Area residents, horses brave hurricane to compete at Georgia National Fair
Lead Summary
By
Bloom’s Belgians-
Ralph and Ruth Bloom with Bloom’s Belgians of Hillsboro have been showing and breeding horses since the late 1970s, and several of their grandchildren are following in their footsteps. This year, two of their grandkids, Todd and Jade (Bloom) Seaman, have been promoting a few of Ralph and Ruth’s Belgian draft horses near and far, including a recent trip to Perry, Ga.
“This is a trip we will never forget,” Jade said.
Todd and Jade left Ohio at 4 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10 with three horses and started their 10-plus-hour journey south to the Georgia National Fair in Perry, Ga., just as Hurricane Michael was getting ready to make landfall.
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When the Seamans crossed into Georgia, there were several digital road signs that stated “Travel not advised to southern Georgia due to hurricane.” Once they reached Atlanta, the southbound lanes were empty and the northbound lanes were full. Todd looked at Jade and said, “that should be a good indication that we shouldn’t be here,” but they kept driving farther south.
As the Seamans pulled into the fairgrounds at 2:30 p.m., the tornado sirens were going off. They quickly unloaded the horses and waited for the initial threat to pass. They found out from other exhibitors that the barns the horses were staying in during the show were the Georgia state equine hurricane shelter barns, so that made them feel a little safer. A few hours later, they did learn that there were three tornadoes that had touched down within four miles of the fairgrounds.
Later that evening, as Hurricane Michael made its way through Perry, Ga. as a Category 1 hurricane, Todd and Jade weathered the storm in the barn with the horses, as they felt it was a safe structure (and their hotel had no power). The next day, the clouds broke and made way for a beautiful day and weekend.
The trip was well worth it, as they came home with Grand Champion Stallion and Reserve Grand Champion Mare, and the Winning Get-of-Sire (two or more horses out of the same stallion).
“It was a trip that we will never forget,” Todd said. “We were very fortunate that nothing major went wrong and we made a safe trip there and back, and we hope to make it again next year – as long as there are no hurricanes in the forecast, of course.”
“This is a trip we will never forget,” Jade said.
Todd and Jade left Ohio at 4 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10 with three horses and started their 10-plus-hour journey south to the Georgia National Fair in Perry, Ga., just as Hurricane Michael was getting ready to make landfall.
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When the Seamans crossed into Georgia, there were several digital road signs that stated “Travel not advised to southern Georgia due to hurricane.” Once they reached Atlanta, the southbound lanes were empty and the northbound lanes were full. Todd looked at Jade and said, “that should be a good indication that we shouldn’t be here,” but they kept driving farther south.
As the Seamans pulled into the fairgrounds at 2:30 p.m., the tornado sirens were going off. They quickly unloaded the horses and waited for the initial threat to pass. They found out from other exhibitors that the barns the horses were staying in during the show were the Georgia state equine hurricane shelter barns, so that made them feel a little safer. A few hours later, they did learn that there were three tornadoes that had touched down within four miles of the fairgrounds.
Later that evening, as Hurricane Michael made its way through Perry, Ga. as a Category 1 hurricane, Todd and Jade weathered the storm in the barn with the horses, as they felt it was a safe structure (and their hotel had no power). The next day, the clouds broke and made way for a beautiful day and weekend.
The trip was well worth it, as they came home with Grand Champion Stallion and Reserve Grand Champion Mare, and the Winning Get-of-Sire (two or more horses out of the same stallion).
“It was a trip that we will never forget,” Todd said. “We were very fortunate that nothing major went wrong and we made a safe trip there and back, and we hope to make it again next year – as long as there are no hurricanes in the forecast, of course.”