Columbus, OH — The State Journal-Register of Illinois is reporting that a strong line of storms swept through Sangamon County and central Illinois on Friday (March 31), knocking down dozens of homes and causing property damage in areas north of Springfield.

According to the State Journal-Register story, Walker Standardbreds horse stable suffered damage to several of their barns.

The National Weather Service in Lincoln reported that at 5:54 p.m., a tornado was spotted 20 miles west-southwest of Sherman, moving eastward from Morgan County, where tornadoes had been reported 30 minutes prior. The tornado moved through the village, causing damage to structures along the Interstate 55 Business Loop near the headquarters of the Sherman Fire Protection District.

To read the complete State Journal-Register story, click here.

The following statement was posted on the Walker Standardbreds Facebook page on April 2.

There are no words to express our appreciation for the support, love and help that our friends and community has provided us. We have lost the use of our Broodmare and Infield barns and the paddocks that support their operations. Most of our mares with foals are stabled off site and we hope to be able to bring them home very soon. With the help of our wonderful community we will continue to clear debris and broken fencing so we can prioritize our buildout to support the operation. On a final note our crew here at the farm has been outstanding under what has been a very difficult time for them. The care they provide to our mares and babies is second to none! I’ll provide an update on our breeding operation later today. Thanks for all the kind messages and outreach!