What happened to Veronica Swales? Stock horse rider’s accident triggers concern

Stock horse rider, Veronica Swales, was recently involved in an accident during a competition on August 25. For context, on August 26, the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) released a statement on their Facebook handle, confirming the incident. According to the announcement, the accident occurred at the NSHA Futurity held in Las Vegas.

"Please keep Veronica Swales and her family in your prayers after an accident yesterday at the NSHA Futurity in Las Vegas. The entire NRCHA family is surrounding Veronica, Clay, and their loved ones with strength and support as they focuses on her recovery," they wrote.

A subsequent Facebook post dated August 25 from The National Stock Horse Association (NSHA) revealed that, following the accident, Swales was transported to a trauma center. The update also noted that she was able to move and respond to light.

Another update from NSHA later that day revealed that Veronica was in the ICU, but was expected to be moved to a regular room within the hour. The post also mentioned that she had sustained some broken bones and was experiencing bleeding.

"No surgery is scheduled at this moment," they added.

In the comments section of the previous post, Cannon Quarter Houses shared that Swales had been moved to a "regular room" with a "broken scapula and broken rib."

Subsequently, in a separate statement shared a day ago, NSHA confirmed that Veronica‘s condition has not worsened. They revealed that she is being kept "heavily sedated" to allow for complete rest and to support her body's recovery. The update added that medical specialists are expected to check her specific injuries this week.

Regarding the horse Veronica Swales was riding during the incident, the NSHA confirmed that the horse is "ok."

"I also have seen a lot of people asking about the horse. I understand. That’s always the second thing that comes to my mind immediately. To my knowledge, the horse is OK. She walked out of the arena in no distress. I’m sure the Volmer Cutting & Reined Cow Horses Volmer team immediately took her to be examined thoroughly, and if there were any issues, it is being taken care of with the same urgency as Veronica. That’s the way she would want it!"

Update on Veronica Swales' condition

In another Facebook post, dated August 27, the National Stock Horse Association (NSHA) shared that Veronica Swales made eye contact with "Clay," who is likely her husband, Clay Volmer.

They also confirmed that her mother was by her side, and as of this morning, Veronica was able to give a thumbs-up.

"She was able to tell them that she was in pain. At this point, she still had a breathing tube in and they were going to try to take it out. As of an hour ago, the breathing tube is out. That’s all I know for now," they added.

According to Santa Cruz Animal Health, around the age of 13, Veronica Swales, who was raised in Longview, Alberta, began competing in working cow events and became successful as a non-pro in the early 2000s. Later in 2011, she transitioned from being a non-pro to a professional rider, focusing on "barrel racing, cutting, and working cow horse." She moved to Texas in 2020 and continued competing there.