Jockey who was airlifted to hospital receives major health update
- Kelsey Hannan has returned from the hospital
- She was involved in a serious accident at Strathalbyn Racecourse
- Hannan slipped in and out of consciousness but was cleared of serious injury
Kelsey Hannan has been cleared of major damage after the apprentice jockey fell at Strathalbyn last weekend.
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.
There were fears of a serious spinal cord injury, but Seven reports she is on her way home after suffering only a stable fracture to her cervical vertebrae.
Kelsey Hannan (pictured) is back home with a broken neck after falling from a horse
The 21-year-old was returning from a broken jaw she suffered last October when the incident unfolded in South Australia
‘Hello everyone! Thanks for all the messages,” Hannan wrote late Sunday night.
‘I’m now awake with a broken C1 vertebra, it could have been a lot worse! Appreciate all the love xx.”
Racing South Australia also released a statement thanking the medical staff for their treatment of the New Zealander.
“We expect her to be discharged from hospital within the next 24 hours,” the organizing body said.
“On behalf of her family and the entire riding group, our thanks go to the team at the Royal Adelaide Hospital for their excellent care of Kelsey and to the wider racing community for their messages of love and support.”
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.
The remaining races of the competition just south-east of Adelaide – including the Strathalbyn Cup (pictured) were postponed after the shocking accident
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.’