EVENT rider Fraser Duffy was sporting a pair of crutches as well as a dickie bow at the David Foster Injured Riders Fund Ball last weekend.

The Fernhill Sport Horses rider has been out of action since mid-January, having sustained a kick to the leg from a horse being vetted for sale to America.

“It was a freaky thing to be honest, the horse took a spook while I was trotting him up for the vet, cantered a couple of strides and kicked out but he caught me square on the side of the leg,” Duffy told The Irish Field.

“There are a couple of fractures at the top of the tibia and maybe one in the fibia. But the main damage was done on the inside of the bone, where the top of the tibia was almost squashed down into the bone marrow,” he explained. “I had surgery in Waterford that night to have a bone graft and lots of pins put in place.”

Duffy’s absence has meant that Fernhill boss Carol Gee has called in help to fill his boots. With about 35 horses in work, regular rider Tracy Walsh has been joined by young French rider Max Pons, son of French international rider Gilles Pons. Brazilian rider Wagner Aires will soon be arriving to spend a month jumping Fraser’s mounts.

“Wagner will be taking some of the horses on the spring tour in Millstreet and I hope to be back soon after that,” said Duffy.