IRISH EVENTING RIDER Jonty Evans has yet to regain consciousness after suffering a serious fall at the Tattersalls International Horse Trials earlier this month.
The 2016 Olympian remains in intensive care in Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital and a statement released by Horse Sport Ireland confirmed Evans has sustained a ‘significant brain injury.’
Evans fell from his horse, Cooley Rorkes Drift, at the event in Meath on 3 June and while he is no longer under heavy sedation in the care of the hospital’s neurological team, further tests have revealed the seriousness of his injury.
The statement, released on behalf of Evans’ family, thanked the hospital staff for their care and the wider public for the messages of support they have received, adding that it may take the 46-year-old months to recover.
“Jonty continues to be in a stable condition in intensive care in the Beaumont Hospital under the care of the hospital’s neurological team,” it read.
“Jonty’s family would like to express their thanks to the wonderful staff at the hospital and for all the best wishes and kind messages of support that have poured in over the past days.
“The family appreciate that people do wish to understand the nature of Jonty’s head injury and we can confirm that Jonty has not yet recovered consciousness after his fall.
“Although no longer under heavy sedation, further tests in the past few days have shown that it is a significant brain injury and it may take Jonty many months to recover.
“The Beaumont Hospital medical team continue to emphasise that every case has to be treated individually and people’s recovery rates vary case by case.”
Evans represented Ireland at the 2016 Games, finishing ninth in the individual eventing competition.
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