Tamworth trainer and reinswoman Sarah Rushbrook was on a roll in the sport of harness racing - training and driving winners along with taking out a premiership last season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
That all came to a halt last Sunday when Rushbrook, along with fellow Tamworth reinswoman Elly Chapple fell heavily as the gate released for the running of the Inverell Cup, the feature race at the Inverell harness meeting.
"We had to be going about 60 kilometres at the point of release," Rushbrook said.
"I was surprised that it wasn't worse with all the horses and drivers involved - not that the fall was any good either."
Following the one horse out of the barrier, within seconds Rushbrook found herself flying through the air.
"The front horse fell and rolled inside onto Elly's horse who was in the two spot. I saw the horse in front going down and I managed to get past but got clipped by the gig," she recalled. .
"I got the horse clear but not myself."
Vision of the fall will show Rushbrook being catapulted into the air before falling heavily to the inside of the track to the ground.
"I was conscious all the way but had my eyes closed in the air and didn't realise that I had gone so far," she said.
"I knew I had hit a pole on the way down. The Steward showed me my helmet with all the white paint on it."
"I was fully winded and I tried to prop myself up to get my wind back then when I tried to get up it was a quick analysis when I moved my leg that I wasn't going to get up in a hurry"
READ ALSO:
Rushbrook underwent surgery on Monday afternoon at Lismore Hospital for two breaks to her femur.
"They thought I only had the one break going into surgery and they didn't realise it was so bad until they saw the second break," she said.
"They have put a steel rod into the bone and screwed it in."
"I heard the doctor say that it could be up to 12 months before things were right again - I burst into tears and told him that's not happening."
Rushbrook only recently wrapped up the Team Teal campaign in February where she was selected as the North West Ambassador for the charity which raises funds for research into ovarian cancer, and besides driving winners on the track conducted a Trivia Night to help raise more funds for the cause.
Anyone who knows Rushbrook knows she has determination and guts, and a heart that wants to help her fellow competitors out in a rough spot.
Now it is her turn.
"I am just overwhelmed with the amount of phone calls and text messages that I have received. Everyone has just been wonderful, and I do appreciate it," she said.
"Even when I was laying on the track, I could see a lot of faces and there was a lot of involvement from those on course helping out."
Rushbrook has had falls before, but never in a race and "nothing like this".
"I have had falls in track work and trials and you go home and have a couple of bourbons and a panadol and get on with it," she said.
"I have never had to have the green whistle before let alone a chopper ride to hospital."
"It is a massive thanks to everyone at the track - the ambulance on course - the staff on the chopper flight were so assuring to myself and Elly (Chapple), and here at Lismore Hospital the staff are so pleasant - everyone has been brilliant."
She will have to undergo further x-rays on her back to see if she will be transferred back to the Tamworth hospital in a weeks' time or have to head to the Gold Coast for a further operation. There is concern of an injury to her back where the L5 is pressing on her spinal cord.
"I am just looking forward to coming home but it will all depend on the x-rays," she said,
Rushbrook and Chapple have been good company for each other in the Lismore Hospital.
On Tuesday the good news filtered through that Chapple was being transported back to Tamworth where she will undergo surgery for a broken elbow.
