LUSK RANCH

First we would like to send a special shout out and great big Happy Birthday to our son-in-law, Jimmy McGaw. Jade threw him a surprise party tonight and apparently she really surprised him. Congratulations and many more!!

We would like to send our thoughts & prayers from the Lusk Ranch family to the family and friends of the men and women at Ft. Hood.  May God Bless you all.

Coach Lusk would like to wish all the young men around the country (especially Texas & California) that are starting football playoffs, a Great playoff season, good luck to all the players and coaches. We wish good health and good sportsmanship along the way!!

With me being aTthanksgiving baby (John will be 52 yrs. on November 27th), I always feel like people should take time out and be thankful for the things they have. Most things we have are blessed upon us, so instead of trying to out do the McCoy's like most people try to do, just try to become closer to those things you already have and the people (family & friends) that are there the most. I would hope that my message would get to everyone from the mail carrier to the mayor, from the local electrician to our state senator, from the govenor to our President of the United States. Let's be thankful for those things we have and help thy neighbor, don't ignore them.

With the holiday season coming up, whether you are at this time in your life where you are on the pocket full side of life or the pocket empty side, we all try to do the same thing this time of year. We all try to make everyone happy with gifts, little trinkets, extra junk that most of us don't really want or need. Let's this year, with the times being hard, try to make everyone happy with our gifts of service, love, laughter, thoughts and prayers. These things don't cost lots and that always make people smile! Which is what matters.

And last but not least...To all the news media out there, that keep talking about the same stories over and over again, same idiots over and over again. I'm not going to mention names, ya'll know who I mean, which stations. Quit talking about those kind of people. Maybe talk about the young man from Yazoo, MS that took the gun away from another kid to protect his sister and her friends that were on that bus, and many other good stories like that instead of keep repeating and giving recongnition to the idiots and crazies that don't deserve a thing. Let's talk about those kind of things, Not the people who are dying, or killing, to get their names in the news. Maybe what we should do is talk about people who do that right thing, and don't give anything to the ones who wrong!

Now that all that is off my chest, I might be able to rest a little! Until tomorrow...

Peace!

Cowboy

This will be short but sweet!  I know we have not been updating the Blog like we had planned, more often. We have been working tirelessly on the site as a whole. This will be where you hear John's gripes, complaints, comments, and sometimes harsh opionions on topics of all kinds.

His big kick lately is two fold: one about the media interest in the Humane Society, SPCA, Horse Recue Organizations reporting about there being double, or triple, the calls for horses being cruelly taken care of. The media does not report the other side of equine over population and the shutting done of the horse rendering plants in the United States; and the other, being the change in society of not vaccinating children the way that is suggested and the homeschooling of America's youth. It's very frustrating for John to understand. So if you are interested in any of these topics, check back soon for more of his opionion's on these!

• Even though we've had the fire and all the devastation at the ranch. It's the end of July, two days from the first of August and everything at the ranch and throughout Montague County is so green. We have gotten rain the last 4 nights/early mornings. Yesterday, I poured out a little less than 1/2" rain and this morning was a little less than 1/4". There are pools of water and puddles of mud all over the ranch. We had to tell Juan yesterday that this is not normal for this time of year in the amount of rain we have gotten but we are NOT complaining, normally this time of year we are praying for rain. We had to move one of the temp pens that we had created in the burned metal barn for one of the horses we got at the Claremore, OK horse sale because it has 6+ inches of water completely covering the "floor" of the stall. So we moved the panels outside to a higher, grass covered, firmer area until the stall area drains some.

  Most other things are moving along. More pearling was put up yesterday evening so the temporary structure being built to house stalls until we get a "real" barn back up. It is really beginning to look like it should. Next step is to order tin for the roof, then the wood to complete the stalls. I will take pics in the next day or two to show the progress.

  Most importantly, Juan is back to riding every day. We all went to Lone Star Park last Thursday and saw our good buddy Chris at Lone Star Tack Shop (John and him have been friends since the Trinity Meadows days). We got an exercise saddle so that Juan cold get back to riding these athletes in what they are used to being exercised and trained in. It's so exciting (& a lot sad) to go up to the barn and look over at the training track and see Juan galloping by. Sad to look over and see the two mounds where our babies were buried and to know that those are the ones that should be training or at the race track now!

  Other NEWS: Kimmie passed her TAKS Math portion so no more worry about that. She has physicals at 8 am Friday morning and two-a-days start for her at Gold-Burg at 7 am Monday morning. Let me tell you just how excited she is about that. But she really is looking forward to starting her Freshman year. Ryan will be starting 3 grade at Ringgold this year and he says he wants to try Football this year so we will see. Got a call from Jade yesterday on her way home from her Dr.'s appointment, she's not due till the 2nd week of August but she is already 4 cm dilated, 75% effaced so it could be anytime. Very Exciting!

