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Work rider cheats death after fall on Lambourn gallops
23 July, 2008
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A Lambourn work rider had to be resuscitated 17 times yesterday after a fall on the gallops.
David McMinn, 19, was riding out for Jane Chapple-Hyam on Tuesday morning (22 July) on the Mandown all-weather gallops, known locally as the short, when his horse bolted and threw him into the railings.
He took a large impact to the chest and punctured a lung.
Fortunately Tom Lovell-Stagg, operations manager for the Jockey Club Estates Mandown gallops, was at the scene and proceeded to do CPR for over half an hour.
Mr Lovell-Stagg told H&H: "I got there moments after he hit the deck — he was motionless and not breathing. I immediately set about trying to revive him by giving him CPR and putting him in the recovery position while calling an ambulance.
"The ambulance took over 30 minutes to arrive and during that time he stopped breathing on about 17 separate occasions."
Police, ambulances, doctors and the fire brigade all arrived at the scene.
Mr Lovell-Stagg took an emergency first aid course a few years ago and had taken a refresher course earlier this year.
"I always carry an array of emergency equipment as by the nature of racing both horses and humans are very unpredictable and it is important to take the necessary precautions," added Mr Lovell-Stagg.
"The adrenaline allowed me to continue but it is fair to say that after 35 minutes I was exhausted. But I think had anyone else faced the same situation they would have done the same. I'm just happy to have helped."
Mr McMinn is currently in a stable condition in Oxfordshire's John Radcliffe Hospital.
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