By Russell Lissau

August 3, 2009

 

A horse participating in the Lake County Fair's rodeo was injured and had to be euthanized Saturday night, fair officials said.

A rider was not on the horse when it was hurt, said David DeYoung, president of the fair association. The animal, part of the Iowa-based Barnes PRCA Rodeo Co. show, was removed from the ring, examined by a veterinarian and privately euthanized, company owner Bob Barnes said.

It likely suffered a neck injury, Barnes said.

Horses occasionally have been injured during the fair, DeYoung said, but he was not sure if one has ever died from those injuries.