Champion harness driver Ricky May collapses mid-race at Omakau

Driver Ricky May collapsed in the sulky when driving in Thursday's feature race, the Central Otago Cup at Omakau. Video / Harness Racing NZ / Trackside

One of New Zealand's leading harness racing drivers is being rushed to hospital after a shocking mid-race incident at Omakau today.

Driver Ricky May collapsed in the sulky when driving favourite A G's White Socks in front in the day's feature race the Central Otago Cup.

May fell backwards seemingly unconscious in the sulky while the horse continued on and then fell to the track, all live in front of the big crowd and televised around Australasia.

The race was quickly called off and medical crews rushed to work on May with an Air
Ambulance on its way to the track.

But it is believed a young female driver, who was not participating in the race, was one of the first people to May's side and performed CPR on him.

May spent over an hour being stabilised by the local ambulance crews and has not being flown to Dunedin hospital yet.

He was diagnosed as being in a critical condition and it was deemed too dangerous to airlift him to hospital immediately but a helicopter taking him to Dunedin Hospital eventually lifted off at 6.15pm.

The racing stewards who run the race meeting confirmed May had suffered a cardiac arrest and the remainder of the meeting was called off.

Ricky May, pictured here in 2016, has collapsed during a race in the South Island. Photo / Greg Bowker

May has reined nearly 3000 race winners in New Zealand, making him the third most successful driver in the industry's history and has won our greatest race, the New Zealand Trotting Cup seven times.

The Omakau meeting is the small club's only race meeting held on this day annually.

Very strange and potentially serious issue at Omakau harness meeting with driver Ricky May appearing to pass out when leading the Cup field with A G’S White Socks. Ricky fell from cart soon after and race stopped. Will update as soon as we have something official...

— Michael Guerin (@GuerinSports) January 2, 2020

Helicopter on track at Omakau to transport Ricky May to hospital. He is reported to be conscious and breathing but believed to be in a serious condition after collapsing mid-race.

— Michael Guerin (@GuerinSports) January 2, 2020

Ricky being placed in ambulance to be transported across track to air ambulance to be flown to Dunedin Hospital. Fears he had a heart attack in the sulky while leading race and was resuscitated and is now breathing. Dreadful scenes at Omakau

— Michael Guerin (@GuerinSports) January 2, 2020

Latest: Ricky May stlll in ambulance on track at Omakau. Being stabilized for flight to Dunedin Hospital. Stipes confirm he suffered cardiac arrest, meeting called off. One of the scariest things I’ve been on a racetrack but the champion little bloke still in the fight.C’mon mate

— Michael Guerin (@GuerinSports) January 2, 2020

May was added to the Addington Harness Hall of Fame in 2013.

His citation said he came from a "prominent harness racing family", and that harness racing had "always been a big part of Ricky's life".

"Ricky May commenced as a junior driver in the 1976/77 season with his first win coming on Ruling River (trained by father Terry) at Orari in November 1976. He had reasonable early success culminating in finishing fourth (14 winning drives) to Tony Herlihy in his final season as a junior driver in the 1980/81 season.

"Ricky May is known for his coolness under pressure often producing a gem of a drive to obtain victory. He is known for always presenting trainers with a racehorse each time they get back from racing."

His vast achievements include multiple New Zealand Cups, Drivers Premiership, recording more than $2 million in combined stakes winnings during the 2009/10 season, drove 105 winners in the 2003/04 season, and drove six winners in one night alone at Addington in 1991.

He has two sons and a daughter.