Rider Laura Linback is reportedly in stable condition after suffering a severe head injury and emergency surgery following an incident at the HITS Ocala horse show on Saturday. Linback’s husband Troy told The Chronicle of the Horse that his wife is unconscious and on a ventilator, but that her brain pressure remains low. He said the family is grateful for the well wishes they have received from the greater horse community.
Linback was injured on March 26th after her horse, HH Dauphin, collapsed suddenly and died after completing their jump-off round in the $25,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic. Linback, who was mounted at the time, was treated by medics and taken to the hospital via helicopter.
An amateur rider, Linback and the 14-year-old Dutch stallion HH Dauphin had been competing successfully together in high amateur owner and Grand Prix classes since 2011. HH Dauphin was owned by Laura, Troy, and Laura’s parents, Alvin and Nancy Gorman. The Linback and Gorman families own and operate Woodrun Farm in Mundelein, Illinois.