Thoughts with Murray Sullivan and Cold Mountain Stud

Not sure if everyone knows, but the flooding has been particularily bad in Qld the past 24 hours. Cold Mountain Stud has gone completely underwater and trainer Murray Sullivan is stranded on the house roof waiting for help to arrive. The good news is that he has finally been contacted (as posted by someone on his Facebook page) and it shouldn't be too much longer before he is rescued. The sad news is that it is unsure how many horses have been lost. He posted to his wall that one had already drowned and got swept away.

I cannot fathom the bravery of this man to stay and try and save his horses at the risk to his own life. A true champion. I can only hope that for all his efforts that a majority of his steeds can be saved. This does not look good, with the water reported to be up to their necks already (several hours ago).

Praying for miracles. Hang in there Murray. I hope the rest of the horses survive. :( Prayers also for anyone else who has been effected and especially those caught off guard at Toowoomba. :( A sad day for Qld indeed. :(

Thank you for posting this,
Good and bad news in there, keep us updated.

Well put Flashing Red when you have had a bad day and then think what the people caught in this disaster are going through what has happen to you pales into insignificants. I cannot think of a more tragic situation than to have to leave your animals to fend for themselves know this is it maybe the end. It goes to show to all the do goods that racing people love their horses and would put their lives on the line to save them.

Thoughts and prayers to all in the floods

Latest news is that they have stopped resuces for the night, as far as everyone knows he is still on the roof of his house. :( Hopefully he has been picked up and has just been unable to contact anyone.

Hang in there Murray.

After 13 hours on the roof, Murray finally got picked up. He knows some of his horses survived as he could hear whinnys in the morning. They will go back today if they can to see who has survived.

Thank goodness he is OK, very sad about the loss of what he thinks to be all of his yearlings and whatever else :(

unbelievable how one year the region is dying for water and now there's water killing people and animals...

very sad news. there's nothing more to say..

Geeze, tough effort that, hard as Nails & something to be admired.
Well done Murray. Hope you & your horses are Ok.

Hey Flashing,
I believe Murray is now in Hospital...had Hypothermia I was told.

I feel really sorry for all those affected over in Queensland. We have been through a lot with the ChCh Earthquake and can share the pain.

He had been picked up by a few friends, I bet he is glad for a warm bed tonight. :)

This article goes into more depth of the events at Cold Mountain Stud and the fact that many standardbreds have perished including Genuwine and all 15 of Clive Palmer's american bred yearlings, tragic for the industry but fortunately the harness racing fraternity has not lost any of these people. http://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=86555

I've just approved this comment (reposted below) on the story that peachymagic linked to. An eye opener into what happened and how difficult the situation was at the Cold Mountain property.

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Karen B at 06:32 PM 24-Jan-2011 NZT

To make a decision of what was done was right or wrong, you have to FIRST understand the situation - I wasn't there but maybe can help others see a little better....

The Cold Mtn property at Lowood is on a large flat area of land, amongst 1000's of acres of flat farming land all set much higher than the Lockyer creek (yes thats the one that flattened Grantham!). There is a small seasonal creek that divides the property, set 300m back from the stables and houses, which are on the slightly higher corner of the property All roads around the property are lower - ie you have to drive down to leave - thus impossible to leave via truck etc. The property was surrounded with 6ft high deer (mesh) fencing. The two barns each hold 18 horses, All boxes have 2m high walls on sides and front. So each horse is fully contained as such.

The water in the house was around 1.2m deep, the house is about 80cm off the ground - so at it's peak the water would have been about 2m deep. It rose from inches to metres in hours.

The 3 boys watched neighbours horses and cattle being swept away in the strong current, pulled beneth the water by the currant, being caught in fencing (remember 6ft high mesh fence) and held to their death. They fought off 6ft brown snakes whom wanted to share their roof of safety
Murray lost all of his possessions in the house & his car - a minor thing compared to what some have lost but still, that was his "life"

Leaving the horses in their boxes is what saved most.

Sadly, the botton barn is about 60cm lower than the other, this is the barn that the babies were in. Given the depth they probably would have hit the roof which only would have panicked the dear little guys even more and made them tire quicker. The race horses being fitter, and also taller, helped them survive, as the water receeded they most likely were able to find their hind feet could reach the bottom and they probably took up a rearing like position, saving some energy.

The only thing that could have prevented this was to swim them across the creek to the other side of the property which is higher but not set up to cater for 32 horses (including many stallions/colts) the day before, however I don't know if was an option. Also given the area, you wouldn't expect water 2m deep covering 1000's of acres for hours on end.

I was horrified to read updates of what was happening, i cried for 2 days any time of thought of. Having worked with the horses, they are like family, each one having their own personality.

As to Clive's comment, it's all how you read it. Clive does love his horses, he definatley does it for love, he spends far more on them than he wins. I can see how it could be taken that it sounds like he doesn't care and "I'll just buy a new one" sort of go but he does say that human welfare comes first, which it does. Clive has to deal with the loss of his horses and not somebody's Son / Brother / Lover etc...

K