LEADING north of Ireland show horse producer, rider and judge Julie Donaghy Simpson is recovering at home following an incident last Wednesday week.

The Loughbrickland yard owner was turning a horse out when it was spooked by something in the field and tried to jump the gate out but got caught up in it. The gate became unhinged and hit Julie hard on the right hand side of her face resulting in multiple facial injuries and nerve damage. The swelling needs to go down before any surgery can be undertaken.

“She was unlucky that it happened, but was very lucky not to have suffered brain damage or even be killed,” reported Julie’s partner, and fellow show rider and judge, Michael McGaffin. “The doctors and surgeons in Craigavon, The Royal and Ulster Hospital said they had never seen such injuries without brain damage.

“Julie has a long road ahead of her, which is going to be frustrating as she is very much an outdoors person and very energetic. She can’t drive either so that won’t be easy for her.

“I have 20 horses in work myself, but have taken her horses down to my yard (in Banbridge) as it will probably be after Christmas before she will be back riding and then it will be on the quiet ones.

“There are other things she can’t do at the moment, such as judging (which we were meant to do last weekend and this), while it will be some weeks before she can return to her job as Head of Department for Vocational Education at St Paul’s High School in Bessbrook, as she wouldn’t be able to look at a computer screen for long.”