You can bet this will not cause much of a stir.

Chester Chronicle 10th June 2005.

A Policewoman was killed instantly when she was thrown from her horse.

Amanda Stone, 32, died on Saturday doing the thing she loved most - riding her horse Joe on a cross country course.

It is believed she died instantly from a broken neck at Mitchells Equestrian Centre in Egerton Hall, Malpas.

Her mother Jenny is now trying to come terms with her loss - she learned of her death when a friend called with condolences.

She told me she was dead and I just screamed' said Jenny of Vicars Cross.

Firstly my deapest sympathy to this mother and the tragic loss of her lovely daughter.

I have been around the racing scene for nearly fifty years and raced the mountain for over twenty of them.

I also competed on some pretty impressive animals far more successfully for 21 years in every type of Equestrian discipline, team chasing, (now banned) hunter trials, eventing, showjumping, working hunter, dressage and did my fair share of hunting with five hunts, also a bit of horse mounted film work such as "First Knight" the King Arthur film made in North Wales with Connery and Gere, now that was really frightening and dangerous with one horse dead. .

I defy anyone to produce any facts or figures that show that racing on the T.T course comes any where near as deadly or dangerous as just being around and riding horses, never mind competing in the more difficult disciplines.

I have been round the Egerton hall course and is like a ride in the park and nothing to difficult, but horses have a mind of their own and make mistakes at jumps particularly if the rider hesitates, or is nervous and not really going forward with the horse.

The crazy thing about competing horses is that anyone, even if they have never sat on an animal in the their lives can enter any competition without any knowledge, experience, ability or training there is no licensing or grading of ability of any kind.

The definite hard fact is that you are far more likely to be seriously or fatally injured competing on horses than on motor cycles, even on the road circuits.

But nothing is ever said about the dangers of Equestrian Sport even though many of those victims should never be allowed to compete through lack of ability and experience of both horse and rider.

I have known far more people fatally injured on horses than motor cycles, and many of them were as capable, experience and competent as any one can be.

"Amanda died on Saturday doing the thing she loved most - riding her horse Joe on a cross - country course".

That's okay then.

Just as long as she was not racing a motor cycle in the T.T. or the MGP it's acceptable.

I came home to a reality check. When I got to the bus stop to come home tonight, there were flowers and signs tied to the lamp post next to the shelter, dedicated to a young lassie, killed crossing the road, as far as I can gather...on Senior day.

Your dead right Tom I have a nephew who is now minus his spleen lost when riding his pony. I raced for 15years and still have all my bits and pieces, although some don't work so well now,despite a few terrible accidents.
Did'nt a first minister of Northern Ireland lose his life in a riding accident?

I agree.

But...why relate to the TT without any reason? Doesn't make sense?

The same can be said for so many sports - boxing, even climbing Everest.

For those that do worry about the TT ending in the near future, dont. It's a myth.

It relates to the T.T. MGP in so far as the bad press that motor cycle road racing ALWAYS gets.

But the Equestrian world gets none to my knowledge, in spite of the gross stupity, neglect and lack of regulation of the ownership and competitive disciplines involving what is a powerful and bordering on a wild animal.

The T.T MGP S100 and Irish meetings have changed no end over the last 50 years in respect of the organisers doing everything possible to reduce the risk to competitors, pit crews and spectators. In particular the grading of competitors through the various stages of experience and ability.

Like wise we now have the toughest of regulations in respect the use of motor cycles in everyday use by compulsory training, testing and the various restrictions from learner to to a full licence with the full support of the motor cycle trade at all levels from retailers to manufacturers, and quite rightly so.

Yet our sport still comes in for the most biased, prejudiced and unjust critiscism.

I quote again from the Chester Chronicle, Amanda died, "doing the thing she loved most". Additionally. "It's been Amanda's passion since she was five years of age and she's had about nine horses or ponies. She rode for her university show jumping team". Full story. "She gave her life for her love".

Does not the same apply to those of us who have experienced the same passion for racing on the roads? It was Amanda's choice. I have been fortunate enough to experience both great sports, and despite the the losses of many, many close friends in both, I have not one regret, and given my time over I would do exactly the same again.

My point being that I believe it to be gross discrimation by the press to condemn the freedom of choice of those who organize and and compete in what I believe to be the greatest and definitely not the most dangerous sport in the world by far.

Those of us who do, and have competed in these admittedly high risk sports just like Amanda make our own choice to do what we love doing most fully knowing the risks.

The arrogance and "gung ho" cavalier attitude towards safety and regulation of competitors with little or no experience and ability in Equestrian sports is breathtaking and has made my blood run cold on endless occasions

Of course it would not be appropriate for the press to write articles and critising or condemning the most dangerous of sports in which the Consort to the Queen of the realm, HRH Princess Anne, her daughter, Miss Zara Phillips our future King and his heir have in the past or do currently had the courage to participate in.

Tom brilliant postings radio m'side had the tragic event last Fri as one of their lead stories but nothing about who won any of the races? i have emailed the radio station on why no coverage to date no reply, will keep you informed.

Hi Pykey, bet there was not a word about Amanda's tragic accident, just the same as there was no coverage about the recent two horrendous fatalities at Parkgate, Wirral, horse trials even though it is a local Merseyside event.

Both involved very young women one a trainee vet from Leahurst Vetinary research centre.

Humbug or what?

Don, similar surveys in the past, years ago when Priness Anne had a bad accident on her Olympic horse Psalm, riding horses was classed as the most dangerous sport resulting in fatalities particularly head injuries and brain damage.

At that time out of the league table of dangerous sports surveyed horse riding came top, motor cycle and car racing came bottom.

It's a horribly socially constructed judgement isn't it? i remember in the 60s, a young man from a very wealthy family I knew. he was "persuaded" not to have a bike, because it was dangerous, by being bought a very powerful car. When he had the inevitable accident, he killed 4, including himself. Sympathetically reprted, socially acceptable, unlike one of his contemporaries, killed by a criminally bad car driver, as he rode his moped. You would have thought the dead boy was to blame.
Strange standards society sets.

Best not to take too much notice of media bilge. Most of it is inaccurate, all of it is incomplete, some of it is lies, and the whole of it is unecessary.
As Mr.Churchill said: ' There are three kinds of lies; Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics'.
He may as well have added 'Media'.
Live the life, do the sport, and damn the words.

I could not agree more with you. What people do with there lives is up to them, if you want to ride bikes then you ride bikes.

LONG LIVE THE TT

The comments regarding the media are interesting I would very much agree with sidewayssid.

As would most on this forum I think.

However having suffered at the pen/keyboard of the media myself both in print and on a certain website. It is also very interesting that when the reader reads something he/she agrees with the media/journalist involved takes on almost biblical truth in what they say/write when they and the persons involved KNOW it to be lies and half truths