Saturday, May 14, was a tragic day for eventing, when a rider and horse died in separate incidents at the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event in Allentown, NJ.

Philippa Humphreys and her horse Rich N Famous had a rotational fall at fence 16, the Grand Table, in the CCI3*, during which Humphreys was crushed and died. In the CCI2* held earlier in the day, Skyler Decker’s mount Inoui van Bost was injured in a fall at fence 19, the Trakehner, and was later euthanized at the New Jersey Equine Clinic.

Representatives of the Jersey Fresh International released the following statement:

It is with deep regret that we announce that rider #52, Philippa Humphreys, 33, suffered fatal injuries in a fall at fence 16, the table, on the cross country course of the CCI3* at the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event. Humphreys, a British citizen living in Rockford, Michigan, was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in nearby Hamilton, NJ, where she was pronounced dead by the attending physician. Her horse, Rich N Famous, was uninjured.

“All of us connected with the Jersey Fresh International are deeply saddened by today’s tragic news and we extend our condolences to Philippa’s husband, Peter, and to her entire family,” said Dan Wunderlich, chairman of the Jersey Fresh Three-Day Event.

We are also advising that, unfortunately, horse #8, Inoui Van Bost, ridden in the CCI2* by Skylar Decker, was seriously injured in a fall at Fence 19. The horse was transported to New Jersey Equine Clinic in Millstone, NJ, where it was humanely euthanized.