Sarah Waugh was 18 when she was tragically killed in Dubbo after falling from a former race horse in March 2009. The incident occurred at TAFE’s Western Institute where she was learning how to ride horses as part of a Jackaroo and Jillaroo training course.

When paramedics arrived at the Dubbo campus the aspiring veterinarian had gone into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at the scene. At the time Dubbo police said it appeared the teenager had sustained severe internal and head injuries after being thrown off the horse.

After the incident police, WorkCover NSW and TAFE launched separate investigations into the death.

Ms Waugh’s mother, Juliana, is hoping a coronial inquest into the death will pave the way for a “Sarah’s Law” - legislation that will ensure horse rider safety in what she claimed was a largely unregulated industry. Her quest to drive change in the area has been frustrated by a slow legal process, she said.

With a coroner’s inquest now adjourned until next year Mrs Waugh is concerned important answers won’t surface quickly enough.

“All I wish is to prevent some other family from having to go through what we have to - a life sentence of grief and the loss of our daughter’s bright future never realised as a rural vet,” she said.

“We are hoping to get recommendations from the coroner so that one day we can build a Sarah’s Law that somehow protects people.”

Several issues are likely to arise during the inquest including how the Western Institute changed the way it ran the horse training component of the primary industries course.

Prior to 2009 the Western Institute took its horse training students to the riding school the Western Plains Riding Centre. But just months before Ms Waugh began the eight week course the TAFE began bringing contract horses to the students at the Dubbo Campus Rural Skills and Environment Centre. “I know 48 kids are going to go through that course next year and if they continue to bring those horses in ... that is not a comprehensive knowledge and .. that is the standard the education department requires for group horse rider training,” Mrs Waugh said.

Mrs Waugh also acknowledged issues such as why her daughter reportedly did not have her feet in the horse’s stirrups will play out in court.

TAFE was reluctant to speak about the outcome of its internal review launched after Ms Waugh’s death.

“As the case relating to Sarah Waugh is before the coroner it is not appropriate for TAFE Western to comment further,” a spokesman said.

Last month the Western Institute advertised a tender for the supply of six horses to be used by primary industries students for horse riding training in 2011.

“I can confirm that advertisements seeking expressions of interest to supply horses for horse riding training has been published,” the spokesperson said.

WorkCover said it was currently reviewing all relevant information in relation to the matter and the horse rode at the time of the incident was a former racing horse.

The matter is due for mention in the NSW State Coroners Court next month.