BOURBON COUNTY, Ky. — Cleanup continues in Bourbon County after an EF1 tornado touched down the morning of April 2 with maximum winds of 95 miles per hour. It was just south of Paris in Bourbon County, near the Clark County line headed toward Winchester.
That EF-1 tornado which tore through Bourbon County left behind a path of destruction with residents cleaning up debris left over from the storm. Hidden Rose Farm was hit hard with barns, fences and a riding arena destroyed.
Chelsea Sherman co-owns the farm with her fiance, Josh Jones. Sherman said after the storm hit, her farm was full of volunteers lending a helping hand. Many volunteers returned Wednesday to continue the cleanup efforts.
“Before I even got up, we had crews here on top of our barn roofs," Sherman said. "I can’t say thank you enough for all of it and all of the help."
Hidden Rose Farm boards horses, sells horses and offers riding lessons on-site, year-round. Sherman, Jones and others who often work at the farm were there Tuesday as debris began flying around.
For Sherman, the farm is her livelihood.
“Everything you build and work for and have created is just gone in a matter of seconds," Sherman said. "It happened so fast. It was here one second, and you turn around and it’s all gone the next."
Volunteers, many of them complete strangers, helped rebuild barns, clear debris and brought tools, food and other supplies Wednesday to the cleanup crew.
Grace Conley has boarded and rode her horse at the farm since last July. She said it's devastating to see the training arena leveled to a pile of rubble.
“Pretty much all time of the day, you could find somebody in here riding or doing groundwork or lunging their horse," Conley said. "There was just always something going on in here, in terms of training or just playing with your horse."
She said the more people who help, the closer Hidden Rose Farm gets closer to regular operations. Conley added she is blown away by the support fellow horse enthusiasts and owners are showing the family.
“This has really just solidified that point that people are there for you when you need help, and it’s been amazing to see everybody out here helping, whether they know Chelsea or not," Conley said.
Jones, Sherman's fiance and business partner, said five horses were injured during the storm. He said four were treated at the farm, and one was taken into surgery. Since the storm hit, he said both of their phones have been ringing nonstop.
“It’s been incredible," Jones said. "I don’t even know how to thank all these people that have shown up for us, and I’m not sure we’d have the same hope and strength to go on without these people."
A GoFundMe was arranged to help offset the costs to rebuild. It has raised nearly $50,000 in fewer than two days.