Katherine Morel death: Canadian equestrian rider and horse die after falling during competition

33-year-old Katherine Morel succumbed to her injuries after suffering a rotational fall

Katharine Morel and her horse Kerry On from a YouTube video from a long cross country event in July 2019 (Ride On Video/ YouTube)

Equestrian rider Katherine Morel and her horse Kerry On have both died as a result of serious injuries caused by a fall during a competition in Florida, Equestrian Canada (EC) announced.

In a statement the organisation announced that Morel, 33, and the eight-year-old thoroughbred mare suffered a rotational fall during the Rocking Horse Winter III Horse Trials.

The accident occurred at fence eight of the intermediate level cross-country course of the competition.

EC said that Ms Morel was immediately transported by Lake County Emergency Medical Services to Waterman Hospital in Tavares, Florida.

However, she later succumbed to her injuries. Kerry On suffered fatal injuries and died shortly after the fall.

“Today, the equestrian industry lost not just an exceptional athlete, but an exceptional person, as well as the horse she loved,” said EC High Performance Director, James Hood.

“On behalf of EC, I extend our sincere and heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of Katharine, as well as to the entire team who surrounded Kerry On.”

Ms Morel discovered Kerry On when she was three-year-old, and together the pair worked their way up the levels to make their FEI debut in 2019.

"Katharine was just entering onto our radar of international events," and was working her way toward competing for a spot on the national team, Mr Hood told USA today.

"She was a great developing athlete and a great person," he added.

A rotational fall occurs when a horse somersaults before landing on its back. This specific type of fall is known to frequently cause severe injuries and fatalities to both rider and horse.

"[They are] generally the most dangerous falls we see in equestrian sport. And they often have very serious injuries as a result from them," Mr Hood told CBC Canada on Sunday.

The release stated that the EC will work closely in cooperation with our sister federation, US Equestrian, to investigate the fall and continue developing methods to improve safety for riders and horses alike.