Top rider crushed to death under her horse at hunt
A LEADING equestrian was crushed to death when her horse fell during a hunt.
Sue Webb, who was vice chairman of the British Show Horse Association, was thrown from her saddle at a jump and her mount landed on top of her.
The 64-year-old was riding with the Mid Surrey Farmers Draghounds, of which she was secretary, when tragedy struck at the weekend.
Her devastated mother, Sheila pipe, told the Mail: ‘She fell at the fence and the horse went over and crushed her underneath.
‘I can’t believe it. It was the last drag meet of the season and the first fence. She was a very keen horsewoman and very well known in the horsey world, judging and everything.
‘I keep asking: “Why did she go to the last meet of the season?” They are such big jumps. They are enormous jumps, just too big. She had been a keen horse rider from the age of 11.
‘It was her life. I just don’t know how we’re going to cope. I’d give everything to have her back with us now.’
Mrs Webb’s horse, Ron, was unharmed in the incident.
Drag hunting is a legal form of hunting in which riders and horses follow an artificial scent laid by helpers.
Mrs Webb’s businessman husband, peter, 70, is also a leading figure in the equestrian world and served on the committee of the Masters of Draghounds and Bloodhounds Association.
Until recently the couple had lived at Uckfield in West Sussex, where former neighbours spoke of their shock at Mrs Webb’s death.
One said: ‘ She was such a lovely person and a good horsewoman. She and her husband were very big in the horse world round here.
‘Their garage was full of tack and they spent all their time with their horses. It’s very, very sad.’
Mrs Webb’s son from a previous marriage, Christopher Kenny, 31, and his wife immediately flew over from Dubai where he lives and works.
His mother joined the board of the British Show Horse Association in 2007 where she had a special interest in supporting and promoting amateur owners and riders.
She initiated an amateur horse of the year award at the national championships and served on six judging panels. She had her own show horse.
Mrs Webb, who had moved to Vines Cross in East Sussex, was also a keen sailor and over the past two years had joined her brother making voyages in the English Channel. Mrs pipe told how her daughter and son-in-law had suffered the ‘devastating’ loss of two horses.
‘One died when peter was actually riding him. He had a heart attack and peter managed to get off before he fell.’
Gina Weare, a fellow member of the Mid Surrey draghounds, paid tribute to Mrs Webb on the group’s Facebook page.
She said: ‘Sue lost her life doing a sport she loved and to which she has been a huge contributor both directly and behind the scenes for many, many years.’
Another member, Tom Gurney, wrote: ‘I’m sure that if Mrs Webb had an option to choose her way, this would be the way the she lost her life, on her horse ... out dragging. We will all miss you.’
‘Enormous jumps’