Cross-country day, March 15, at the Red Hills CIC***-W, CIC*** and horse trials ended sadly with two horse fatalities and a rider in critical condition.
   
Darren Chiacchia was airlifted from the facility in Tallahassee, Fla., after his preliminary mount, Baron Verdi, fell on him at the fifth fence. He was taken to the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Trauma Unit and has sustained critical injuries.
   
Tests are being performed on him, and Timothy Holekamp, Chiacchia’s longtime supporter, was with him at the hospital. Baron Verdi was uninjured.
   
Jonathan Holling’s Direct Merger collapsed and died on course near fence 8 in the CIC***-W from a likely aneurysm.
   
In the advanced division, Melissa Miller’s Leprechaun’s Rowdy Boy fell at fence 17ABCD, the Apalachee Bay, which was a bounce into water. It appears he died instantly.

Neither Miller nor Holling were injured. A necropsy will be performed on each horse at the University of Florida.

“I would like to thank the organization and vet staff for their quick response,” said Holling. “The accident was in no way related to a fence. I lost a great partner in Direct Merger today, and he will be greatly missed.”

David O’Connor, president of the U.S. Equestrian Federation and chair of the FEI’s safety committee, said that review of tapes of the accidents and of medical responses to both humans and equines are standard. “Those investigations are already underway,” he said. 

“We have an elaborate response system here at Red Hills, and it was tested more today than it ever was,” said Rusty Lowe, safety coordinator. “The response could not have been better. It’s a well-oiled machine. I don’t know anyone who does it better, and that makes all the difference in the world.”

Tom Barron, chairman of the board of Red Hills, said, “It’s been a long, difficult day, and we’re all thinking about Darren’s family and the owners of these horses.”