A huntswoman, who was facing prosecution after a video of her repeatedly whipping a saboteur went viral on social media, has died in a riding mishap, according to reports. The passing of 57-year-old Jane Goring was confirmed by a Facebook group called Mid Surrey Farmers' Draghounds, with close family members confirming her death as well.
According to the Daily Mail, Goring died after falling from her horse on Wednesday during a drag hunt — an equestrian sport where riders chase a trail of artificially laid scents with hounds. In their post, Mid Surrey Farmers' Draghounds wrote, "We very much regret to inform you that Jane Goring was tragically killed whilst out dragging yesterday at Leigh. On behalf of the masters and members of the drag hunt, we send our condolences and thoughts to Richard and Jane's family at this awful time."
Relative Alice Goring also confirmed the passing and paid tribute to Goring's life, writing, "The cruelest reminder to live every day, because you never quite know when your time may be up. Sleep tight Jane, we will never ever forget you."
"Thank you for everything and for making our grandpa so incredibly happy, something we will never forget and always love you for," she continued. "We will miss you so much — you really were one of life’s legends, with the bestest laugh I have ever heard."
She added: "So many amazing memories, you will never be forgotten and we so wish you didn’t have to leave so fast. Will always remember this photo as the day we arrived late to Ascot and you had to practically run over everyone’s picnics to get us there. You were such a special lady and have left so many kisses on everyone’s hearts."
Goring was filmed by the East Sussex and Romney Marsh Hunt Club thrashing an animal rights activist up to 17 times while yelling, "Get off my horse!" during a ride in Pevensey, East Sussex last year.
The South Coast Hunt Sabs and Brighton Hunt Saboteurs, whose members were attempting to stop Goring in the viral video, claimed that they were at the scene to make sure no illegal hunting took place and that they were the victims of an unprovoked attack and that the 57-year-old 'lost the plot'.
Less than two months after, authorities concluded there wasn't enough evidence to proceed and dropped the case. However, she was still due to appear at Hastings Magistrates Court in January 2019 over the same incident after she was slapped with two criminal charges via civil prosection. She and her husband, 79-year-old Richard Goring, had even traveled from their £1million farm in Heathfield on the Sussex Downs to court last month over the case.
She pleaded not guilty to beating Simon Medhurst, the veteran animal rights and environmental campaigner who was filmed getting thrashed, and also denied assaulting fellow saboteur Shirley Makin by "riding her down" with her horse during the confrontation.
Because of the contentious incident, there were several who took to the news of her death quite positively. Many wrote the word "karma" under the post announcing her passing while others used laughing emojis to react to messages of condolence. One page admin even wrote, "She won't be missed by us".
