Editors Note:

At the Illinois Walking Horse Association Fall Classic, Rodger Weaver was injured when he jumped over the rail to assist a young girl who had fallen from her horse. The exhibitor's horse had fallen on her leg and Weaver jumped over the rail to assist her. He fell and landed on his back where ambulance services administered medical care before transporting him to Memorial Hospital in Springfield, Illinois. Weaver is now at Barnes Hospital in St.Louis, MO.

Weaver is a longtime show manager and Walking Horse enthusiast. He currently puts on the Mid America Classic, a show that benefits St. Jude Hospital. Cards may be sent to 1525 South Vandeventer, St. Louis, MO. 63110 


This is a letter that Walking Horse Report staff member Linda Scrivner received from Rodger Weaver on Monday October 17, 2005

Linda Scrivner,

To the members of the Illinois Walking Horse Association, I would like to apologize for any inconvenience that I may have caused in the delay of your horse show on Friday evening in Springfield, Illinois. I only reacted in a way that I would have done in my show or any other horse show… trying to help another person in trouble… someone that I didn’t even know. But that was okay, she was a horse person riding a Tennessee walking horse, what I didn't know was that when I came over the rail and landed on the arena floor, I shattered my second vertebrae and shattered my spinal cord. At this time, I’m paralyzed from the chest down, and with not a very promising outcome.

I remember laying there on the arena floor motionless and asking about the lady that fell, and I was told that she was okay and that she was helping me.

This is not easy for me because I always want to be on the giving end and not on the receiving end. If this had to happen, I’m glad that it happened with my friends, by my side at the horse show.

My contact information is Rodger@rwcomm.com, I can be reached at 314-362-6563. My room number is 13103.

Thanks for your quick reaction in helping me.

 

Sincerely,

Rodger Weaver