UPDATE from Leslie Lange on her Facebook Page–Friday September 27th
Well here it is two weeks post flood and I thought an update was in order…….As you can imagine the place is a mess….there is debris all over the place and none of it is ours….all came from up stream. Out stuff is all in someones elses property. The barns are still a mess, but tomas has been working like a slave to wash, sanitize, re level and get the mats back in…. he is exhausted. My house has all the dry wall torn out… it had about a foot of water in it, so the lower level is all getting redone. Jeff Burley and Sarah Puerner’s houses have been red tagged which means uninhabitable so I am working on getting them out and new ones in. Kelly O’Connell’s apt is in pretty much the same state as my house however she had a much higher water level. The arenas are still very wet and it is raining as I write so that should help them dry up….hahaha.The fences are all either down or sagging or listing so it will be a long time til they are repaired.
Oh and did I forget to mention that yesterday Tom had to have surgery on his neck and he is out of commission for 6- 8 weeks. Surgery went well, but he is sore and uncomfortable…….it doesn’t get any better than this.
I want to thank all those folks who have called, texted, came to help and donated funds to the fundraiser that Jason Wanderer organized……your support of all kinds is much appreciated and I am truly sorry if I have not responded to each of you individually. I must admit I am overwhelmed at the moment. Thanks to all who have shared concern and help and support. We really apprecaite it.
UPDATE from Leslie Lange on her Facebook Page: Here it is early Wednesday morning and I have a few minutes to do an update. I can’t even believe that I am typing an update to FLOOD damage to my place but that is the reality of it. We have been able to get into our place and at the barn the water has receded enough that now the Stall barn aisle is dry, but the indoor arenas and stalls are all swimming pools. Now we have a layer of mud that is covering everything.
First…… All the fine folks associated with Tom and I that lived on the place and work with us – Jeff Burley, NIck Suft, Sarah Puerner, and Kelly O’Connell, are all safe. There homes are pretty much trashed, some worse than others. They have been able to get in and get some clothes and we will start to see what we can salvage and what has to go. All our homes withstood varying levels of water damage so that will take a few days to clean out and assess.
Second…….. The animals for that most part are all doing well. All the show horses are safely tucked into stalls at the Ranch facility at the Larimer county fairgrounds – Thanks Richard Rule!!! The outside horses are currently at Spicers Arena in Eaton under the watchful eye of Becky Mehyring- thanks do much. The Draft horses are all at Darrells.
We do need prayers for Jeff weanling Sebastian and Nicks yearling Goofie. They are at Countryside large animal clinic being diligently cared for by the fine staff there. The other horses that had to swim or walk out are doing well ……just lots of scraps and abrasions that we are discovering and treating daily.
Finally, a huge Thank you to Jason Wanderer for setting up the account that SO MANY people have been so generous in donating to.
Also a huge thanks to Dan Prouhet and his clients for their efforts in the fundraising also. We are overwhelmed with the generosity of folks that we both know and don’t know. All the funds that we receive will go for the care and upkeep of the horses and toward helping our staff members recover their lives from this tragedy. I have taken a lot of pictures on my phone and will try to post them soon. Thanks to everyone who has called or texted….. I am sorry I have not gotten to respond to everyone, but know your support is overwhelming and very appreciated.
CLICK HERE to check out the news story from local 9 News
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As Colorado braces for more rain to come, the flash flooding
that has erupted along the Front Range since rain began September 11 has
claimed lives and destroyed land and property.
And AQHA members are not unscathed.
T & L Quarter Horses of Greeley, Colorado, owned and
operated by AQHA Professional Horseman Leslie Lange and husband, Tom, was
completely inundated with floodwaters from the South Platte River on September
13.
It launched an amazing rescue of their horses by the Langes,
their staff and neighbors.
Tom Lange and two of the farm’s hands were at home when
“water rose two and a half feet in 30 minutes” in the farm’s driveway,
according to Leslie. They had no notice or warning.
Leslie and the remaining staff were at the Rocky Mountain
Quarter Horse Association Fall Classic AQHA show in Denver with about 17 head.
The remainder of their total 51 head – including one miniature Jersey cow – was
at home and needed immediate evacuation.
“We had neighbors who helped,” Leslie told The American
Quarter Horse Journal. “We had a couple of trailers there, and a couple of
neighbors who lived up on dry ground brought trailers down. They got three
trailer loads of horses out and then a bunch of the guys went in with a tractor
and a boat and grabbed all our broodmares and babies and other horses, and got
them out last night.”
With the water at the height of its surge, Tom and AQHA
Professional Horseman Jeff Burley went in on a tractor yesterday evening for
the last five of the pasture horses.
“The water was too deep,” Leslie said. “One pulled back and
pulled the lead rope out of… their hands. We had to leave them overnight, but
we got them out this morning (September 14).”
As of noon on September 14, all horses, dogs and humans were
dry and in a safe place. Aside from treating nicks and bruises, the horses
appear in good shape. One yearling is being treated for hypothermia.
“I don’t know that there’s anything more anyone can do now,”
Leslie said. “Right now we are waiting for waters to recede so we can get back
in there and see how much damage we have.
“It’s gone down quite a bit from last night. … There is
three foot of water running through the main alleyway of our barn and indoor
arena.”
She added: “We actually got in there today and got some
clothes. Fortunately we have a two-story house and our bedroom is upstairs.”
Tom and Leslie have the horses farmed out in safe places in
Weld and Larimer counties
“Once we get the current situation under control, we can
assess and make long-term plans,” she said.
To AQHA friends and colleagues she said: “Just tell
everyone, all lives are good, people and animals. No one got lost.”
Click here for more from AQHA.com
