Racehorses evacuated from flood-hit region in southern Brazil as fundraising campaign is launched

Classic-winning jockey Silvestre de Sousa has fronted a fundraising campaign for the Jockey Club Rio Grande do Sol after the catastrophic floods in southern Brazil devastated Cristal Hippodrome and the local racing community.

Stable staff were fortunately able to safely evacuate all the racehorses from the facility, but essential supplies such as feed and hay have been lost, while many of those who work in the racing community have lost their homes and possessions to the environmental catastrophe.

The tragedy has claimed lives and cost some of the racing community in Rio Grande Do Sul family members and friends, while so far 640,000 people have been displaced by the worst natural disaster in the region's history. Local reports state at least 163 lives have been lost with another 72 individuals missing.

Catastrophic floods in southern Brazil have impacted the racing communityCredit: World Horse Racing

The racetrack is underwater with the floods, caused by relentless heavy rains and rivers bursting their banks, covering 3,800 square kilometres – an area the size of Suffolk – and over 300 municipalities have been affected.

De Sousa opened and closed a video appeal put out by World Horse Racing. He opened with: "I just want to share this news with you all, it's very sad for Brazil" and closed with: "Let's support Brazil, thank you very much."

Brazil-based jockey Victoria Mota said: "The state is underwater and more than 300 cities were affected. I'm here to ask for help from the horseracing community. Cristal racecourse was one of the places affected. People managed to remove all the horses before the rain, but most of them live there and lost their belongings. Unfortunately there is no forecast of improvement."

The fundraising page for the Jockey Club Rio Grande do Sul read: "The Directors of the Jockey Club of Rio Grande do Sul are appealing to the international horseracing community and beyond for support and assistance during this immense time of difficulty. Your generous donation can help provide essential supplies, support the displaced workers, and contribute to the rebuilding of this vital community. Please donate to help the people and racehorses of Rio Grande do Sul racetrack rebuild and recover. Thank you for your support."

If you would like to support the racing community in Rio Grande do Sud, you can do so here.