Rider death at cross-country event was accidental

A horse rider's death at a cross-country competition was accidental, an inquest has concluded.

Primary school teacher Sarah Yorke, 37, was competing at the Aston-le-Walls Horse Trials close to Daventry, on 8 August, when her horse hit the third fence and trapped her underneath.

Despite efforts from the event medical team and an air ambulance crew, the mother-of-one was declared dead at 18:26 BST.

Anne Pember, senior coroner for Northamptonshire, said she died from multiple traumatic injuries and told her family "as a mother of two daughters who ride, I am devastated for your loss".

The inquest heard the event's duty doctor, Dr Samantha Gammell, had attended within 30 seconds of the accident, had cleared Yorke's airway, and monitored her heart rate.

Gammell said her blood pressure deteriorated and her oxygen saturation was 76%. A normal level is between 95-100%.

She said Yorke's consciousness was "fluctuating" and was at times "quite distressed".

Gammell said she administered intravenous access, and gave drugs to help with blood clotting and pain relief.

She was also given adrenaline, CPR and the air ambulance team performed a thoracotomy - which is surgery to open the chest.

Her husband, Chris Yorke, thanked the doctor for what she had done.

The hearing heard that all fences on the course were as they should be that day.

Simon Grundy, a technical advisor for British Eventing, visited the course on 12 August to inspect the third fence.

He said there was "no evidence" of it having moved and that he could "see nothing that would concern me about this fence".

After the inquest, British Eventing said Yorke was a "much-loved member of the eventing community".

It added: "While nothing can lessen the profound sadness of her loss, the written evidence and reports reflected in detail the thoroughness, integrity and dedication of the team on the ground that day in the most difficult of circumstances.

"Sarah will always be remembered as part of our community and our thoughts remain with Chris and their family."

Yorke was a teacher at two primary schools in Shropshire, and a third in Powys in Wales.

Shortly after her death, the Shropshire Hills Federation said: "Sarah was an inspirational teacher who was always full of energy and life.

"She shared her love of learning, and in particular sport, with every child and over many years she had such a positive impact on many children and adults alike."

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