Henryville tornados and Clark State Forest horse trails with popular endurance rides

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by Peter Demott

Patty has participated in AERC sanctioned endurance rides in Clark State Forest for many years. Bill Wilson’s farm has provided camping for the events of both the Chicken Chase Endurance Ride and Top of the Rock Endurance ride that occur each year on the trails of Clark State Forest and draw many riders from Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky and even further away because these rides are so popular. In the fall there is another endurance ride there called Spook Run. Several people we know have been accounted for in that they were in other parts of the country when the devastating tornado’s came through Henryville, Indiana. We have not heard if their farms were affected by the storm or not, but here is one story which indicates that are many horses in the area affected.

http://www.louisville.com/content/horse-owners-lose-horses-march-2-tornadoes-some-lost-their-whole-herds-equine-news

A couple of years ago a tornado went through parts of the Clark State Forest and ride managers and volunteers were able to clear the trails so that the rides could occur, but with much of the town of Henryville wiped off the face of the earth, I am wondering what will happen to these two endurance rides. My wife, Patty has always told me how beautiful the vistas are that can be seen from the horse trails that make up the events. I usually provide photography for riders in these events, so although I see some of the trails, I don’t get the entire effect of riding 50 miles of trails.

We had just received the ride application flyer for Chicken Chase via email about a week or so ago, before the storm.

Help is pouring into the area from area churches and the Red Cross. Where as my photography of the area has always shown beautiful wooded trails and endurance riders coming down those trails, the photography that is being shown now are pictures of the town of Henryville and hillsides devoid of trees and piled with ruble.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/05/us-tornadoes-toddler-field-dies?newsfeed=true

More stories, photos, video here:
http://www.photosbypdemott.com/2012/03/henryville-tornados-and-clark-state-forest-horse-trails-with-popular-endurance-rides/