Top Trainers Take Over for Darren Chiacchia: Maddens, Ransehousen, Hough, Holling and Dover Pitch In to Train and Mentor Injured Olympian's Students

For all those who are cynical about horse professionals and the show scene, consider this clip posted today on the web site of injured Olympic event rider Darren Chiacchia, who remains hospitalized in intensive care at a Tallahassee, Florida hospital after a horrific fall six days ago at the Red Hills Horse Trials:

"Many of the world's top equestrians have reached out to help keep Darren Chiacchia's, Independence Farm, running smoothly by donating their time and talents to teach his stable of students. Friend and neighbor in New York state, John Madden, came to Independence South in Ocala to help Darren's students as they prepare for this springs upcoming competitions at Poplar Place, The Fork and the CCI at the Florida Horse Park. Regarding Chiacchia, Madden said that his 'contribution was made very easy. Darren has been a good friend and is an excellent horseman, which is evident from his students.'

"Earlier in the week, Missy Ransehousen, daughter of famed dressage trainer and previous USET Chef d'Equipe Jessica Ransehousen, worked on the flat with Chiacchia's students and will be attending The Fork horse trials with them. On Friday, Jonathon Holling will be helping out and attending Poplar Place and the CCI* at the Florida Horse Park with Chiacchia's students.

"On Monday and Tuesday, one of show jumping's star riders, Lauren Hough, will teach Darren's students how to further their skills in the show jumping arena. Dressage legend Robert Dover will be here on Wednesday to help them prepare for their dressage tests. The end of the week will bring back jumping legends John and Beezie Madden on Thursday morning.

"Both Holling and Ransehausen will teach here at Independence Farm on a weekly basis and will mentor the students through their upcoming events."

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Darren reportedly has opened his eyes a few times and can squeeze hands, according to the web site. His Independence Farm is located near Ocala, Florida.

Chiacchia Update: Hospitalized Event Rider Improving in Florida

A press release just in from the Red Hills Horse Trials in Florida announced that the organizers have received encouraging news regarding New York event rider Darren Chiacchia and his condition. The Olympic medalist was airlifted to a hospital yesterday after a fall on the Preliminary level cross-country course that did not appear to injure his horse.

Family and friends at the hospital report that Darren is still in critical condition in the Neuro Intensive care unit at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, but is now showing definite signs of improvement.

According to the Tallahassee Democrat newsapaper, quoting a nurse at the hospital, his condition has been upgraded from "critical" to "serious but stable".

An Internet video of a press conference shows the palpable tension in the faces of organizers and USEF president (and former eventing star) David O'Connor as they made statements. The event is apparently banning media access to the competing riders unless formal interview arrangements are made. This sends the media into the crowds to interview spectators, primarily about the dead horses. Most non-horse specialist media representatives are not familiar with horses or the demands of the sport of eventing, nor are many spectators, who may inaccurately describe what they saw or what they have heard.

In one case, spectator comments to the Tallahassee media contradicted the official statement from organizers that one of the horses died "instantly".

One woman interviewed on Florida television compared Darren Chiacchia to Christopher Reeve; the actor's spinal paralysis was caused by a fall from a horse at a low-level eventing competition. In contrast, Chiacchia's brother, Dan, compared Darren to Evil Knievel when interviewed by the Buffalo (New York) NBC affiliate.

According to one report, Chiacchia may have had as many as six entries to ride over the course, albeit at different levels, yesterday. Therein lies another nuance of eventing: to the uninitiated, it may sound like going at the "Preliminary" level would be a pretty easy outing for a horse. Chiacchia's injury did not occur while he was riding one of his international-level horses over the most difficult obstacles. Had that been the case, the Internet's "YouTube.com" site would be lit up with spectator videos of his fall.

"His horse was going over a jump and actually did a somersault. He did it so fast he wasn't able to break away from the horse. The horse landed right on top of him," Dan Chiacchia, Darren's brother, said Saturday on Channel 2 News in Buffalo. "He's had his share of spills. I think he's sometimes refer to him as the Evil Knievel of horse jumping. Seems like there's not a time that goes by where he doesn't break something."

Event riders are required to wear body protectors and certified protective headgear in competition. Red Hills Horse Trials is one of the most highly-regarded events in the sport in the United States.

Eventing in the United States attracted widespread media attention in May of 2007 when a horse was injured on-course at the Rolex (Kentucky) Three-Day Event. The horse was later destroyed and the rider was subjected to an investigation by the FEI (international governing body of horse sports).

But the 2007 Rolex incident stirred concerns about the impact on horses of errors in judgment on the part of riders and the high risks of eventing, which the sport's supporters say are part of eventing's formula of balancing skill, talent and risk with condition, footing, course design, equipment function...and luck.

Injured Olympian Darren Chiacchia Undergoing Treatment at Florida Trauma Center

Veteran 2004 US Olympian event rider Darren Chiachia of New York was transported to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital's Trauma Unit earlier today for treatment of critical injuries suffered at an obstacle on the cross-country course at the Red Hills Horse Trial nearby.

According to the event organizers tonight, more tests are needed and Darren, 42, is being treatment by the appropriate specialists.

Darren was injured at fence 5C on the Preliminary course; his mount, Baron Verdi, was apparently uninjured. The rider was quickly treated by EMS units and transported to the hospital by Life Flight, a medical helicopter emergency service.

Three months before making his 2002 World Equestrian Games debut, Chiacchia broke both hips in the worst riding accident of his career during the cross-country portion of the Bromont event in Quebec.

Darren, who splits his year between Springville, New York, where he trains at Independence Farm, and Ocala, Florida, was in first place after dressage in the Preliminary division when the accident happened. As is common in eventing, he had horses to ride in several divisions, including two in the *** World Cup, where he was in 4th and 12th place behind leaders Amy Tryon and Leslie Law after dressage and one in the CIC*** where he was also in 12th place.

Red Hill organizers have asked that people not call the hospital to inquire about Darren.

Also today at Red Hills, two horses appear to have collapsed and died on the cross-country course. Rider Jonathan Holling's horse Direct Merger went down near Fence #8. "The accident was in no way related to a jump on course," Hollings said in a published statement to the media.

In negotiating the combination Fence #17 A and B, Missy Miller and Leprechauns Rowdy Boy fell. The horse suffered seizures, according to onlookers, after the fall and then died. The rider was not injured.

Owners and riders are awaiting necropsy results from post-mortem testing on the two dead horses at the University of Florida in Gainesville while the entire horse world crosses its collective fingers that Darren's injuries are not as severe as reports make them sound.

Well-wishers can visit the quickly-formed "Best Wishes to Darren" Facebook page to communicate support for him during his recovery.