Tragic girl, 3, crushed to death by horse in front of horrified rodeo champion mother as heartbroken family pay tribute
A RODEO champion was forced to watch in horror as her three-year-old daughter was tragically crushed to death by a horse.
Oaklynn Rae Domer died in the freak accident after one of her family’s horses fell on her and her mum, ten-time rodeo world champion Kelsie Domer.
Kelsie had been holding the toddler while leading the horse around when it suffered a medical episode, Rodeo Life reported.
Desperate efforts were made to save Oaklynn’s life, but she sadly succumbed to her injuries.
It is unclear if Kelsie, who survived, sustained any wounds.
Heartbroken Kelsie and her husband Ryan are now mourning the death of their little girl, whom they say was “taken from us too soon”.
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Her obituary reads: “Oaklynn packed a lot in her short time with us.
“Traveling the rodeo circuit all over the U.S., hitting the practice pen with mom and dad, and loving her family with all her heart.
“She loved frogs, horses, everybody’s puppies, going to “yodeos”, and hanging out with all her friends.
“She did not know a stranger and lit up the room the minute she made her grand entrance.”
Following the tragedy, Kelsie and the Simply Equine & K9 team issued a joint statement on Instagram.
“Our hearts are shattered beyond words,” wrote the team, of which Kelsie has been a member for four years.
“Sweet Oaklynn gained her angel wings far too soon.”
They urged followers to pray for their devastated family and “everyone who loved this precious soul”.
“We don’t always understand God’s plan… but we hold onto faith that she is being held in His arms,” the statement read.
Horse riders and ropers alike have paid tribute, wearing pink in honour of the little girl at a competition in San Antonio on Friday, less than 24 hours after she died.
“I know my baby girl loved seeing all of that PINK,” Kelsie said of the tribute.
She also shared a link to a pink baseball cap bearing the phrase “be the light,” being sold in memory of Oaklynn.
Fellow breakaway roper Haley Sage Wright wrote her family “got our pink on for Oaklynn!!” adding: “Pink in honor of the toughest little cowgirl.”
Taormino Performance Horses shared a video of a rider placing pink flowers in her horse’s saddle, writing: “Your baby girl is with us today, Kels and Ryan.”
Ryan has not made a public statement but featured his daughter in his Facebook profile picture.
He reshared a link to the hat and a post from the Rope Like A Girl foundation, which is collecting donations on the family’s behalf.
Oaklynn’s funeral will be held on Thursday at the Double N Cowboy Church in Dublin, Texas.
Mourners can watch a live stream of the service on the church’s Facebook page.
