Jockey falls off horse mid-race, climbs back on and wins in dramatic fashion

By Dave Kovaleski June 17, 2018 at 7:57am

The old adage that says, “If you fall off your horse, get right back on it,” has never been more fitting than it was for jockey Aaron Kuru.

Kuru, racing at a steeplechase event in Awapuni, New Zealand, actually fell off his horse, Des De Jeu during the race.

https://www.facebook.com/SportsCenter/videos/2293257994026363/

Not only did he get back on his horse, he managed to win the race in one of the most stunning displays of racing you’ll ever see.

Here’s another look at it.

One of the most extraordinary wins you will ever see on a racetrack. Jockey @AaronKuru comes off his horse, Des De Jeu, at the first jump only to remount and go and win!@SKYNZ #NZRacing pic.twitter.com/gjrliJF0Wk

— Trackside NZ (@TracksideNZ) June 16, 2018

Kuru somehow held on to the reins as the horse went down after making a jump.

Remarkably, the horse popped right back up and kept racing.

Kurui and Des De Jeu had a lot of ground to make up, but they managed to overtake the pack and win the 600-meter race in dramatic fashion.

Kuru couldn’t quite explain the unique chain of events.

How's this for a recovery! Kiwi jockey Aaron Kuru bounces back after a mid-race tumble to win. https://t.co/trbTUYVosv pic.twitter.com/hBCn9ceu0I

— The West Sport (@TheWestSport) June 16, 2018

“It was his first start over the fences and he probably landed a bit steep and just went down,” Kuru told the New Zealand Herald.

“I don’t really know and can’t explain it as it just sort of happened. I got back on and he drew himself back into the race. He’s got plenty of ability,” Kuru added.

“After that first (fence) he jumped pretty well although there’s still plenty of improvement in him, so it’s exciting,” he told the Herald.

In other jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom, riders are not allowed to remount if they fall off the horse, but in New Zealand they are.

So the next time you hear someone tell you to get back on the horse and try again, you’ll know it’s more than just a silly saying.

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Tags:

Horse racing, Viral

Dave Kovaleski

Contributor, Sports

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Dave is a lifelong sports fan who has been writing for The Wildcard since 2017. He has been a writer for more than 20 years for a variety of publications.

Dave has been writing about sports for The Wildcard since 2017. He's been a reporter and editor for over 20 years, covering everything from sports to financial news. In addition to writing for The Wildcard, Dave has covered mutual funds for Pensions and Investments, meetings and conventions, money market funds, personal finance, associations, and he currently covers financial regulations and the energy sector for Macallan Communications. He has won awards for both news and sports reporting.

Location

Massachusetts

Languages Spoken

English

Topics of Expertise

Sports