Friend of rider killed in hunting fall hits back at ‘vile’ online comments
The best friend of a rider who was facing a private prosecution when she died in a hunting fall has described her as a “hero”.
Jane Goring suffered fatal injuries while out with the Mid Surrey Farmers’ Draghounds on 7 November.
The 57-year-old had been told she would not face prosecution for an incident caught on film by hunt saboteurs last autumn, in which she appears to hit a masked man, who had grabbed her horse’s bridle, with her whip. But she was later told she was facing a private prosecution over the same incident, and was due to go back to court in January.
Her friend Macaylla Rutherford told H&H: “Jane was a hero.
“She had a heart of gold; I lost my mum nine months ago and Jane was my rock. She was my children’s godmother; now they say she’s their fairy godmother and she’s with their nanny.
“She was loved by everyone. Just a normal person; not upper-class, not trying to pretend she was something she wasn’t, she just fitted in everywhere and with everyone.
“It’s all trail-hunting; going out with your horse to have a brilliant day out. Hunting is a community and you all stick together.”
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Macaylla said her friend had faced a huge backlash since the incident caught on film, on private land on which sabs were trespassing.
“She was a hero that day, she’d gone back to help a young boy, my nephew, who was surrounded by sabs, she went back for a child and I take my hat off to her.
“The Crown Prosecution Service told her she wouldn’t be charged, but the sabs set up a funding page and got the money together for a court case.”
Macaylla added that after the incident, Jane was subject to vile telephone calls, and had to have police protection outside her house.
And since her death, sick anti-hunt protestors have left further “vile” comments and messages online.
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“They’re disgusting people; who would write things like that?” Macaylla asked. “I want everyone to know she wasn’t guilty of anything; she was a legend and a hero.”
A funding page has been set up in support of the Air Ambulance Foundation UK in memory of Jane.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.