Tempel Farms mourns death of horse trainer

Friends of Madeleine Axelsson said the Swedish-born horse trainer was liked by more people than she could ever realize.

Axelsson was vibrant, fun to be around and liked by everyone at Tempel Farms since arriving there in 2005 to train Lipizzans, said Courtney Tripp, program director of the Tempel Lipizzans.

"She was very friendly and laughed a lot. She was very easy to be around, very vibrant and extremely good with the horses," Tripp said.

Axelsson died Wednesday when she was struck by a mini-van while crossing Hunt Club Road in front of Tempel Farms, 39075 W. Hunt Club Road, Old Mill Creek. She was 39.

A minivan driven by Billie Roberts, 71, of Round Lake, was heading south on Hunt Club Road near Wadsworth Road when it struck Axelsson at 10:42 p.m., Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. James Blackwood said.

Axelsson was pronounced dead at the scene, Blackwood said.

The accident is under investigation, and no citations have been issued, he said.

The farm was in a "complete state of shock" after hearing of the accident, Tripp said.

"It's been difficult around here," she said. "It's hard to believe she's gone. One of the other trainers said they were waiting for her to ride in the barn at any second. That's what it's like."

She added, "We are all family here and Madeleine was one of our family members. All of us feel like a family to each other."

Funeral arrangements will not be made until family members arrive from Sweden on Monday, Tripp said.