Latest news with #RuidosoDowns
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Ruidoso Downs takes another blow as severe flooding once again sweeps through area
RUIDOSO DOWNS, N.M. (KRQE) – Flooding in Ruidoso has once again impacted Ruidoso Downs Race Track, resulting in another blow to the community, which relies heavily on tourism. Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford announced Wednesday that the Rainbow Futurity, the second leg of the Triple Crown Series, will not take place this weekend because of the damage. Homes destroyed in 'truly unprecedented flooding' in Ruidoso 'This was the second leg of the Triple Crown quarter-horse racing that was supposed to start this Friday, Saturday, and conclude on Sunday. That is not happening. Those are multimillion-dollar races. So as you can imagine, a lot of that revenue will not be coming into town in the form of hotel revenues, restaurants, purchases from our businesses in Midtown,' Crawford said during a press conference. KRQE News 13 has reached out to Ruidoso Downs, and they said they will not be doing on-camera interviews on Wednesday and provided this statement: 'We want to start this morning by saying Thank you to all those that have reached out and checked in on our property, team members and animals. Due to the severity of the flood waters, we are currently assessing all damage to best determine next steps. Safety is our top priority and what we will focus on today as we work towards a plan. We will continue to post on social media and our website as details come available. Our thoughts & prayers are with all those affected and serve as a reminder that we are stronger together. #ruidosostrong' Crawford said the race track has a $150 to $160-million yearly impact on the local economy and employs 500 to 600 people. Prior to the press conference, Crawford spoke about the flooding damage on 1490 KRUI The Mountain. In that update, Crawford said some horses were lost or missing, and that the track would not function for the remainder of the season, and could possibly be done after 77 years in operation. KRQE News 13 asked Ruidoso Downs officials about those comments and received this reply from the track: 'We are still evaluating the damage, including some horses.' Ruidoso Downs reopened in May after making repairs to the track after it was damaged in severe flooding on the South Fork and Salt fires in 2024. PHOTOS: Historic flash flooding in Ruidoso causes destruction In addition to the repair work, officials also implemented flood prevention features on the grounds, adding culverts and building an 8-acre retention basin in the infield. At this time, it is unclear if those features held up in the flooding. Apart from the potential economic loss from Ruidoso Downs, Mayor Crawford asked visitors not to travel to the village at this time. 'We are not encouraging people to come to Ruidoso right now. It's just not safe, we have a lot of damage that's being done.' Officials are still assessing the damage to homes, businesses, roads, and other infrastructure in the village, like the sewer plant, water, electric, and gas utilities. Amid all the destruction, the biggest devastation of it all was the three people, an adult man and two children, who died in the flooding. 'We are here today talking about the catastrophe that we just experienced, the biggest catastrophe of all was the three lives that we lost,' Crawford said at the press conference. As of Wednesday morning, search and rescue operations were still underway, and the village is assisting people who were displaced by the floods. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Update: Meet Cancelled, One Horse Confirmed Dead After Severe Flash Flooding At Ruidoso Downs
Update: Meet Cancelled, One Horse Confirmed Dead After Severe Flash Flooding At Ruidoso Downs originally appeared on Paulick Report. Severe flash flooding in Ruidoso, N.M., during the evening of July 8 caused multiple barns at Ruidoso Downs to be overrun with rapidly-rising floodwaters and reportedly "washed out" the racing surface. Social media videos from the area showed several loose horses in the flood waters, and later videos showed grooms leading horses through receding water to higher ground. A track official confirmed that one horse died as a result of the flooding, one or two more remain unaccounted for, and 10 have been treated for minor wounds. At least three people in the town of Ruidoso died as a result of the flooding, reports Ruidoso was in the midst of a Quarter Horse race meet, and was preparing to host a pair of Grade 1 races for 3-year-olds on Saturday. "We lost the track again, it washed out our race track," Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford told Track owner Johnny Trotter confirmed to the Daily Racing Form that the 2025 meet at Ruidoso has been cancelled. "We can't run at Ruidoso again this year,' Trotter told DRF. 