by Ashley Mayotte – WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — On Thursday, May 26, an accident occurred during Mohawk’s 10th race, unseating a pair of drivers, Mark MacDonald and Jody Jamieson.

The spill happened when If I Didnt Care, driven by Jamieson, was coming on for second. The 3-year-old filly made a break and stumbled in deep stretch, causing interference to the rest of the field. Most of the group was able to avoid Jamieson, but Dancers Cam could not avoid collision and MacDonald was catapulted from his sulky.

Jamieson was able to walk off the track under his own power and will drive as programmed tonight at Western Fair. MacDonald needed medical attention and was transported to Hamilton General Hospital. The two horses involved appeared to escape serious injury.

Mark’s brother and fellow driver, Anthony, offered an update on his brother’s condition. “He was in lot of pain, but he was cracking jokes and playing around,” he said. “He was very alert. The doctor said he was lucky to be alive and I (Anthony) told him he’s (Mark) probably the most unlucky human I’ve ever met, hauled away in an ambulance more times than I can count.”

Mark suffered some broken bones in fall. “His nose and jaw are broken and his right shoulder is dislocated,” said Anthony. “He is waiting on some x-rays on his jaw to see exactly where it is broken and how bad it’s broken. He lost a couple of teeth. He had a rough ride, but I am sure he will bounce back.”

Anthony explains that it is uncommon to have a posterior dislocation, which is when the top of the humerus (shoulder joint) is behind the shoulder blade.

“Mark actually had that happen to his left shoulder a number of years ago in a bad accident in London,” he said. “It took a lot of time and years to rehabilitate and unfortunately the same thing has happened to his right shoulder.”

Anthony also says there still needs to be tests and x-rays done to determine the extent of the damage to Mark’s right shoulder. He has confirmed that there is no damage to his brother’s brain, spine, arms or legs.

“It was hard for me,” said Anthony, recalling the spill. “It happened right beside me. I was driving the horse right beside him when it happened, so I rushed back to see how he was. He gave me a real scare. He was bleeding a lot and he was in a lot of pain.”

It is still unknown when Mark will be released from hospital.