Jockeys and Car accidents

Reading that Devin Habib will not be returning to the saddle I was thinking whether jockeys should even be allowed to drive. The stats are terrible.

Those that have been in serious accidents include Devin Habib, Bartie Leisher, Tyrone Langdon and Nathan Danster.

Those killed on ther road were Peter Dillion, Andre du Preez, Lj Katjedi and recently Sylvester Mtshali.

These are just some of the names I can remember in the last 15 years. It really is tragic. I would never have believed that jockeys are probably safer riding in a race than driving a car or motorbike.

Not forgetting Petrus "Yeke" Ndhlovu, a close friend of mine, died in a car accident too.

Billy Harvey and Peter Sieg (Gondolier's two jockeys) both died in car accidents, I think. Paul Vermaak was badly injured in one and never rode again. Even before my time (quite a while ago!) there was apparently an extremely promising jockey in Cape Town named Tony Garcia who died in a motorbike accident. I'm sure there are other names to add to this sad list.

If I remember correctly Martie Schoeman was also killed in a car accident - 20 odd years ago.

Elvis didn't Martie commit suicide by gassing himself in his car

i think it was a car accident others to die in motor accidents were Rudi Nieuwenhuis,Richard Smythe who was champion apprentice of SA while been an appy riding in PE a great achievement in those days

Wagga ...quite correct - Martie Schoeman committed suicide

....was close to Martin Schoeman and his circle of weird hanger on's.....Martin died in a car accident just off Gatwick circle Raceview(near his Mother's house).....he hit a stationary car at around 04h00 on a Sunday morning....

Although he didnt die, Willie Shoemaker, legendary champion US jockey, was severely injured in a car accident.

A long list could be linked to big money at early age and fast cars, sad.

scotia Wrote:

---

> A long list could be linked to big money at
> early age and fast cars, sad.


Or tiredness having to fuel their bodies on fresh air

Muhtiman, I think you're quite correct.... I thought his car went into the back of a stationary truck ( remember in the OLD days, trucks never had that metal bar at the back to prevent cars from doing exactly this )