The Nebraska stable owned by Canadian equestrian team veteran show jumper Karen Cudmore and her husband, Blair, burned early last Thursday in a horrific blaze believed to be accidental, leaving one barn worker dead and a firefighter in the hospital.
The barn worker was identified as Nate Dietrich, 32,who opened several stall doors before succumbing to the smoke. His body was found near the wash rack. The horses that were rescued first lived in the stalls where he had opened the doors. Donations for his family may be made here. (Note that his first name was William but he went by Nate.) With the Cudmores’ approval, the foundation will pay for Nate’s funeral.
Twelve horses died in the blaze itself and although 10 Heartland Farm horses were rescued, seven were euthanized as a result of the fire. The dead horses included Coneja, Karen’s grand prix mount, who had just won a competition at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala before heading home, and retiree Southern Pride, whom Karen rode in the 2010 World Cup Finals.
Karen Cudmore and Southern Pride (Photo by Cealey Tetley/courtesy Equestrian Canada.
The Nebraska Equine Clinic worked to save the remaining horses at a barn across the street from the structure that burned. Volunteers took shifts to help with caring for the horses being treated. The surviving horses have now been taken to the clinic for further care, while volunteers are still working with them.
Horses living in the pastures that were taken to other sites because there was no water available for them at Heartland due to the fire have been returned to the farm since the well there is now in working order.
The Omaha Equestrian Foundation has set up a fund to help the Cudmores, who will have to deal with bills for veterinary care and rebuilding their business.
According to Lisa Roskens, the organizer of the 2017 Omaha FEI World Cup finals and a member of the Omaha Equestrian Foundation board, the Foundation will work with the family to figure out how to allocate donations (some also are being made to a GoFundMe site) to include Nate Dietrich’s survivors as well.
Click on this link to make a tax-deductible donation, but be sure to specify the contribution this way “To benefit Heartland Farms/Cudmore”.