May was revived after suffering a medical event, collapsing in his sulky and falling to the track when driving A G’s White Socks in the Central Otago Cup.
Yesterday he was in a serious but stable condition in intensive care at Dunedin Hospital.
Barron was among the first to May’s side after he fell from his sulky.
She began giving him CPR with the help of another driver, Lawrence McCormick.
Barron’s efforts drew praise from many who witnessed the incident, but she
said her concern was for May’s recovery.
"I am just hoping for the best for Ricky. It is sounding positive from all accounts.
"I just hope he improves, really."
"He was breathing when I got there, so I was worried about his neck and head.
"Then we had to change plan a wee bit."
Barron also credited the paramedics and off-duty medical staff who rushed out of the Omakau crowd to assist May.
"It all happened so fast — there were two doctors there in what felt like a minute, then the paramedics came."
"Everyone that could help did. It was good — but terrifying at the same time."
An intensive care paramedic played a crucial role in stabilising May, Barron said.
"She waltzed in and she was so calm and she sort of just took over."
"I feel like he was so lucky to have been where he was when it happened. He could have been at home on the tractor."
May’s friend Craig Wiggins was appointed the May family’s spokesman. Wiggins posted on social media yesterday afternoon that May’s wife, Judy, told him the driver’s heart "seems fine and he will probably need a pacemaker".
Wiggins added doctors had "just got to wake him up slowly to check his brain function, etc".
The post said May had been responsive yesterday.
May’s horse, A G’s White Socks, also drew praise following Thursday’s incident.
The 6yr-old is known to be slightly moody on race days.
That was evident when the horse bolted frantically back to the stables after winning a race at Oamaru in 2016.
But the horse did not panic without the control of his driver and angled wide on the track before May fell from his sulky.
The remaining horses and drivers were able to easily manoeuvre past May when the race was called off.
Canterbury driver John Dunn was driving the following horse when May collapsed. He showed quick reactions to slow his horse, Heisenberg, when it was apparent May was unwell.