  We are finally getting some kind of information on receiving assistance from the government on Disaster Assistance, it's only going on 5 months! Also Monday, a Montague County crew with a "crushing" track hoe and a dump truck starting crushing and removing the metal debris from the piles of the barns, trailers, etc. that were damaged in the fires. HOORAY! I think that will help John tremendously not having to look out the house everyday and see those piles of barns and equipment.

  Enough for now. I will get some pics of the barn progress and maybe one or two of horses going around the track as soon as the overcast skies cooperate.

  Peace and love from Lusk Ranch!

I know I'm late but I want to wish my life-long friends, Robbie & Erving Myers from California, a happy anniversary. I'm not sure on the number of years they have been married but I know it's almost as long as I've been alive. You see I know because I was lucky enough to be asked to stand with my "brother" Erv and be in their wedding party. I know that was a big question for Robbie, I was on my best behavior then, except for teaching the ring barer how to do "thumbs up" like Fonzie from Happy Days.

Congratulations you two! Love ya, John!

FIRST - Let us say, May God watch over the families of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson (what ashamed that the loss of Farrah was so overpowered by the loss of Jackson), we pray that they have the faith of God, family and friends to be there for them during this trying time.

Well another weekend in is here. This weekend is Jim Bowie Days here in Bowie, Texas. It is a small town festival ("K" says it really can't be called a festival, more like a street fair) held downtown every year commemorating the begining of Bowie. They have a rodeo Friday and Satuday nights and a Chuck Wagon Cook-off/Display, car show, and games for kids. Again, its just a small community event that they have been doing here for years.

We will probably miss the Saturday events. Jade is planning a little birthday bash for Abigail's 2 year birthday (which was actually 5/29) at their new house in Hurst.

John has been in bed since Wednesday evening, he was hit bad by one of his "headaches' that seem to grip and completely shut him down until the pressure releases a little. He stayed in bed ALL day Thursday, I was able to get him up a little while ago to get him to eat something (he wouldn't even do that Thursday) and to return a few phone calls. Hopefully, the headache will subside enough to give him a little releif soon!!

Regan Cable is still here working on putting up a covered area for the portable stalls. Those should be up and ready for horses in two weeks or so. I think when that happens and we have horses back in training, then John will be able to relax a little.

Zone Again, horse with the win picture on the Homepage, is entered to run again at Lone Start Park on Sunday, 6/28. I will post Race info when entries are avaialble. If John is feeling better then we will be at Lone Star cheering him on to the finish line.

Peace and love to everyone. Keep John and his headaches in your prayers.

"K"

Sorry it has taken a while to be back up and writing to you about Life and Times at Lusk Ranch. If you are reading this blog, then you are aware of the devastation that occurred as a result of the North Texas Wildfires that went through Montague County on April 9, 2009 (opening day at Lone Star Park).

After a few weeks of thoughts and reflection on what is best, we have decided to continue with the promise we made to Pop before he passed. To keep Lusk Ranch, the history of TB Racing alive for future generations of Lusk's. "K" is starting to work and rebuild the Lusk Ranch site for easier navigation and more information. We will be posting daily to the Blog, which means you will hear (& maybe see) the stories of rebuilding the Ranch, new horses and horses in training, anecdotes from John along with his highly opinionated accounts of life and times of today's world. Which I will warn you now - he tells it like it is at least the way he see it!

The honorable Texas Governor Rick Perry, the Texas Forestry Department and the Red Cross all witnessed the damage caused by the wildfires personally. Oprah, Larry King, CNN, etc will soon be receiving a package containing photos and information regarding not only our loss but also the devastation throughout Montague County. Reports show that the fire that spread along FM 1806 was started by a spark from a Burlington Northern train outside of Bellevue. We were told that FEMA, USDA, other government agencies had assistance to help recover some from this disaster but we have been turned away, turned down or denied from all agencies. Either have been told there was no money available at this time, or told that the Texas damage was not considered a "Disaster". People who lost homes have been helped (which they should have been) and even there has been help for people who lost cattle but nothing for us just because what we lost were "only horses". They were not just horses but our family but most importantly they (along with the barns and equipment) were our livelihood. As many of you know of what we have been through since John was seriously injured in 2005, we thought we were finally seeing a small light at the end of a very long tunnel. Even though the areas of Oklahoma that were damaged from the same fire were covered/listed a Natural Disaster and offered assistance, the Texas area was denied the same. We were told that the Texas HBPA (Horseman's Benevolent Protection Association) had monies to assist a little with the loss of horses (since we just had Mr. Hardy, the state tattooed here on Tuesday, April 7th, to identify & tattoo the horses to ready for Lone Star) and immediate funds to help replace some tack - that agency is completely lost and again no monies and put on a waiting list (For What?) We were told the week after the fire that the local USDA office had applications / monies available to assist with rebuilding of fencing (we lost over 5,000 sq. foot of exterior fence) that was burned, John spent over an hour in their office filling out the paperwork - he turned to walk out and was given a denial letter even before he left the office and have not heard from them since. All of this eventually gets to you. You want to say, what else can happen? But we learned the hard way not to do that...

