Lorna Brooke winning on Moonlone Lane at Fairyhouse in 2015 \ Healy Racing
The racing industry was shocked and saddened on Monday when it was announced that British amateur rider Laura Brooke had passed away.
Brooke, aged just 37, had been airlifted to hospital following a fall on Orchestrated, trained by her mother Lady Susan Brooke, at Taunton on 8 April. The amateur jockey was taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol due to a suspected spinal injury, but had to be placed in an induced coma last Friday due to complications with her treatment.
The news of her death was issued by the Injured Jockeys Fund on Monday in a statement which read: “It is with deep sadness that we have to share the tragic news that Lorna Brooke passed away yesterday.
7:13PM, APR 19 2021
Lorna Brooke was a talented amateur jockey who rode 17 winners under rules in Britain and Ireland and took more than 400 rides.
Brooke also rode 40 point-to-point winners, often when carrying her mother s orange and brown colours, and travelled far and wide to pursue her passion from her base in the Welsh borders.
She made her debut under rules on Hag s Way as a teenager in February 2002 for her mother Lady Susan Brooke and celebrated her first winner aboard Super Nomad in the Ludlow Gold Cup Hunters Chase in April 2007 before the pair followed up at the track in March 2008.
Amateur Jockey Lorna Brooke Dies After Fall; First British Rider Killed In Racing Accident Since 2005 Sponsored by:
Amateur jockey Lorna Brooke died in the hospital on Sunday, reports
The Guardian, succumbing to injuries she sustained in a fall at Taunton Racecourse on April 8. The 37-year-old is the first jockey killed in a racing incident in Britain since 2005, when Tom Halliday fell at Market Rasen.
Racecourses around Britain observed a moment of silence on Monday, and jockeys wore black armbands.
Brooke was aboard Orchestrated, a horse trained and owned by her mother, Lady Susan Brooke, when she was unseated at the third fence on the course. She was treated on track before being airlifted to Southmead Hospital, where she was treated for suspected spinal injuries. Following complications, Brooke was placed into an induced coma, from which she never emerged.
UPDATED 12:56PM, APR 19 2021
Lorna Brooke has died following a heavy fall at Taunton this month, the Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF) has announced in a statement.
The amateur jockey was treated on track and airlifted to Southmead Hospital in Bristol on April 8 after falling from Orchestrated, trained by her mother Lady Susan Brooke, in the 2m7f handicap chase.
The 37-year-old was taken into intensive care where she underwent observations and tests for a suspected spinal injury, but due to complications she was placed in an induced coma on Friday.
A statement from the IJF was released on Monday morning, which read: It is with deep sadness that we have to share the tragic news that Lorna Brooke passed away yesterday.
Lorna Brooke: Amateur jockey dies in hospital after Taunton fall
Last updated on
Brooke was treated on track before being airlifted to hospital
Amateur rider Lorna Brooke has died in hospital following a fall at Taunton earlier this month.
Brooke was riding Orchestrated for her mother, Lady Susan Brooke, when the horse fell at the third fence in a handicap chase on 8 April.
The 37-year-old was taken to intensive care at Southmead Hospital in Bristol for observation and tests on a suspected spinal injury.
After complications she was placed in an induced coma on Friday.
A statement from the Injured Jockeys Fund on Monday confirmed she had died.