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Zara Phillips' friend and fellow rider is crushed to death by her horse during competition
Last updated at 09:37am on 19.11.07A friend of Zara Phillips was killed during an equestrian competition when the horse she was riding stumbled and crushed her.
Eleanor Brennan, 21, one of Britain's most promising young three-day event riders, was crushed when her horse Mr Barnabus stumbled at a jump and tumbled on top of her during an event in Florida.
Once the youngest competitor at the Badminton Horse Trials, Brennan had spent several years in Gloucestershire riding and training alongside Captain Mark Phillips, Zara's father and an Olympic gold medallist, and his second wife Sandy.
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Crushed: Eleanor Brennan died when her horse fell on her during a competition
After studying equine business management at Hartpury College, she sacrificed a promising career on the British riding scene to take a lucrative job training horses and riders at a farm in Virginia.
She had become a regular on the American eventing circuit with Mr Barnabus, an 11-year-old Irish horse she took across the Atlantic with her.
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Talented: Ms Brennan was a good friend of fellow rider Zara Phillips
Brennan suffered head and chest injuries in the fall at the cross-country stage of the Florida International three-day event in Ocala and died shortly afterwards in hospital.
Event organisers said Mr Barnabus struck a gate while attempting to clear a fence and rolled over onto its neck, trapping Brennan underneath.
The horse died instantly.
"It's a tragic experience for all of us," said Tom Warriner, chairman of the Florida Horse Park.
Her death is the second tragedy to hit the Florida event after another rider was killed in a fall in 2006.
The British team manager Yogi Breisner said: "It is always tragic when something like this happens.
"My condolences go to her family and friends. She was a lovely, charming young lady and a good rider."
