Equestrian star Georgie Campbell dies after fall during Bicton International Horse Trials
A tragic accident occurred at the Bicton International Horse Trials Sunday, in Devon, England.
Equestrian star Georgie Campbell died at 37 after falling off of her horse.
"Medical professionals attended immediately... however, unfortunately, she could not be saved," British Evening, which covers the event, revealed in a statement.
Global Quest, Campbell's horse, was assessed and did not suffer injuries.
“Police were called to reports about the death of a horse rider at Bicton Arena, East Budleigh, at around 3:50 p.m.," Devon and Cornwall Police told the Daily Mail in a statement. “The woman was in her 30s and from Kent. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner."
"To respect the family’s privacy at this extremely difficult and sad time, no further details will be shared," the British Evening release states.
Who is Georgie Campbell?
Campbell started her professional equestrian journey in the early 2000s in Kent, a county in southeast England, as a member of the Romney March Pony Club. Her debut as a competitor was at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in 2010, according to an equestrian blog out of the United Kingdom.
From that moment on, she competed in over 200 events, according to the BBC, winning six. She married fellow equestrian, Jessie Campbell, in 2020. Jessie competed for New Zealand in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and plans to return this summer in Paris.
The couple together, ran Team Campbell, an equestrian group in Kent.
What is a rotational fall in horse riding?
The topic of rotational falls in horse riding is in the news after Campbell's death was announced, though it remains unclear if that is what happened here.
A rotational fall is when a horse runs into the fence throwing it and the rider forward before landing on top of the rider. The saddle often makes contact with such force that it causes internal damage to the rider.
"In some circumstances a suit of amour let alone a body protector or air-bag jacket, or state-of-the-art helmet is not going to save you," the Telegraph reports, highlighting a tragic year (1999) in the equestrian world when five riders died in fatal falls.
"The death of Georgie Campbell in a fall at Bicton Horse Trials on Sunday reminds us that when it comes to riding horses, even up a country lane, is not an entirely risk-free enterprise," the Telegraph reported.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Equestrian star Georgie Campbell dead at 37 after falling off horse
