Dani Hill to mentor Tas driver hurt in accident

Champion South Australian harness racing driver Dani Hill has offered to be a mentor for a Tasmanian youngster injured in a horrific road accident after a race meeting late last month.

Bronte Miller was one of a group of five travelling home from Hobart in a vehicle towing a horse float which left the road and crashed at Rowella, near Launceston.

They were only minutes away from returning to the stables of prominent trainer Ben Yole.

Eighteen-year-old Miller, a most promising driver, suffered serious injuries including broken and dislocated hips, a fractured ankle and thumb, and damage to one of her eyes.

“At the moment Bronte has lost vision in the eye and it will be some time before the full extent of that is known,” Yole said.

“She’s just so determined, and she’s made good progress.  She is coping very well which is a credit to her – she’s actually been back to the races twice,” Yole said.

“We arranged contact with Dani Hill to mentor Bronte through her recovery. Dani lost the sight in her right eye and later returned to driving and she’s still one of the best going around.”

Dani Hill was thrown onto the track at a Globe Derby Park meeting in May 2010, and was trodden on by another horse.  She suffered crush injuries to the right side of her face, bleeding to the brain, facial fractures and the loss of all sight in her right eye. Incredibly there wasn’t a mark on her driver’s helmet and Dani still believes if the horse had struck her helmet rather than her face, she may have walked away.

Miller, who started driving in the 2019-20 season, has landed 66 wins.

“I’ve got no doubt that Bronte will get back to the track. That’s what she wants, and I am sure her passion and dedication will get her there and she’ll continue an outstanding career,” Yole said.

The others involved in the accident—Cody Crossland, 19, Lily Blundstone, 21, Maree Wakefield, 16, and Miller’s younger brother Blake, 14, are all out of hospital.

Crossland suffered serious injuries which will see him on the sidelines for a lengthy period. He broke several ribs, as well as a shoulder blade, and has undergone surgery on a laceration to his face.

Yole and his wife Cat remained at the hospital for the first couple of days to offer direct support, while a group counselling service was arranged in conjunction with TasRacing.

“The assistance we’ve received has been just incredible,” Yole said.

“People just went over and above with cooking for us, doing hospital visits, driving people around, dropping off supplies and gifts, and turning up to our stables to lend a hand,” he said.

Well-known jockey Craig “Froggy” Newitt created a GoFundMe.com page for the injured youngsters, which has so far raised more than $24,000.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink