A brave schoolgirl who was trampled by a horse at the Kirriemuir Agricultural Show has started fundraising for the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance.
Charlotte Stork, 11, who starts at Webster’s High School after the summer, had finished competing on her pony Robin at the show on Saturday when another horse backed on to her.
The youngster suffered a head and leg injury and the SCAA was scrambled to offer assistance.
After medical checks it was determined Charlotte could be taken by road to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee where she was kept for observation until 9.30pm.
Charlotte has now donated her £12 prize-money to the Scone-based charity, and a link on her mum Jane’s Facebook page has already raised another £200.
Jane was full of praise for the emergency teams and show organisers who sprang into action at the showground.
She said: “It was a bit of a day.
“We are not blaming any one, it was just one of those things.
“She had finished riding and was sitting with a friend on the grass away from the ring, a safe distance away from the horses which were tied up.
“Two horses got into a fight, one backed away and trampled on her.
“She was screaming blue murder and her jodpurs were ripped.
“She had her hat on but it had come off in the scuffle.
“She has been taught, if on the ground near horses, to go into a ball to protect her chest and abdomen. She tucked herself up like a little hedgehog.”
Jane dialled 999 and was relieved to see the helicopter at the scene within 10-15 minutes.
She said “Charlotte was given first aid by the St Andrew’s Ambulance crew, who were brilliant.
“I was so happy to see the air ambulance land and she was assessed but found to have no internal injuries.
“She was conscious throughout.
“They were also worried in case she had a serious head injury but it was just a scrape.
“She has a massive bruise on her leg and a hoof-shaped print on her head but she’s a wee trouper.”
Charlotte, a former pupil at Southmuir Primary School, trains at the Pathhead Equestrian Centre in Kirriemuir.
She had notched up a number of successes at the show, winning local ridden pony for her age group, the reserve champion for the local pony, ridden pony and reserve ridden pony.
Jane continued: “Pathhead Equestrian Centre are very strict and enforce the policy that you have a hat on even if you are not riding, which is what she did.
“She has bounced back and was up at the stables the next morning.”
