German champion Gehm in coma after fall

GERMAN champion jump jockey Peter Gehm is in an artificial coma following a fall on Monday morning when riding out for Christian von der Recke.

The rider, 35 today, was completing his final lot of the day and only doing a slow canter when he fell against a fence, suffering multiple injuries including damage to his spinal column.

Gehm, who recently made headlines in Britain when he took the wrong course aboard Registana in the Sporting Index Chase at Cheltenham, was flown by helicopter to a special clinic in Cologne.

“I myself didn’t see the fall, but he was just doing a normal canter and frankly I wasn’t too concerned how it happened but more concerned about getting help,” said Von der Recke.

“Seeing that he couldn’t move his legs, he was transported by helicopter to a special clinic in Cologne, which is standard procedure.

“At the moment he is paralysed in both legs and it doesn’t look good,” said Von der Recke.

“He also suffered a broken breastbone and a punctured lung. It is because of the punctured lung that he was put into an artificial coma. However, the most important injury is to his back.”

“I can’t believe that a guy rides in the Pardubicka six times and then has to suffer such a horrendous injury at home.