Kerryn Manning
Kerryn Manning and Aaron Dunn are recovering well from Friday’s race fall, but still have a long and painful road ahead before they return to the track.
Dunn suffered a dislocated and cracked shoulder and Manning broken ribs and a punctured lung when they fell during Friday’s VHRSC Snowball Series Heat at Charlton.
“He’s OK, but it will be a few months before he gets back driving again,” said Dunn’s father, Barry.
Trainer-driver Grant Campbell, husband of Kerryn Manning, said “she’s on the improve” after a difficult weekend.
Dunn’s gelding, Sulem Joey, lost stride and fell, which dislodged his driver and tipped Manning’s cart, and led to her being run over by a trailing sulky.
Both were transferred to Bendigo Hospital, where it was found Dunn had dislocated his right shoulder, requiring anaesthetic before it could be put back into place, with further inquiries revealing he had cracked the top his shoulder.
“They had to knock him out and x-rays found more surgery was needed,” Barry, a trainer, said. “He’s travelling OK. He’s going to have his arm tied to his waist for about six weeks.”
As time advances Manning is also on the mend and more is being learned.
She suffered three broken ribs, high on the right side, and a minor puncture to her lung, which is healing itself. She also suffered concussion, which Campbell said was “the biggest concern initially”, but “she’s responding really well as far as that goes”.
“She’s on the improve,” he said. “She came out of the intensive care unit yesterday because they were really happy with the recovery of her lungs, her breathing and oxygen levels, and she has been in the surgical unit to monitor her before she is moved to the general ward. The pain is a bit more prevalent now.”
The reminder that the risk of injury is ever-present in the sport has come in the wake of several falls this season.
“We do it every day of the week and you kind of think nothing of it, but this last six to 12 months we seem to have had more falls in Victoria than the previous three years,” Campbell said.
“We had one that looked worse at Melton a few months back where three of us – myself, Kerryn and Chris (Alford) – were all tipped out, but 30 minutes later we were back up and driving again.
“This time there have been two serious injuries. If Kerryn was half a metre further along she would have been all right, but these things happen.”
If there’s something the setback has reinforced it’s the ability of the trots community to rally around those beset by challenges.
“We are very overwhelmed and grateful for the many well-wishes people have given to Kerryn and myself,” Campbell said. “There have many offers to help and we are very happy to have our families around us and the great support of staff at Bendigo Hospital.”
The same can be said for Dunn. Among the well-wishes was a surprise call from Western Bulldogs great Doug Hawkins, with whom Dunn had crossed paths some time back.
“That boosted his spirits,” Barry said. “He loves the racing. That’s his outlet. He’ll be out for a while, it could be three months, it just depends on how comes up.”
Media enquiries:
Michael Howard (HRV Media/Communications Co-Ordinator)
t: 03 8378 0286 | e: mhoward@hrv.org.au | tw: @MichaelRHoward