An international working party has been set up to review safety measures at horse trials following the death of a rider at the Burghley three-day event on Saturday, bringing to four the number of riders killed in the sport in Britain over the past four months. Simon Long, a 38-year-old farmer's son from Wiltshire, died just 24 hours after the funeral of Polly Phillipps, the previous victim of the sport's cross-country phase who was killed at the Scottish championships in Thirlestane.
Burghley debutant Long fell at the 20th fence, the Sunken Water, when his horse Springleaze Macaroo cartwheeled over the rails and landed directly on his rider. A four-man paramedic team was at the scene almost immediately, but despite continuing attempts at resuscitation, Long was declared dead at the on-site medical control centre 30 minutes after the fall. A post mortem is to be held, but Burghley chief medical officer Dr John Inman confirmed that the rider had died of crush injuries.
The sport's international governing body, the FEI, has now set up a statutory working group to look into the fatal accident, the second death at Burghley. Mark Davies' was killed at the Lincolnshire event in 1988. The three-man working group is made up of Australian team manager Wayne Roycroft, New Zealand chairman of selectors Jim Wright and American international rider David O'Connor. The group will be working in close liaison with Mike Tucker, chairman of the British Horse Trials Association working party on safety.
"We are satisfied that we take every care possible of the horses and riders", said Burghley director Bill Henson. "There isn't a logical explanation for what's been happening", New Zealander Mark Todd said after notching up a record equalling fifth Burghley win yesterday. "Everyone feels awful about it. We all know there's a risk, but every time we fall off we don't expect to pay for it with our lives. We can't be blase. We know it's a factor in the sport, but we have to go on, be positive and think ahead."
Todd had led with his pathfinder Word For Word going into the show jumping and was also third with Diamond Hall Red. Word For Word, which had won last month's British open championship at Gatcombe, had lost Badminton with a mistake in the final phase and yesterday hit four to drop down to third. But Todd had already gone clear with the nine-year-old Diamond Hall Red and, when both his stablemate and second-placed General Jock (Tina Gifford) faulted, the former show jumper Diamond Hall Red moved up to claim the honours.
Karen Dixon, marking her first four-star completion since the Atlanta Olympics three years ago, slotted into second with Too Smart ahead of Todd and Word For Word. Tina Gifford, second overnight with General Jock, slid down to fourth with two down and was followed home in the line-up by Mary King (King Solomon III). British champion Polly Clark was sixth with Cork solicitor Arthur Comyn's Blenheim winner Westlord, but the other Irish interest, Austin O'Connor pulled out Roarco after the horse pulled a muscle in its back on Saturday's steeplechase course.