'We can't put it back together.' Last year, nearby wildfires in June and subsequent flooding on July 20 forced Ruidoso Downs officials to petition the New Mexico Racing Commission to move the remainder of the meet, including the prestigious All-American Futurity, to the Downs at Albuquerque. That option remains open again, said Izzy Trejo, executive director of the New Mexico Racing Commission, who added that "there are a lot of logistics involved." New Mexico also has Zia Park in Hobbs, Sunland Park on the Texas border near El Paso, and SunRay Park in Farmington in the northwest corner of the state. Prior to Tuesday's flood event, both the town of Ruidoso and the racetrack were still recovering from last year's South Fork and Salt wildfires that left severe burn scars and led to flooding of the racing surface and racing cancellations in 2024. According to CNN, the area has been under 12 separate flash flood emergencies since June of 2024. This time, the Rio Ruidoso river swelled to a preliminary reading of 20.24 feet after torrential rainfall, well above last year's record of 15.86 feet. The river rose 19 feet in less than an hour, reports Track officials reported that Ruidoso Downs itself didn't see any rain before this flooding; the water came down from rainfall in the mountains. There was a 30-minute warning to evacuate, but not enough time to get horses moved. Ruidoso Downs spent 120 days rebuilding and renovating after last year's floods, KOAT reported last month, and only managed to reopen for racing on May 23, 2025. KRQE reported earlier this year that after the fires and floods of 2024, Ruidoso Downs added culverts and an eight-acre retention pond to help prevent future floods. This story will be updated as more information becomes available. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ruidoso to honor community's resilience one year after wildfires ravaged the village
It's been one year since wildfires ravaged Ruidoso, leaving residents displaced and homes reduced to rubble. The blaze also claimed the lives of two people. The South Fork and Salt Fires ignited in the area on June 17, 2024. Hundreds of fire personnel battled the flames for weeks. Shortly after the wildfires, runoff from storms rushed over burn scars and debris, transforming roads into rivers and causing even more devastation. Ruidoso Downs and Casino ended up moving its summer meet — which features the All-American Futurity, the world-top quarter horse racing championship — to Albuquerque because storm damage. Since then, tributes have been held for those who were lost, businesses have reopened, and the community continues to rebuild. The track has reopened as well. The Village of Ruidoso will come together on Tuesday, June 17, for a remembrance event that will honor all who were impacted by the wildfires, recognize the courage of first responders, and celebrate the community's resilience. The event will begin at 5 p.m. at Wingfield Park, located at 300 Center St., and will feature remarks from officials, as well as food and music. Here's a look back at the wildfires. The South Fork and Salt fires ignited on June 17, 2024, and together burned nearly 25,000 acres in the Lincoln Forest, according to a report released by the Burned Area Emergency Response program. The South Fork fire burned over 17,000 acres of land. An investigation by wildland fire and law enforcement determined that a lightning strike caused the South Fork Fire, while the Salt Fire was human-caused. More than 1,400 structures were destroyed by the fires, including homes and businesses. Alto Ski Shop and Bar, a popular ski rental business that opened in 1981, shared a video of flames ripping through its building. "Alto Ski Shop with all their equipment, products, and the hard work of so many years, have been reduced to ashes and rubble. The loss is not just financial but deeply emotional," the business wrote on a GoFundMe page. The decades-old Swiss Chalet Hotel was also destroyed in the fire. A local, beloved musician who was staying at the hotel tried to escape and was killed, a friend previously shared with the El Paso Times. Two deaths were reported in the fires, including Patrick Pearson, who was found dead on the side of the road near the Swiss Chalet Motel on June 19, 2024. He was found with several burns and died from his injuries, police said. Pearson was the first confirmed fatality linked to the South Fork Fire and Salt Fire. Pearson had one of the best country voices in the southwest, his bandmates said. The same day that Pearson was found, another person was found dead in the driver seat of a burned vehicle, and could not be immediately identified, according to news affiliate, KRQE. It's unclear if the identity of that person was ever released. Rainfall transformed roads into rushing rivers in July 2024, leaving people trapped in homes and vehicles submerged. The heavy rain also caused damage to the Ruidoso Downs Track, impacting races, which had to be moved to Albuquerque. The burn scars left behind by the South Fork and Salt Fire remain a danger today, especially during this year's monsoon season, when the region receives the most rain. According to the National Weather Service, the monsoon is expected to have average rainfall in 2025; however, burn scars remain a significant issue. "Things are a little bit better up there compared to last year in terms of susceptibility to debris flow and runoffs, but still pretty susceptible area," said Zachary Aronson, with the National Weather Service. "We definitely keep a close eye with those burn scars. The village has released a real-time road conditions map, RAIN (Ruidoso Alert Information Network) map, to inform the public about flooded roads. The Lincoln National Forest is currently under a fire danger rating of 'high". When the fire danger rating is 'high,' wildfires are likely. Fires in heavy, continuous fuel, such as mature grassland, weed fields, and forest litter, will be difficult to control under windy conditions. The Lincoln National Forest is also under "Stage 2" fire restrictions because of dry conditions and increased fire danger. The restrictions prohibit people from building campfires, smoking, using a motor vehicle off National Forest System roads. Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@ @NatassiaPaloma on Twitter; natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma Thompson on Facebook. More: The U.S. has 'No Kings' say hundreds of El Pasoans who joined anti-Trump protest This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Ruidoso to honor community's resilience one year after wildfires
