Accidental death verdict on indoor cross-country fall

A verdict of accidental death has been returned by the inquest into the tragic accident that claimed the life of 12 year-old Shannon Bloomfield (pictured) at Milton Keynes Eventing Centre on 27 January.

The inquest heard that Shannon, from Bletchley, Buckinghamshire was competing in an indoor cross-country event.

Her pony clipped a fence, somersaulted and landed on top of her, before kicking her in the head as it tried to get to its feet.

Paramedics treated Shannon, who had won an earlier class that day, at the scene but she died in Accident and Emergency at Milton Keynes Hospital an hour later.

Her father Darren was the first on the scene and he told the jury, “It all happened so quickly, I’m not sure what happened. It was such a blur, but she seemed severely injured and was completely unconscious.”

British Horse Society inspector Robert Weatherby investigated the incident the next day. He told the inquest that he was satisfied with the lighting and condition of the indoor course. The fences had been built by an approved builder, out of the right materials and he described the jump as encouraging for the horse.

The post mortem revealed she suffered serious injuries including fractured ribs, internal and external bruising to both lungs and a fractured skull.

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