An outpouring of community support has rolled in in the aftermath of a fire Friday in Winfield that destroyed 45 bales of hay meant to feed the well-known Broken Spoke Clydesdales.
The horses, owned by Mark and Pennie DeCoudres, are sometimes stabled at the Winfield Fairgrounds. In recent years, they’ve become crowd favorites at area events, including the Cowley County Fair last month.
The fire occurred in the 500 block of Menor in Winfield where hay is stored for the horses. All but five bales were lost.
A statement on the Broken Spoke Facebook page read: “That was our hay for the entire year and well into next year. This has been a hard year for us at Broken Spoke. It feels like we take one step forward and two steps back.
Thank you to the first responders for working feverishly to get this fire out quickly to ensure that no more was lost and no one or horse was injured.” (Continue story below ads)
A gofundme account was quickly established and easily exceeded its goal. The fund was at $8,760, with a goal set at $5,000. The family said it had been overwhelmed by the amount of generosity and community support.
No cause of the fire has been determined and it was not clear if it was intentional. The Broken Spoken Facebook page did indicate that someone had been on the property without permission.
