Heartbreaking footage shows tragic British rider Sarah Yorke jumping fences with her horse - two years before fatal fall at equestrian show

Daily Mail​

12 hours ago

New heartbreaking footage has emerged of British rider Sarah Yorke who tragically died at a horse trials event on Friday.
Video clips posted on social media show the horse-rider competing two years before the fatal incident last week.
Underneath the clips, highlighting Ms Yorke's riding prowess, mourners sent their condolences.
The tragic accident at Aston-le-Walls Horse Trial s in the village of the same name in Northamptonshire saw the athlete fall at the third fence.
Ms Yorke was competing in the cross-country part of the eventing contest, a multi-stage equestrian sport which also has showjumping and dressage elements.
In videos posted on her Instagram account before the event, the mother-of-one shared a montage of clips of her at Eland races in 2023.
The clip showed the talented rider jumping over fences and hedges as she navigated the technical course on a chestnut horse Allegro.
She captioned the post: 'Reliving my round from Eland last year.'
Another post from 2023, filled with snaps from that year's riding season, showed Ms Yorke mid jump on her horse, dressed in full competition gear.
In the pictures, the rider could be seen jumping over a variety of obstacles as she made her way round different courses.
Ms Yorke's equestrian career was cut short after she was involved in a fatal fall last week.
British Eventing (BE) said medical professionals 'immediately' attended the Aston-le-Walls Horse Trials after the primary school teacher and mother to a seven-year-old girl fell.
But they said: 'Tragically, she could not be saved.
'Her horse, MGH HERA, was assessed by the on-site vets, walked back to the stable, and is uninjured.'
Ms Yorke and her horse were competing at the BE100 level of the British Eventing (BE) competition for their first time together - a division designed for grassroots riders and horses to gain experience.
She was fresh off a win last month with her seven-year-old horse, in the BE90 class at trials at the Swalcliffe Park equestrian centre, near Banbury, Oxfordshire.
The three-day horse trials at Aston-le-Walls, which were due to enter their final day today, have now been abandoned after the accident.
The equestrian centre had planned to host an unrelated showjumping and cross-country schooling day tomorrow which will go ahead.
BE chief executive Rosie Williams said: 'On behalf of everyone at British Eventing, I would like to express our deepest condolences to Sarah's family and friends.
'The thoughts of the entire eventing community are with them at this incredibly difficult time.'
The equestrian sporting body, announcing her death in 'deepest sadness', has said it will conduct a full formal review of the accident.
It also encouraged eventers to support each other after the fatality: 'This is a deeply difficult moment for the eventing community.'
The statement finished: 'To respect the family's privacy during this very sad time, no further details will be shared.'
Ms Yorke's mare, Irish-bred from showjumping sire Herald III, had previously competed at BE100 with two other riders.
The athlete had ridden in this division with another horse named Ringfort L'Allegro, who she evented with in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
The BE Support Trust helpline, which is staffed by trained professionals, is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on 07780 008877.