The New Zealand racing community is in mourning after the death of apprentice jockey Megan Taylor following a race fall at Ashburton on Thursday.
Taylor was among four jockeys that fell during the incident which occurred soon after straightening in race two, with her fellow riders being assessed for non-life-threatening injuries. The remainder of the meeting was abandoned after the tragedy.
The 26-year-old was in her third season of riding and had won 16 of her 236 starts in the saddle.
A Canterbury local, Taylor’s grounding with horses came in eventing, where she spent time working as a groom, including a two-year stint with New Zealand Olympians Tim and Jonelle Price in the UK. She was apprenticed to Riccarton trainer Andrew Carston, having begun her time with North Canterbury trainer John Blackadder.
“Our deepest sympathies are with Megan’s family, friends, and others in the racing community who have worked closely with Megan,” said NZ Thoroughbred Racing chief executive Bruce Sharrock.
“We will look to support them in any way possible in the coming days and weeks. We also will support the jockeys and others who were at the races today.”
In a statement on Twitter, racing minister Kieran McAnulty passed on his sympathies to Taylor’s family.
“I’m incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of jockey Megan Taylor during a race this afternoon,” he said. “I want to pass on my deepest sympathies to Megan’s family and friends, and to all of those in the industry who worked alongside her and knew her.”
The tragedy is yet another blow to the tight-knit racing community, coming just four months after jockey Taiki Yanagida died from injuries suffered in a race fall at Cambridge in August.
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