Jockey Kelsey Hannan, 21, is airlifted to hospital with serious injuries and put in an induced coma after horror race fall
- Incident occurred in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia
- Emergency services arrived on scene at 1.40pm on Sunday
- The remaining races of the competition were abandoned
Jockey Kelsey Hannan has been flown to hospital after suffering serious injuries when she fell from her horse during a race in South Australia on Sunday afternoon.
The 21-year-old lost consciousness after the incident at Strathalbyn Racecourse south-east of Adelaide about 1.40pm, but was able to move her legs and hands.
She was placed in an induced coma after being airlifted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Hannan, originally from New Zealand, had finished her race aboard Iva Dream when the mare appeared to clip another horse’s heels, sending her over his head about 50 meters across the finish line.
Kelsey Hannan (pictured) was ‘virtually put into a medically induced coma’ after the fall
The 21-year-old was returning from a broken jaw she suffered last October when the incident unfolded in South Australia
The remaining races of the competition just south-east of Adelaide – including the Strathalbyn Cup (pictured) were postponed after the shocking accident
She was placed in a neck brace and then flown to the hospital.
Racing South Australia decided to postpone the remaining races of the competition – including the Strathalbyn Cup – after consultation with other jockeys.
Hannan had just recovered from a broken jaw suffered in a track incident on October 8 last year.
The injury required surgery to insert a plate and screws into the bone.
Before that she was in excellent form and rode six metro winners in two weeks.
“It was very annoying, but with horses these things happen and you don’t know exactly when it’s going to happen,” she said.
‘I had surgery to put a plate and some screws in, so now it’s just a matter of waiting.
‘The swelling is going down, I have a big ugly bruise on my chin, but overall I think the healing is going well.
‘I’ve been on a puree diet for six weeks now.’