The NZ horse-racing community is in mourning on Tuesday, after jockey Taiki Yanagida died at 28 years old due to injuries caused by an horrific accident last week.
On Wednesday, Yanagida was knocked unconscious when his mount Te Atatu Pash was brought down on the home straight on the synthetic track at Cambridge. He was rolled over by his own horse, before being trampled by another following.
He was put into an induced coma and transported to Waikato Hospital, where he was diagnosed with head and spinal injuries and placed on life support.
With financial assistance from New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, Yanagida's parents and one of his sisters traveled from Japan to be with him and were by his side when he passed away.
Born and raised in Japan, Yanagida - who only started riding at 18 years old - had been in New Zealand for the past decade, after moving to take up an apprenticeship with trainers Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott.
He had become one of the most promising jockeys in the northern ranks, riding 42 winners since transitioning to the senior ranks in the first year out of his apprenticeship.
Widely loved and respected by his peers, 'Tiger' rode a total of 162 winners during his time on NZ tracks.
Yanagida is the first jockey to die from a fall in New Zealand since Rebecca Black in 2016.
