Four horses die in Washington State barn fire
A US Arab breeder has said he’s lost the best stallion he has ever bred in a barn fire in Washington State.
Four horses died in the fire including a potential top stallion, three-year-old Rhythm Of Fire. Another stallion Tassum Blue and two geldings — Thai and Whassup — also died.
The horses belonged to one of the biggest Arabian breeding operations in the Pasco area of the state — Columbia Stallion Station, owned by Ted Wenham.
“It’s devastating to us. The young stallion was the best stallion or horse we had bred to this point. This was our next big breeder.”
The fire broke out during the early hours of Sunday 14 March.
Four horses, rugs, feed, tack, tools, tractors and other supplies were destroyed in the blaze.
“Feed is probably our biggest need but I don’t have anywhere to store it right now,” Mr Wenham told local press.
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“Someone brought me four tons of hay already and there’s another four tons ready when I need it.
The pumphouse also burned down, meaning the farm has no fresh water. But a water tank has been brought over by a neighbour for the horses.
Mr Wenham was alerted to the fire by a passerby who had seen the smoke at 3am.
“When I woke up, it was like daylight outside,” he said.
The cause of fire has not yet been determined.
“Nothing was plugged in. Everything was turned off. There was only power to the light pole and the well house,” Mr Wenham added.
“I always unplugged things, and nobody smoked out here.”
Mr Wenham estimates the value of the horses to be at least $40,000 and believes it will cost more than $140,000 to replace barn and properly.
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.