White Narrowly Avoids Tragedy In Serious Trailer Accident

Four-star eventer Sharon White's Wednesday morning started like countless early mornings before it. She and her groom, Kay Greenwood, were driving north with five horses in the trailer headed to the Cosequin Stuart Horse Trials and CIC** (N.Y.) in the pre-dawn hours on July 15.

However, her journey came to an abrupt and terrifying end when her truck and trailer were hit on the passenger side by a utility truck at an intersection just a few miles from her Last Frontier Farm in Summit Point, W.V.
   
"I was in the passenger seat just looking at the directions, and it all happened so quickly," recalled White. "It was really horrible-every horse person's worst nightmare."
   
Incredibly, none of the humans or horses sustained serious injuries.
   
"We got t-boned in the only place that wouldn't have severely hurt a person or a horse," said White. "It was the back of the truck and the front of the trailer. My Eby trailer was amazing. It didn't flip over. The whole structure stayed completely solid where the horses were in the trailer. The horses have minor scratches and that's it."
    
Unfortunately, White's truck and trailer were totaled. "My dressing room is hanging off the trailer," said White. "A little further forward, and I wouldn't be talking to you. If it had to happen, somebody was definitely looking out for us."
  
White had nothing but praise for the emergency crew that rushed to the scene and helped her sort out the situation. She was able to ship the horses home quickly with help from her assistant trainer Simone Kann and her working students at the barn.

"I would love to say thank you to everyone," said White. "People have already called and offered their trucks and trailers."