WA harness racing property devastated by bushfire

Gofundme campaign has been launched for West Australian harness racing breeders and studmasters Tom and Amanda Spurr, after their home and farm were devastated by fire last Friday (Jan 24).

Although the fire destroyed the family’s century-old home and caused extensive damage to farming assets, the couple are thankful that all 80 horses on their property survived unharmed.

The well-known harness racing identities are based on a property near Arthur River, 200km south-east of Perth, and stand successful stallion Shoobees Place (Artsplace) at stud.

Their son Josh was also preparing two youngsters for the upcoming Perth APG sale and said the family had just minutes to release the stabled horses and flee the blaze.

“All the horses were on the property but thankfully all of them survived and were uninjured,” Spurr told APG.

“We managed to let all the horses in the stables loose just seconds before the flames came and they managed to run away,” he said.

“The horses in the paddocks avoided the fire and saved themselves. The volunteer firefighters said the horses ‘knew what they were doing’.

“I thought we would have lost some to smoke inhalation due to how thick it was, because it was almost impossible to breathe. But thankfully we didn’t.”

The Spurrs have been strong supporters of harness racing for more than 50 years. Tom Spurr has stood stallions since the 1970s – including well known sires Reason Why and Armbro Intercept.

He is a brother to Wagin harness club president and breeder Kevin Spurr and another brother, Matt, was a successful trainer-reinsman.

Daughter Sam, who visited the farm just a few weeks ago with her children, established the Gofundme page for her parents at the weekend.

She said the fire had been fanned by gusty winds and engulfed the home, stables, sheds, machinery and most of the recently baled hay.

“It rushed through the property and burnt every single thing they own, including the house. They now have nothing but the clothes on their backs.  It’s awful – all their clothes, family photos, a lifetime of memories,” Sam said.

“Just a couple of weeks ago, I was riding (retired pinto pacer) Paddy in paddocks full of hay. They are all gone. They need a lot of feed for the stock and Josh lost his float. We are hoping someone might be able to donate a float, so he can move some horses around.”

Samantha has created a Go Fund Me page where people can donate to help the Spurrs start to rebuild.  So far more than $17,500 has been raised of a $50,000 target.

If you can help, donations can be made at this link.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink