THE thoughts of the racing industry are with 21-year-old Kaitlyn Ryan after the up-and-coming amateur rider suffered serious injuries in what was described as a freak accident while riding out.

A native of Co Tipperary, Ryan is said to have met with a “life-changing spinal cord injury” that will see her receiving treatment for the foreseeable future. Fundraising efforts are now ongoing, with a GoFundMe page, which was established this week, already collecting over €127,000 for the UCD economics student.

According to the fundraiser, Kaitlyn will need to make many lifestyle changes to adapt to her new life to ensure her independence. The page notes: “Kaitlyn’s future is unknown and she faces a long journey ahead. We want to help Kaitlyn and her family through this challenging time.”

Ryan was seen to good effect when riding her first winner in July aboard the Bill Durkan-trained Eagle Fang. Working closely with the Durkan team, the young talent came close to landing the prestigious Connacht Hotel Qualified Riders Handicap at this year’s Galway Festival for the same stable when 40/1 outsider Holy See finished a close second in the €110,000 prize, only behind Derek O’Connor on Comfort Zone.

More than half of Ryan’s mounts under rules came for the Shark Hanlon yard, who have been canvassing for fundraising support online and at the Listowel Harvest Festival this week. She finished in the prize money on nearly 70% of her rides since her racecourse debut at Killarney in July 2025. Anyone who wishes to support Kaitlyn can do so by following this link.