A sad end to a long day
I had so much I'd planned to write about today. It was a busy day. We had our first snow. So much to write about. And one thing can change your whole outlook. It can suck all the life out of you and make everything else so much less important.Today that one thing was one of the saddest things I've ever experienced. I don't know how many folks know this, but I have been around horses all my life. As long as I can remember my dad's had race horses. I've met a lot of people along the way and seen a lot of accidents. But nothing was like today.
We had bad storms in Ohio last night. And I guess the race track was very muddy today. My uncle's horse was supposed to run, but as they were getting ready an announcement came over the PA system and said the rest of the races were canceled because of track condition. They were told that three jockeys had been thrown off because of the mud. So, they headed home for the day, saving the race for another day.
What we found out tonight is that it was much worse. On the evening news they reported that one horse had gone down with a broken leg. The jockey, 16-year-old Josh Radosevich was thrown off. He was then run over by other horses on the track. Both Josh and the horse, Nyoka, died in the accident. (Well, Nyoka was euthanized on the track, but the results are the same.) Josh was a sophomore in high school and had only had his apprentice jockey's license for about a month, and had already won 19 races. His future was so bright, and now it's gone. We know his family, and they are a good people, a racing family. His grandpa and dad are both successful trainers. They said that at least Josh died doing what he loved, riding horses. I just don't think that makes it any better when a young kid dies.
If anyone wants to read an article about the accident, there is a good one here. This was a bad day at the track. Before the races started, they'd had a memorial service for another jockey who'd died from riding injuries last week. I will always pick a fight with anyone who thinks that both race horses and jockeys are not athletes. That's ridiculous.
I am just so sad and upset now that I can't think of anything else to say. More update when I'm feeling like myself again. Right now, I'm just devastated. It is so sad to see any young life end before it really had a chance to begin.
posted by Laura at
10:34 PM
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