Accident Analysis and Prevention 43 (2011) 840–847 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Accident Analysis and Prevention journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/aap Predictors of race-day jockey falls in jumps racing in Australia P. Hitchens a , L. Blizzard a,* , G. Jones a , L. Day b , J. Fell c a Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 23, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia b Accident Research Centre, Building 70, Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia c School of Human Life Sciences, University of Tasmania, Locked Bag 1320 Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia article info Article history: Received 6 August 2010 Received in revised form 1 November 2010 Accepted 1 November 2010 Keywords: Epidemiology Incidence Injury Jockey Horse abstract Thoroughbred jumps racing jockeys have a fall rate greater than their flat racing counterparts. Previous studies have focused on factors that contribute to falls by horses but, to date, there has not been a study of risk factors for falls to jockeys in jumps races. Data on race-day falls were extracted from stipendiary stewards reports lodged with Principal Racing Authorities following each race meeting. Denominator data were provided by Racing Information Services Australia on races conducted from August 2002 until July 2009. Univariable and multivariable analyses, estimating incidence rate ratios, were conducted using Poisson regression. In multivariable analysis in hurdle racing, important predictors of falls were higher club level, larger field size, greater prize money, provisionally licenced jockeys and older jockeys. There were significant interactions between jockey licence and prize money; jockey age and previous rides this meeting; race grade and race distance; horse age and field size; and club level and field size. In steeplechase racing, important predictors were type of jump with lowest fall rates in races over Mark III jumps compared to standard fences, provisionally licenced jockeys, jockeys having had previous rides at a meeting, and larger field size. There were significant interactions between the number of previous starts by the horse and field size; race distance and prize money; and race distance and previous rides this meeting. This study has identified factors for falls in jumps racing that could form the basis for targeted strategies to improve occupational health and safety standards. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Riding racehorses is a hazardous occupation and this is partic- ularly the case for jockeys riding in thoroughbred jumps races. In Australia, thoroughbred jumps racing jockeys have a fall rate 12.5 times greater than that of their flat racing counterparts. On aver- age, a licenced jockey in Australia can expect to have a fall every 19 rides in jumps racing representing a fall in 5.3% of rides, with 9.7% of these falls resulting in injury (Hitchens et al., 2009). Incidence rates of falls, injuries and fatalities to jumps jockeys have been reported in studies conducted in Great Britain (Balendra et al., 2007, 2008; Forero Rueda et al., 2010; McCrory et al., 2006; Turner et al., 2002; Whitlock et al., 1987), the Republic of Ireland (Balendra et al., 2007; Forero Rueda et al., 2010; McCrory et al., 2006; Turner et al., 2002), France (Forero Rueda et al., 2010; McCrory et al., 2006) and Japan (Oikawa, 2004), and by our group in Australia (Hitchens et al., 2009). Additionally we were the first to investigate predictors of falls to jockeys riding in flat races, and * Corresponding author. Tel.: +61 03 6226 7719; fax: +61 03 6226 7704. E-mail address: Leigh.Blizzard@utas.edu.au (L. Blizzard). found that these included female sex of jockey, being an appren- tice jockey, being an amateur jockey, drier tracks, younger horse age, shorter race distance, lower field size and lower race grade (Hitchens et al., 2010). There has been little prior research into risk factors for falls by jumps jockeys. In the only previous study, Turner et al. (2002) reported that there was no significant difference in the fall/ride ratio between the elite jumps jockeys (those winning more than 100 races per season) and the average fall/ride ratio. There have, however, been studies of factors associated with falls by horses (Harrison et al., 2008a; Parkin and Boden, 2005; Parkin, 2008; Pinchbeck et al., 2002, 2003, 2004a,b,c; Proudman et al., 2004), but only around one-half of falls by jockeys accompany a fall by the horse (Hitchens et al., 2009) and it is not known whether the risk factors for falls by horses are representative of those for falls where the jockey only is dislodged. The design of interventions to prevent falls in jumps races requires an understanding of the factors that are associated with these falls. This paper reports the results of an investigation of risk factors associated with falls by licenced thoroughbred racing jockeys par- ticipating in jumps races conducted in Australia during the period 1 August 2002 to 31 July 2009. 0001-4575/$ – see front matter © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.aap.2010.11.003