Question: When will the Flying Horse of Gansu ever return to its perch on Main Street?  Also, how much did the repair cost and who will pay for the repairs?

Answer: The flying Chinese horse statue next to Chase Bank on East Main Street is no longer flying. It was noticed in June of this year that the rear leg on which the horse was balanced cracked, causing the statue to tip forward as if it is leaping off the pedestal according to an article in the Herald-Leader. Metal fatigue caused the 3-ton bronze horse to shift according to an article in the Herald-Leader. In equine terms, “a stress fracture,” said Brad Connell, of Tuska Studio, a fine art foundry. Connell and Seth Tuska, foundry owners, were called in by the city to assess the damage and give an estimate on making repairs. “A lot of weight’s on that leg,” Tuska said. The force of wind, plus freezing and thawing over several years, led to the break. Tuska said a formal estimate would be sent to the city. He said repairs would cost $10,000 to $20,000, which includes lifting the horse off its base with a crane. Repairs will have to be made at the foundry on Walton Avenue.The life-sized bronze called Flying Horse of Gansu is a larger copy of a 1,800-year-old Chinese statue that dates to the Han Dynasty. The city of Xi’an, China, gave the horse to Lexington on June 15, 2000. The gift was made in conjunction with Imperial China: The Art of the Horse in Chinese History exhibit at Kentucky Horse Park.Connell also spotted other joints that are cracked: where the legs and head are welded onto the body; another around the belly.

According to a city spokesperson, the repairs are expected to be finished in August 2008 at a cost of $38,000. The city is paying through their insurance.

Linda Niemi 

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