Storm brings tragic loss of racehorse at Bass

KIANI Eden and her family were out risking their lives into the early hours of the morning last Tuesday as a dangerous electrical storm wreaked havoc in the Bass area.

Damage started out at the Bass Recreation Reserve, where a light pole was struck, knocking out power to the reserve. Over at the Eden property on Bass Road, mother-of-three Kiani saw sparks throughout her house coming from her power points.

Tragically, one of the bolts then struck their beloved two-year-old racehorse, Wildwood Road, scaring him through a nearby fence, and killing him instantly.

The death of the young colt was just the beginning of what turned into a devastating night for the Eden family that left Kiani’s three children traumatised.

Speaking with the Sentinel-Times this week, the Bass local explained the horror that all began when her brother Shea took a phone call from their father Kent, saying one of Shea’s horses had been affected.

“It was one of my brother’s fillies, purchased for $180,000, it’s really sad. They cost a lot of money too, racehorses,” Kiani said.
Shea’s filly suffered a broken back and had to be euthanised.

As aweful as it is to lose any animal under such circumstances, Wildwood Road was a rising star for the Edens and its 12 owners, his career including two runs with a promising third-place finish on debut in Adelaide.

“We’ve lost potentially a very good racehorse there, but we’ll never really know now after his career was cut short.”

Overall, 17 horses ran off, spooked by lightning, six of which had life-threatening cuts from jumping through fences.

Kiani discussed the extent of the storm’s destruction.

“Dad’s been a beef farmer in Bass all his life, he’s 68 but he’s never experienced anything like it” Kiani added.
Shea, Kent and Kiani along with Kiani’s partner Ricky Maund all risked their lives, venturing out into the deadly storm to do whatever they could to save their beloved horses.

“They were cutting horses out of fences and catching others that had been cut open by the fences.”

“I think, for my partner, brother, and dad, it was 2am when they’d finished getting horses out of paddocks.

“They do mean a lot to our family, in hindsight we probably all should’ve stayed inside and out of danger.

“But when the adrenaline kicks in and you know you’ve got injured livestock out there, your first instinct is to go to their rescue.”

Their courageous rescue mission was borne out of the deep love and connection they share with their horses, Kiani explained.

“Obviously when you have a small business with the horses you become attached to them and it’s quite devastating that a horse you work with every single day of the week can be killed in a situation like that.”

“They’re more than just a business to all of us. We do actually look after them better than we do ourselves.”

The tragedy has also deeply impacted the Edens from a business standpoint.

“You need these horses in your stable to keep running your business, then on the other side, you’ve got owners that have paid good money to race these horses. They’re virtually left with nothing,” Kiani said.

The horses that were lucky enough to survive the storm are facing a tough battle to get back on the racetrack.

“The ones that are injured but still alive, their chances of racing anytime soon look slim. They may never ever race again.”

A vet was at the property for six hours on Wednesday, tending to the various cuts and gashes on the injured horses.

The devastating electrical storm comes a year, almost to the day, that another terrible storm brought down power to thousands of homes and rural properties in the local region, on June 9 last year.