Teen equestrian Hannah Serfass dies after accident at Fox Lea Farm
A 15-year-old Central Florida woman died Sunday, following a equestrian accident whereas driving in a contest at Fox Lea Farm in south Sarasota County.
Hannah Serfass was riding Quaxx 2, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding, in a hunter/jumper competitors when the horse tripped and fell, in accordance with an announcement from the United States Equestrian Federation.
“The autumn was unrelated to a leaping effort,” the assertion learn.
The teenager from Webster was a member of the Wildwood Center Excessive College Observe Crew.
A Sumter County College District official confirmed her identification Monday however clarified that she was really home-schooled and took part in extracurricular actions on the college. “The monitor crew was very concerned along with her, related along with her,” mentioned Jessica Christian, the curriculum supervisor for the Sumter County College District.
Crew members had been knowledgeable of her loss of life Monday morning.
The assertion additionally included an extension of deep condolences to the Serfass household from the federation, the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association and Fox Lea Farm.
Federation spokeswoman Vicki Lowell famous within the launch that, “The Federation takes each accident very critically and will probably be reviewing the accident totally to study what we are able to do to reduce threat and enhance security in equestrian sport.”
Fox Lea referred to the federation assertion Monday afternoon after acknowledging the accident in a Sunday Fb submit.
“Fox Lea Farm had a tragedy happen at this time,” the submit acknowledged. “Out of respect to the household, no data will probably be shared right now. We ship our honest condolences to the household, coach, pals, & the entire equestrian neighborhood. We’re all heartbroken.”
Each Sarasota County Fireplace Rescue and the Sheriff’s Workplace responded to a name after the Sunday morning accident.
Serfass, a junior rider, was midway by means of a hunter/jumper competitors course, having simply completed soar No. 5.
In keeping with the Sheriff’s Workplace report, the horse landed efficiently and took two or three steps to the subsequent hurdle then planted its left entrance hoof, “which brought about the horse to lean down considerably in direction of its left entrance hoof.”
“This motion brought about the rider to then topple ahead and off the horse in the identical route and onto the bottom. The horse then continued to fall in the identical route falling over and onto the rider’s head on the bottom,” the report mentioned.
Fox Lea Farm personnel and others started first assist, till Sarasota County Fireplace Rescue responded.
Serfass was taken by way of ambulance to the Sarasota Memorial Hospital Venice campus, the place she was later pronounced useless.
A March 2023 profile by Ben Baugh in World Equestrian Center Magazine lauded Serfass’ “coachability, focus, self-discipline, expertise.”
She rode your entire winter 2022 circuit on the World Equestrian Center in Ocala and competed in Michigan.
A flexible athlete, Hannah competed in gymnastics till fourth grade, her mom Janine Surfas informed World Equestrian Middle Journal, after which switched to driving and displaying horses.
Hannah additionally ran monitor and cross nation at Wildwood Center College.