Country hoops Brendon Newport and Sarah Robbins lose $50,000 worth of riding gear and equipment after fire destroys their mobile home

Two Queensland country jockeys who lost $50,000 worth of riding gear and equipment after a fire destroyed their mobile home have thanked the racing industry for their support.

Brendon Newport (left) and Sarah Robbins (third from left) lost their riding gear when a fire destroyed their mobile home.

The Queensland racing industry has rallied around country jockeys Brendon Newport and Sarah Robbins, who lost $50,000 worth of riding gear and equipment when a fire destroyed their mobile home on Sunday in Roma.

On Monday morning, just under $4000 had been raised through the efforts of the Queensland Racing Industry Support Program (QRISP) to help out the couple and their five children, ranging in ages from eight months to eight years.

Miles residents Newport and Robbins had their mobile home parked in the driveway of family friends Stuart and Cheryl Rogers in Roma, about 480km west of Brisbane, when a fire destroyed the vehicle around 12.30pm on Sunday.

Fortunately no one was in the mobile home, which was not insured, at the time.

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“We were out the backyard and the neighbour shouted ‘it’s on fire’ and we got out there but the fire was that hot,” Stuart Rogers recalled.

“Our front door was about 15m from the vehicle and the heat from the fire cracked the glass on the door and started melting the paint away.

“The fire burnt the side of our house and damaged the neighbour’s house.

“They (Newport, Robbins and their kids) were just about to leave so if that had of happened on the road, we might not have had any people left.

“We just want to make sure they’re OK and lend them some gear so they can keep on riding and earning.”

Sarah Robbins and Brendon Newport’s damaged motor home.

Trainer-jockey Newport said he and Robbins were getting ready to pick up their horses from the Roma stables when the fire destroyed at least $50,000 worth of their belongings, including valuable riding equipment.

“We lost all the kids’ stuff, all of mine and Sarah’s race gear and jockey gear, practically nearly everything that we had because we’d packed up to go to Alice Springs but that didn’t work out,” he said.

“The truck is completely gone. The only thing salvageable was the back of the truck where the horses are, nothing was sort of touched there.”

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Newport had to brush off the drama to ride at Augathella, about 270m west of Roma, on Monday while Robbins looked after the kids.

“As soon as we saw the smoke I just ran around and said ‘where are all the kids?’ and rounded them up,” Robbins said.

“Our little baby (Kassandra) was asleep in a room next door so I dived through and grabbed her out. That’s the main thing, it could’ve been worse.

“Everyone’s been so supportive and amazing and reached out to help out where they can.

“The jockeys’ association called and said they’d help us get started by replacing some of our gear.

“Obviously that’s the biggest thing for us that we’ve lost. We’ll figure it out from here, we always do.”

Anyone wishing to make a contribution can donate to QRISP (BSB: 484-799, account number 0843-33357) and use “Brendon” or “Sarah” as the reference.

Originally published as Country hoops Brendon Newport and Sarah Robbins lose $50,000 worth of riding gear and equipment after fire destroys their mobile home