse, I’m Caitlyn’s mother, please stop this,” and the resuscitation was stopped.

“There was nothing anyone could do for Caitlyn, she had catastrophic head injuries and I just wanted to hold her.”

Olivia Inglis on 'Vinchenzo' during the second round of the Junior Championships.

The inquest is looking into the deaths of Caitlyn and another elite equestrian Olivia Inglis, 17, who died seven weeks earlier while competing at the cross country event in Scone horse trials at “Broomfield” in Gundy on March 6, 2016.

It had previously heard from a jump judge who was standing five metres away and saw Caitlyn’s accident.

Volunteer jump judge Sarah Retallack said one of her first thoughts was, “not again.”

Ms Retallack said she immediately used her radio to call for an ambulance saying,” paramedics urgent on jump two.”

Olivia Inglis.

Caitlyn Fischer.

However although she was the closest to Caitlyn she did not go to her assistance because she didn’t know first aid and thought, “I was inadequate to help.”

Ms Retallack said everyone in the sport was still shaken by the death of Olivia seven weeks earlier.

Olivia, who had been riding since the age of four, was one of the youngest members of the NSW eventing squad. Olivia is also the son of Arthur Inglis from the 150-year-old bloodstock auctioneering business William Inglis and Sons.

The parents of Olivia Inglis, Charlotte and Arthur Inglis. Picture: AAP

Ailsa Carr said she knew her daughter was dead straight away. Picture: AAP

She died when her horse, a 16-hand high thoroughbred gelding called Coriolanus, missed its stride on a combination jump and had a rotational fall crushing Olivia’s chest.

The inquest is looking at ways to improve safety in the sport of eventing including whether using “collapsible technology,” on jumps would reduce the risk of rotational falls in horses.

The inquest before Magistrate Derek Lee is set down for two weeks.

Originally published as Equestrian jump judge reveals shock first moments after death of teenager rider: Not again