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Former jockey Suzzanne France rides again for Injured Jockey Fund
07:18, 23 May 2015
By Martin Shaw
Suzzanne helps raises awareness for Jack Berry House in Malton
A former jockey will ride in her first race since she was badly hurt in a horror fall eight years ago.
Suzzanne France, a former student at Holmfirth High School, will take part in a charity race at Kelso on Sunday (May 24).
Now a racehorse trainer in Malton, Suzzanne was left in a coma for three days after her mount Uace Mac clipped heels with another horse and was catapulted head first into the turf.
The horse cartwheeled in the air and landed on top of her, leaving her with head and other injuries.
The fall happened at Redcar racecourse in May 2007.
Suzzanne, 26 at the time, was in hospital for five weeks and was left with impaired vision, which ended her riding career.
But this weekend she will ride in a charity race to raise funds for the Injured Jockeys Fund and Borders MS and help support the new Jack Berry House, a specialist jockey rehabilitation centre being built in Malton and named after the former trainer.
Suzzanne, who worked in the school holidays for Stephen Whitaker, brother of top Huddersfield showjumpers John and Michael, gaining experience of the top show jumping world, said she remembered little of the fall.
She added: “After the accident my parents have told me that I was in a coma for three days and then spent several days in intensive care in the Middlesbrough James Cook Hospital
“I was later moved to Malton hospital for a further four weeks. The facilities available at the local hospital were very limited for my specific injuries.
“I really wish that Jack Berry House had been around at the time. With our support it will be there to provide for injured jockeys in the future.”
Suzzanne told how friends and family supported her fight back to health and said: “When I initially returned home even basic tasks such as using a knife and fork and making a cup of tea were a challenge.
“My head injury meant that I had to re-adjust to my impaired vision. However, I was determined to get back to work and got back on my own horse, Aggi Mac, within six months.”
Suzzanne now trains four horses at the aptly-named Newstart Yard near Malton. Her first winner was Stamp Duty in 2012.
07:18, 23 May 2015
By Martin Shaw
Suzzanne helps raises awareness for Jack Berry House in Malton
A former jockey will ride in her first race since she was badly hurt in a horror fall eight years ago.
Suzzanne France, a former student at Holmfirth High School, will take part in a charity race at Kelso on Sunday (May 24).
Now a racehorse trainer in Malton, Suzzanne was left in a coma for three days after her mount Uace Mac clipped heels with another horse and was catapulted head first into the turf.
The horse cartwheeled in the air and landed on top of her, leaving her with head and other injuries.
The fall happened at Redcar racecourse in May 2007.
Suzzanne, 26 at the time, was in hospital for five weeks and was left with impaired vision, which ended her riding career.
But this weekend she will ride in a charity race to raise funds for the Injured Jockeys Fund and Borders MS and help support the new Jack Berry House, a specialist jockey rehabilitation centre being built in Malton and named after the former trainer.
Suzzanne, who worked in the school holidays for Stephen Whitaker, brother of top Huddersfield showjumpers John and Michael, gaining experience of the top show jumping world, said she remembered little of the fall.
She added: “After the accident my parents have told me that I was in a coma for three days and then spent several days in intensive care in the Middlesbrough James Cook Hospital
“I was later moved to Malton hospital for a further four weeks. The facilities available at the local hospital were very limited for my specific injuries.
“I really wish that Jack Berry House had been around at the time. With our support it will be there to provide for injured jockeys in the future.”
Suzzanne told how friends and family supported her fight back to health and said: “When I initially returned home even basic tasks such as using a knife and fork and making a cup of tea were a challenge.
“My head injury meant that I had to re-adjust to my impaired vision. However, I was determined to get back to work and got back on my own horse, Aggi Mac, within six months.”
Suzzanne now trains four horses at the aptly-named Newstart Yard near Malton. Her first winner was Stamp Duty in 2012.
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Good for her and good for Jack Berry for all the work he has done on this project.
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Yes, great news and best of luck to her.
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Would be nice if Stamp Duty could win for her today, has it to do over 12fs though!
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3.65 IR, don't folk read form?
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