Teens defies spinal injury

Tenacity rewarded

SHE sported a winner’s smile, but as she competed in the Tasmanian Showjumping Championships on Sunday Laura Edwards was in “quite a lot of pain”.

Six weeks ago, a horse stepped on her and injured her spine when warming up for an event in Howden.

The 17-year-old lost feeling in her feet and was told by a doctor to not ride for at least six months.

But in a show of resilience, the Hobart teen defied the pain barrier to not only compete, but claim the Tasmanian State Champion and

Tasmanian Young Rider Champion double on horse Luchia Elmare.

Edwards has aspirations of representing Australia, but nothing was going to stop her chasing the state crown.

“I’m not supposed to be riding because of the spinal injury, but I couldn’t help myself,” she said.

“I was told to have six months off, but we’re pretty dedicated in the sport of showjumping.

“I’ve lost feeling in my feet, but not in my legs. I’ve been doing physio to get it back on track, so I don’t have to have surgery just yet.

“That [no feeling in feet] didn’t make too much of a difference [when competing], but I was in quite a lot of pain on the weekend, just through my back and down my legs a little bit.

“I’m not supposed to be doing anything that will extend or suppress my spine until it stabilises.”

Edwards said she felt safe competing on Luchia Elmare, a well mannered horse she knew would keep her out of trouble.

“When I came out I was a bit shaky, but I knew I was safe with that horse,” she said.

“I usually ride a lot more horses, but I took one I knew I was 100 per cent safe on.”

Edwards said she would be forever grateful for the help of those around her after her Howden accident.

“I’m very thankful to everyone who was around me that day,” she said.

“We had to wait to be allocated an ambulance so we phoned up a friend Joe Kippax [an Ambulance Tasmania retrievalist and retrieval consultant who works with the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service] who lives around the road from where it happened.

“He came down and helped get IV access and things like while he waited. I’m very grateful to him.”

Sunday’s state championship was officially the 2022 edition after wet weather forced it to be postponed.

“It kind of worked out better for me because I wouldn’t have been able to do it [last year],” Edwards said.

She said the state titles were a big success at Acton Park’s Tasmanian Equestrian Centre.

“I think over the whole show there was 300 rounds jumped between the two rings, and we brought course designers down from the mainland,” she said.