- An apprentice jockey suffered a critical head injury
- Chelsey Reynolds fell during practice in South Australia
- She has been airlifted to hospital for treatment
An apprentice jockey is fighting for her life after suffering a serious head injury at a training track in South Australia.
Racing SA confirmed on Tuesday that Chelsey Reynolds is being treated at Flinders Medical Centre following an incident on the Fleurieu Peninsula.
Emergency services were called to a private property at Finniss, south of Adelaide, with Nine reporting that Reynolds is critically injured after falling from her horse.
She was flown to hospital and Racing SA says it is supporting her family.
‘We are providing support to Chelsey’s family and will provide an update on her condition as soon as we are able.,’ the organisation said in a statement.
An up-and-coming talent, Reynolds won best first year apprentice at Racing SA’s Apprentice Awards last week.
Apprentice jockey Chelsey Reynolds is fighting for her life in hospital
The young jockey suffered a critical head injury after falling from her horse in training
This is the second major incident involving a young jockey to occur in recent weeks in South Australia.
Last month, fellow apprentice jockey Kelsey Hannan was also airlifted to hospital after she fell at the Strathalbyn Racecourse south-east of Adelaide.
The 21-year-old lost consciousness after the incident but was able to move her hands and legs.
She was placed in an induced coma after being airlifted to Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Hannan, who hails from New Zealand, had finished her race on board Iva Dream when the mare appeared to clip another horse’s heels, sending her over its head about 50 metres past the finish line.
There were fears of a serious spinal injury but she has returned home after suffering only a stable fracture in her neck vertebrae.
‘Hey everyone! Thank you for all the messages,’ Hannan wrote late on Sunday night.
‘I’m awake now with a fractured C1 vertebrae, could have been a lot worse! Appreciate all the love xx.’
Racing South Australia also issued a statement, in which they thanked medical staff for their treatment of the New Zealander.
