Equestrian SportOne of Ireland's top event riders was critically ill in a Belfast hospital last night after a fall at a one-day event in Co Armagh on Saturday.
Jane O'Flynn, who finished 19th at the world equestrian games in Jerez last September, suffered serious head and chest injuries when her horse somersaulted on top of her at Richhill, just outside Armagh town.
The 42-year-old received emergency treatment at the fence before being airlifted to the Royal Victoria Hospital. She is being treated in the neurosurgery intensive care unit, where her condition was yesterday described as "critical but stable".
O'Flynn, who is married to Ireland's leading uileann pipes player Liam O'Flynn, is best known for her partnership with Kilnadeema Star, the horse that has been named as one of the six for a place on Ireland's team at the European championships in Punchestown next month.
Jane Tiffin suffered head injuries in a fall in Kildare three weeks ago, and Jayne Harrison, also longlisted for next month's European championships, underwent surgery in a Hamburg clinic on a broken collarbone after a fall at the Scottish one-day event in Thirlestane last weekend.
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