Brooke Johnson in hospital following mounting yard accident in Gladstone.

A mounting yard mishap before the running of the second race at Gladstone’s Ferguson Park racecourse on Saturday has once again sidelined popular apprentice jockey Brooke Johnson.

The jockey said she doesn’t expect to be back riding again before April after breaking her pelvis in two places, fracturing bones in her spine and chipping bones in her hip, but she is confident that the injuries are just another hiccup to her career.

“I will be back, 100% I will be back,” Johnson said today.

Johnson was catapulted off the Leaonie Horstman trained Tenner before the second race and taken to Gladstone Hospital where she was treated until Sunday night. She was then transferred closer to home to the Mater Hospital in Rockhampton.

“It was no one’s fault, it was just one of those things, Tenner is usually a quiet ride, and it was just unfortunate that this happened,” Johnson said.

Johnson has suffered three severe injuries since she began riding a few seasons ago.

The apprentice rider received facial injuries in 2023, a bad break to an arm in 2024 and now this. There have also been many other setbacks through race or trackwork mishaps along the way.

“I only recently had the plate removed from my arm, so this is another challenge,” Johnson said.

Remaining upbeat, Johnson was thankful for the many people that had reached out to her through social media or through visits to the hospital.

“I am in good spirits, and I am so thankful that I have the support and encouragement,” she said.

While recovering from the injuries to the right side of her tiny body, Johnson will be on crutches for six weeks then faces about three months of physio.

“Fortunately, none of the breaks require surgery, otherwise it could have been a lot longer,” she said.

Johnson’s boss Zoe Hohn posted on social media that she will keep everyone informed about Brooke’s recovery.

“Stay strong chicken, we are all praying for a fast recovery,” she said.

• David Aldred (RJC) CEO