Tragedy hits Pioneer Park, Emerald horse race

A devastating crash during a Central Qld race tragically led to a horse being euthanised and a lightweight jockey fracturing his shoulder.

Young jockey Nikki Olzard was injured during a race that led to a horse being tragically euthanised.

Lightweight Rockhampton jockey Chris McIver 37, fractured his left shoulder while his mount Macfarlane (GB) had to be euthanised after crashing during a race at Emerald last Saturday.

The incident occurred on the point of the home turn in the BM 55 (1615m) and trailing horse Delius, ridden by Emerald apprentice Nikki Olzard also came to grief.

Paramedics attended to both jockeys as they lay motionless albeit conscious for a lengthy period on the Pioneer Park track before they were transported to Emerald Hospital.

Later that afternoon the pair were discharged with Olzard, 19, cleared, but McIver diagnosed with a fractured shoulder.

As a consequence of the incident, stewards had to delay the running of the next race, the feature $15K Emerald 100 (1850m), and seek replacement jockeys to fulfil the injured pair’s engagements.

It proved to be a double whammy for Chris McIver, as he was booked to ride eventual winner the Fred Smith, Rockhampton trained Mocambo ($4.40).

Earlier on Saturday, McIver and Raymond Williams the trainer of Macfarlane (GB), started the meeting in fine spirits winning the co-feature the $15K Lightning (1000m) with Lily Allez (NZ).

Nikki Olzard’s Emerald 100 mount, Motamayiz (GB), on whom she won the 2023 counterpart, finished last in Saturday’s running under replacement jockey Adam Spinks.

For substitute jockey, Clermont’s Emma Bell 36, Mocambo led throughout for a narrow but exciting win over favourite Knife’s Edge (Jake Pracey-Holmes, $1.80), trained by her aunty Glenda Bell at Emerald.

The finishing result adds to the “family tree” history of the Emerald 100 the most treasured race to win in the Central Highlands.

Just three years previously, Emma Bell also won the 2021 version on the Bevan Johnson trained Necessitas (NZ), another pick-up ride after her original engagement, the Rodney Hay trained Coach had to be scratched.

Emma deprived “Aunty” Glenda of a her second “100” win, which would have added to the fascination the race has held since its inception in 1965.

Glenda Bell holds the distinction of being the only person to have both ridden and trained a winner of the iconic Emerald race, which she did in dual roles when combining with Pimpala Player in 2006.

Furthermore, Rockhampton trainer Thomas Smith, who won the 2022 Emerald 100 with Bayerische, represented his father Fred Smith (Mocambo) and managing owner, his sister Sam Conway at Saturday’s trophy presentation.

On Monday, back in Rockhampton, Chris McIver said he was making arrangements to consult a specialist surgeon.

“I know I will have to have surgery on the left shoulder. I have previously broken my collarbone and had surgery twice before on my right shoulder. Now I have two bad ones (shoulders),” Chris said while managing to have a giggle.

Interestingly, of the 110 male jockeys currently licenced to ride in Queensland, Chris McIver, a natural lightweight, is the lightest going to scale at 49.5kg.

Nikki Olzard 19, a former Rockhampton based apprentice said she considers herself very lucky to have avoided serious injury when her mount Delius became involved and fell in the scrimmage.

“I am sore and bruised but okay. I was lucky and I hope to be cleared to ride at Blackall races on Saturday,” Nikki said.

Apart from some cuts, Delius was not seriously injured and stewards did not place any stand down orders on the horse.

The Emerald Jockey Club was very proactive in keeping the huge crowd in attendance on Saturday updated on the conditions of both jockeys thanks to the communications by chief steward Shane Larkins.

Originally published as Tragedy hits Pioneer Park, Emerald horse race