Australian Kim Gentry Injured in Riding Accident on Wellington Bridle Path

Dressage

Australia

On 13 February 2021 Australian Grand Prix rider Kim Gentry got injured after falling off a horse while out on a hack near the Little Ranches bridle path in Wellington, Florida.

"My horse was startled by dirt bikes riding illegally on the bridle paths," Gentry told Eurodressage. "I was found unconscious and unresponsive by first responders after my Apple Watch called 911."

The 58-year old Gentry was airlifted to the hospital where she spent two days in the trauma unit. Her spooking horse had fallen onto her leg, breaking her left foot. She was operated on to stabilise the fracture.

"I’m resting up recovering from the injuries. I’m pretty disappointed as I was planning to be back in the CDI ring this week," said Kim, who spends winters in Wellington and summers in Moscow, TN. Aside from training dressage horses, she only has a bits and bridle fitting business.

Gentry made her international show debut aboard the American bred Danish warmblood gelding Leonardo (by Solos Landtinus x Rambo) in 2014 at small tour level. In 2016 they moved up to Grand Prix. Their career highlight so far was riding on the Australian team at the 2018 CDIO Nations Cup in Wellington and scoring a historic bronze medal, the first medal ever for Australia in a Nations Cup. In 2019, Gentry and Leonardo did just one CDI and have not been out in the international arena since.

"I was planning on showing him this week in the CDI after a year of working remotely with Jan Ebeling during Covid and in-person during season," Gentry explained. "I felt like we were in a really good place in our training and I’m so disappointed that I’m missing out the rest of the season."

Kim also has Laurie Simons' 8-year old Rhinelander gelding Fine Art (by Feedback x de Niro) getting ready for small tour this year and the Westfalian gelding Frasier (by Furst Piccolo x Florestan) working towards Grand Prix.