Lara and Latitude just seconds before the fall
Lara Pizimolas was one of the casualties of the recent Australian International 3 Day Event. However Lara’s fall from her horse, Latitude, did not happen on cross country day, as maybe you would have expected, but during the show jumping phase on the final day.
Lara and Latitude (Strudel), a seven year old warmblood mare that Lara has owned for two years, had been going well at their first Australian International 3 Day Event in CCI2* class leading up to show jumping day. On cross country day they had put in a clear jumping round with only 13.2 time penalties and Lara was pretty happy with their 26th place on a score of 69.80
“The dressage had gone well considering it was such a big atmosphere - we made a bit of a mistake near the end but I was still happy and she was just fantastic on cross country day. She was bold and full of confidence for such a young horse”
In the show jumping arena on Sunday morning Lara and Latitude had a mishap at Fence 9, a jump which quite a few combinations had been misreading, which left Lara with two broken ankles.
Lara described what happened when we chatted with her recently
“Our fall at the Australian International Horse Trials was a freak of a fall. I remember knocking Fence 8 and she was a little backed off so I kept the tempo going, as Strudel is known for a stop. Thinking about it now, maybe I should have had the stop! She totally misread the fence and it all happened so quickly. Her right front leg was in the middle of the oxer and then she kicked out the back rail to get herself out of trouble, which threw me to the side and on landing she couldn't scoop me up.
I ended up coming off and my right leg first hit the ground first, with my left leg still in the stirrup. My right ankle just gave way on me, shattering both sides of my ankle and I definitely heard it break (which is a sound that makes you feel distinctly ill). My left ankle isn't as bad but there is a small break which they didn't find till the following Wednesday due to ligament tears”
The medics were immediately on the case and Lara was stretchered out of the arena to be taken to Royal Adelaide hospital where she stayed for 10 days. Luckily she is a local rider so friends and family were nearby and last week she was able to leave the hospital to return home to the Adelaide Hills. She is currently in a wheelchair for most of the time and has been told to rest for six to eight weeks
“It’s going to take quite a lot of rehab apparently” says Lara “Especially my right ankle and the doctors have mentioned six months off riding but we will see about that!”
As well as not riding, Lara will have to take some time off from working in her family’s business, Sports Power in Mount Barker. Latitude too is having some time off at home, which was the original plan following Adelaide, but currently Lara can only keep an eye on her from the window as friends and family help out looking after the young mare.
Lara bought Latitude as a six year old from Alex Townsend of Wallaby Hill Farm, who had imported her from Germany.
“Strudel had done a few 1* events when I get her and this year we’ve just had a fantastic season with placings at every event. I decided to compete at the Australian International 3 Day Event after Melbourne 3 Day Event, where we came 13th and I felt she was ready to go to Adelaide”
“Despite what’s happened, she is definitely still my favourite horse!” says Lara
