RVL and their Workers’ Compensation issues….

Poor Gerrad Gilmour crouched somewhat the worse for wear at Pakenham on Tuesday. We have no issues with the jockeys, except for the terrible toll suffered by the horses they ride. We observe jumps racing closely, and believe Gilmour’s ride on Juan Carlos in the Crisp Steeplechase was the equal  (in quality of horsemanship) to anything seen this year.

However, jumps racing is an activity that has crippled many of its champions – jockey and horses:

Adam Lindsay Gordon suffered head injuries as the result of a bad fall during a steeplechase at Flemington in March 1870. He never fully recovered, and committed suicide three months later.

Tommy Corrigan (after which the Corrigan medal is named) was killed from injuries received in a race fall in August 1894.

Brian R Smith was known in his day as the “Bradman of the Jumps”. In 1956 he rode the winners of three jumps races on the one day at Flemington, a feat which had only been achieved earlier by two other jumps jockeys: Adam Lindsay Gordon and Tommy Corrigan.  Smith suffered significant head injuries as the result of a fall in 1959, and understand that the remainder of his life was marred by the injuries received that day.

Jamie Evans: numerous injuries, and never really recovered completely after a horrific fall from Enzed at Moonee Valley in July 2005. As Stewards reported, “Enzed fell at the obstacle near the 500 metres and then crashed through the running rail. A veterinary examination of Enzed revealed the gelding had sustained wounds to its near and off forelegs and off hind leg.”

Brett Scott: a great horseman, badly injured from numerous falls. We remain saddened by Scotty’s situation, because he’s such a nice bloke. It’s hard not to be affected by his cheerful demeanour. We have no argument with the jockeys.

Photo supplied NH (uproar.org.au)

Above: Gerrad Gilmour falls from Our Chateau and then squats on the track at Pakenham after his very heavy fall.  Gilmour had fallen just two days earlier from steeplechaser Juan Carlos at Sandown. Both horses were lucky to escaped fatal injury. Our Chateau was later found to be lame.

We have no argument with jockeys, however we suggest they are hopelessly underpaid. If anyone studied the proper recompense for a jumps jockey we would be surprised if it came in less than $1,000 per ride……just the risk factor would dictate that. We know from the Judge Jones report just how much it costs each year to provide jumps jockeys with workers’ compensation.

Jumps racing: as Rodney Rae says, it’s an ‘extreme sport’. It certainly was for Adam, Tommy, Brian, Jamie and Brett. And we suspect that Gerrad has had better days than Sunday and Tuesday.