Twelve-year-old girl Lauren Mathias dies during rodeo after horse falls on top of her

A 12-year-old girl has died after a horse fell on her during a rodeo in South Carolina.

Lauren Mackenzie Mathias died from head trauma on Saturday at a Greenville hospital, according to the Anderson County Coroner's Office.

Investigators said the girl was riding the horse outside an arena where the South Carolina High School Rodeo Association's state finals were taking place on Friday.

The horse bucked, fell over and landed on the girl.

The Greenville News reports emergency workers responded to the scene and found her unconscious on the ground.

Rodeo fans: The incident occured outside Clemson University's T. Ed Garrison Arena, shown here

Chief Deputy Coroner Charlie Boseman said she was taken to the Anderson Area Medical Center and then transferred to Greenville Memorial Hospital.

Doctors were unable to save her, however, and she died at 12:30pm on Saturday.

Riders: Participants in a South Carolina High School rodeo - the annual event which tued tragic this week

Boseman said: 'She suffered some severe trauma to her chest and head.'

Rodeo Director Monte Beasley told the Anderson Independent-Mail that organisers were shocked because the horse was considered 'dead broke' - an animal so well-trained it isn't expected to buck anyone.

Beasley said the girl was new to rodeo but was not an inexperienced horse rider.