Apprentice jockey dies in car crash near Dubbo

The racing community is in mourning after the death of 24-year-old apprentice jockey Bronte Simpson in a car crash on Monday night at Mendooran in the NSW Central West.

Simpson died at the scene after her SUV left the Castlereagh Highway about 80 kilometres north-west of Dubbo and hit a tree.

The Ballarat-raised rider had moved to NSW to start her racing career and began her apprenticeship with Sara Ryan at Wyong in February last year. She transferred to Tamworth trainer Jane Clement last August and had racked up 13 more winners since taking the Kristen Buchanan-trained Stylebender to victory with her first ride, at Muswellbrook on May 2 this year.

Simpson had not ridden since the Dubbo meeting on Saturday and was believed to be travelling home on Monday night after visiting friends.

NSW Jockeys’ Association secretary Tony Crisafi was at Gilgandra hospital on Tuesday morning to support Simpson’s family, friends and fellow riders.

“It’s just a tragic accident, very sad,” Crisafi said. “It’s a tight-knit, family-like group, the jockeys. We’ve got a lot of apprentices and a lot of them are young girls. Eighty-per cent of our apprentices are female, if not higher than 80, so a lot of them are struggling.

“Her parents have just arrived here from Ballarat … it’s just terrible. It’s just a tragic accident and at the worst time of the year. She was one of the family and jockeys will rally around each other.

“There is professional counselling, and they can access that. We’ve just got to keep an eye on them and make sure they are OK.”