Sabrina Manganaro. Photo via Eventing Italy
Following the death of 25-year-old Sabrina Manganaro at an Italian national event on April 12, the technical delegate, event director and cross country course designer have been placed under investigation as required by Italian law. They have not been formally charged.
The accident occurred at the Ippogrifo Golden Star horse trials in Cuceglio, near Torino in northwest Italy. The fall occurred at fence 13 on the national category 3 cross country course, which is similar to the USEA’s Preliminary level. Sabrina’s horse reportedly “underestimated” the size of the jump, fell, and Sabrina was killed instantly.
At the time, it was unclear whether the fall was rotational, and initial reports stated that Sabrina was crushed by her horse. Later reports said she suffered a fatal kick as the horse scrambled to rise. EN confirmed with the Italian Eventing Association on Friday that the fall was rotational, and Sabrina’s death was likely caused by fatal injuries suffered upon impact to the ground.
According to Italian penal code, it is mandatory for the magistrate to open an official inquiry in the event of a death and place all parties considered directly involved under investigation. This law is not exclusive to horse sports.
Carola Brighenti, the secretary at ANCCE, the Associazione Nazionale Concorso Completo di Equitazione (Italian Eventing Association), an affiliate of the FISE (Italian Federation of Equestrian Sports), explained: “When a person dies, even in an accidentally way (car accident or similar), the police has to come on site with the coroner to declare the death.
“The judiciary police has to open an inquiry to state if the death was accidental or caused by someone’s fault. To open an inquiry is mandatory to convict someone … A counselor will then study the case and all the evidence, and after that he will decide if it is necessary to go on a trial or to file the case.”
The fence where Sabrina Manganaro’s fall occurred. Image provided by ANCCE.
After Sabrina’s accident, the competition was suspended, and the jump where the accident occurred was sequestered for examination “as part of the ipotetic (hypothetical) cause of the accident,” according to Luciano Cantini, the competition’s technical delegate.
“The prosecutor declared (the fence) not cause of the accident since it’s within the rules stated by the FISE on measurements and typology,” Luciano said.
Luciano had commented on EN’s initial report that “misfortune had the major role” in the accident — “nothing to do with difficult or unfair course, but just a bad approach to the jump.”
The FISE was unable to comment on the details of the case, but the organization did confirm that the technical delegate, course designer and event director are under mandatory investigation by Italian authorities and that this is “standard procedure in a police inquiry for an accident of this type in Italy.”
Luciano, an Italian national level 1 technical celegate and 3*/4* international eventing judge listed under the Irish Federation, told EN he is confident the investigation is a simple formality and neither he, the course designer nor the event director will be convicted of manslaughter.
“I’m sure that we all did our job in the best way we could,” Luciano said. “I appreciate the solidarity and the kindness your followers has expressed towards Sabrina’s family and her boyfriend.
“I would like everyone involved in this sport to know that despite the tragedy, nothing will stop this wonderful sport to go ahead, and I think that Sabrina from up there is sharing the same thought … may she rest in peace.”
The investigation is expected to be closed in a few days, and the FISE will publish an official statement accordingly. We will update you with new information on this case as it becomes available.
