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12-Year-Old Olympic Hopeful Crushed to Death by Horse

Feb 1, 2008 – 8:47 PM
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Ryan Ferguson

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Awful, awful story. Shannon Bloomfield, a 12-year-old with aspirations to compete in the 2012 Olympics, died in a horse-riding accident in the UK yesterday.

From the Telegraph:

Shannon Bloomfield, 12, was taking part in an indoor jumping event when her mount fell on top of her.

She had almost completed the course when her horse, Poppy, failed to negotiate the penultimate fence.

It fell awkwardly, trapping the young rider, as horrified spectators looked on. Shannon was pronounced dead at hospital.

Bloomfield was described as "sports-mad" by her parents. The youngster competed in tetrathlons, an event which combines running, shooting, horse-riding and swimming.

This horrific accident will undoubtedly stir up arguments over children and their role in competitive, high-risk sports. Feel free to sound off with your take, below.
Filed under: Sports

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