How Did Megan Taylor Die? Apprentice Jockey Cause of Death Explained
Apprentice jockey Megan Taylor died after the crash on Thursday afternoon at Ashburton Raceway.
Who is jockey Megan Taylor?
Jockey Taylor rode 16 winners in her career and was Andrew Carston’s trainee at his Riccarton, Christchurch, facility. In June 2021, while riding Jimmy Who for her then-boss John Blackadder, Taylor achieved her maiden victory at Timaru.
“I’ve been working pretty hard to get this, and it came on my first ride at Timaru,” Taylor remarked at the time to NZ Racing Desk. Taylor began her racing career 18 months prior, upon her return from Europe where she had spent two years assisting New Zealand Olympic equestrian duo Tim and Jonelle Price in preparing their horses for the renowned Burghley Horse Trials.
“I had spent the last couple of years working for Tim and Jonelle, but when my visa expired, I came home to New Zealand,” she said. Taylor had her first double win on May 27 when she rode both Koputaroa and Amberecho to victory at Wingatui.
Jockey Taylor loves to work with animals
“I’ve always loved working with animals, as along with my work as a groom, I also did three years in a shearing shed after I left school. “People told me I had the build to be a jockey, so I guess that is how it has turned out, and thankfully riding has come pretty naturally to me.”
In an interview a fortnight ago, Taylor described a love of horses that led to her becoming an apprentice jockey. ”Loved horses my whole life, love going fast. I just thought ‘this is where I want to go.”
Trainer’s tribute to the young jockey-“She was a Lovely Girl”
“I was talking to Megan about two minutes before she got on the horse. She was on top of the…..” she said, breaking down and clearly upset as she spoke to Stuff.
“It’s devastating news. “She was a lovely girl, a real nice girl.”
Taylor squeezed in a gap with the horses
Trackside image of the race showed Taylor’s mount appear to be squeezed in a gap with horses on either side before Red Orchid crashed into the track and the other three were unable to avoid a collision.
Red Orchid, a four-year-old chestnut mare, is trained by husband and wife team John and Karen Parsons, of Balcairn. The couple was not at the Ashburton meeting, but Karen Parsons spoke to Taylor just before the race started.
Safety Precautions by the team
A spokeswoman added, “Our Event Health Services team was already at the racecourse for the event.” “We sent two ambulances and an operations manager to the scene in addition to our first response.
“One patient was sent with moderate wounds to Ashburton Hospital. Two further individuals with minor wounds were examined and cared for on the spot.
Taylor had only completed her third riding season when she rode the winners of 16. The tragedy occurs only four months after Waikato jockey Taiki Yanagida passed away from wounds sustained in a race fall at Cambridge.
Races were Postponed
Following Taylor’s death, which Racing Minister Kieran McAnulty confirmed, races were postponed as the racing community dealt with it. The meeting was terminated after the competition.
Police confirmed they were called to an incident at the Ashburton Racecourse at 1.30 pm. The Herald understands at least one of the other jockeys involved in the fall has minor injuries.
Hato Hone St John said they received a call at 1.06 pm about an incident at Ashburton Racecourse.
Megan Taylor Cause of Death
Apprentice jockey Megan Taylor has died as a result of a shocking race fall in New Zealand on Thursday. The 26-year-old was riding four-year-old mare Red Orchid, who fell during the 1400m maiden at Ashburton.
Taylor was riding the horse Red Orchid in race 2, which had 14 riders. Two other jockeys were involved in the same fall. Taylor was hit by another horse, as she lay on the track. Emergency services attended the accident, but she was pronounced dead soon after.