The life of a jockey in the Tucson, Arizona, horse racing world ended on Sunday, March 1st, following an accident at the Rillito Park Racetrack. Authorities identified the deceased as Richard C. Gamez.
A statement put out by the Rillito Park Foundation revealed that Gamez was competing in a race when the accident happened. The dead man was leading in the fifth race at the track when for unknown reasons, his horse stumbled in the final turn.
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The stumble caused the jockey to fall off the horse and he sustained severe injuries as soon as he hit the ground. The medical staff at the racetrack quickly tried to manage Gamez injuries before an ambulance took him to the Banner-University Medical Center.
Doctors at the hospital did all they could for the horse racer, but his injuries were so severe that they claimed his life. Gamez has been horse racing since he was a child at Rillito; he had two wins and ranked seven on the winner’s board.
An estimated number of 30 million Americans ride horses yearly, and about 2, 300 riders are hospitalized from horse riding injuries. Horses are flighty creatures, and when galloping, they can travel as fast as 30 miles per hour.
When a person gets thrown off a horse in motion, the injuries are usually quite fatal and life-altering. Most of the injuries occur in the upper part of the body, and mostly affects the spinal region, arms, and head.
Dislocation, herniated discs, concussions, broken bones, sprains, tissue tear, and bruises are the standard type of injuries. Horse riders should always have a hardshell helmet on when riding and fasten it properly.