Trainer Colt Prosser details extraordinary rescue effort on Mid-North Coast

Wauchope trainer Colt Prosser admitted ‘it’s a miracle’ his horses are still alive when detailing the extraordinary effort it took to rescue his stable from devastating NSW floodwaters.

Prosser had been fearing the worst as much of the Mid-North Coast was forced to be evacuate when heavy rain continued to lash the region across the weekend.

He went to check on his property on Saturday morning but rapidly rising flood water had already made it impossible to get to his horses out by truck.

The horses were moved near a refuge mound at his stable while a whopping 281mm fell on Wauchope and even more in surrounding areas from 9am Saturday until later that evening.

When Prosser returned later on Saturday afternoon as conditions showed some respite, he was amazed to find his team of horses had survived the brunt of the storm.

We have had bigger all here as well pic.twitter.com/syhwqXsYvR

“I thought they would all be dead,” Prosser admitted.

“I couldn’t believe it yesterday when we found them all alive.

“We went down and the river had come up so quickly, we couldn’t get the truck in to get them out yesterday morning.

“That is on a refuge mound which is seven metres about ground level.

“It was just horrible. Entire properties are underwater.”

With more rain predicted upstream and across the region, Prosser knew he needed to act fast if he was to get his stable out alive on Sunday.

The trainer fired off a text message yesterday and received an immediate response from friends and colleagues to assist with the evacuation effort.

“We had to swim them out,” Prosser said.

“I sent out a message to a few friends when we got told we better do it now because there was more rain predicted in the coming days.

“A group of friends helped get them to safety.

“We probably had to swim them 100 metres, cut through a couple of fences and then walk them out.

“There will be a few fences we need to mend but got them out and that‘s the most important thing.”

Trainer Colt Prosser. Photo: AAP Image/Simon BullardSource:AAP

Prosser was able to transport his horses to a nearby showground where they are being looked over by his stable vet but appear to be in good health.

“We’ve taken them to the showground but they are all eating and drinking,” Prosser said.

“My vet is going to come down and look over them this afternoon (Sunday).

“Obviously hypothermia is a big concern.”

The state’s big wet has created scheduling chaos in the racing industry with the Saturday’s Golden Slipper meeting moved to the following Saturday because of the torrential conditions.

But few have been more impacted than those on the Mid-North Coast, who face a continued recovery efforts in the coming weeks and months.

Prosser was one of a number of stables in the region that were impacted by the severe flooding and a Facebook page has been set up to assist, The Mid North horse and livestock flood recovery! page had over 2000 members by Sunday afternoon.

Originally published asTrainer’s ‘miracle’ rescue of flood stricken stable

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