We want to Thank everyone from longtime friends to people we have never met for all of the love, care, prayers, and support during this time. We are working daily to try to get things back up and going. Currently a makeshift area with 10 portable stalls is being constructed ,with pipe and materials donated from a variety of places, so that Juan (who has been great through all this and decided to stick around and do what he can) can get back to work, riding and training so we can get to the Race Track. We have had many wonderful people offer horses so that we could get back in business but with no barn, stalls or tack that is very hard to do. So hopefully, we will have an area to put horses in a week or two. Again, it's hard to understand but we literally put our last amount of money we had earlier the week of the fire to make sure the horses were ready to go the Lone Star and race the following week. These horses were our lively hood, bread & butter, our income and what we have put our hearts and souls into. We had just bought 2700 lbs. of feed, specially mixed per John's directions for race horses at Kerr Feed in Henrietta, Tuesday morning before Mr. Harding came to tattoo the horses. The fire was on a Thursday and that feed burned until the following Wednesday. When John went back to Kerr Feed the next week to get just plain feed to feed the remaining horses and they heard about the fire, John bought 10 sacks but came home with 25. Again, showing the concern and generosity of the community. That is just one of many stories of our experiences (not all are as caring).

I know that people who know me wouldn't expect this in my blog... But I would like to Thank the surgeons, hospital and everyone else involved in the Surgery a few weeks ago for my brother Kenny. He is recovering well from what we are being told. Unfortunetly, I have not spoken to Ken or my other brother, Ed, since right after my father's funeral . We did shake hands at our Mother's funeral but am personally embarrassed (I know MOM was madder than a hornet) about the way we all three acted at her funeral. I was called by Ken's son, Keenan, to tell me about Ken's surgery and was told the next day he made it through and was doing well. God bless you Ken, and no matter what you will always be in my prayers.

To everybody reading, be cool (at least try - it was over 100 here today) - will keep you posted.

Feel free to forward this on to anyone who will listen because it can only get better from here!!

John

It's that time of year! Opening day of Baseball and soon to be opening day of Lone Star Park, thoroughbred racing in North Texas."K" takes her trainer's test on Wed. (4/8) Wish her luck!

I was invited to attend a WrestleMania watch party last night. I enjoyed seeing friends but the matches left very little to be desired. At least for me... We watched the Hall of Fame Inductions on Saturday night to see our friends get inducted and the only ones they televised were Steamboat and Austin. If you didn't actually work for Vince Jr. you didn't get televised. He won't do anything if it doesn't promote his business some how. It just shows that he inducted most of those guys out of something else than professional courtesy!

"K" and I went to pick up a couple of new mares Friday night South of Austin. We met my long time buddy from school, Ervin! These are really good mares matched to our studs.

Gotta get busy for now. Update soon,

John

This is the first posting in over a year. Sorry we did not post in 2008. The year started off awful and got continunally worse. John's mother, Grace Morgan Lusk, passed away Feb. 13, 2008 which was devastating. Then "K" spent more than 100 days in the hospital during 2008. She had numerous Porphyria attacks and was trying to learn triggers to stay away from.  She spent 26 days from Jan. - Feb. of this year in Bowie Memorial. We have finally after numerous tests found that she is allergic to Yeast and Wheat and since she has cut those along with other things from her diet she seems to be feeling better. Hooray!!

Now down to business, Lusk Ranch has a new partner, Juan Saucedo! He and his wife, Elizabeth and daughter, Ashanty became part of the Lusk Ranch Family in January. Which will allow Lusk Ranch to finally build into what Pop (Paul Lusk) wanted. Which allows me to fulfill the promise "K" and I made to him.

We have 8 horses in training and hope to be racing at Lone Star Park by the middle of May. "K" is set to take her Trainer's License test next week!!

I believe we finally have the stars correctly aligned to make this into a good and prosperous year and allow us to start making the business count.

PS: "K" bought me a commercial style dehydrator for Christmas.  I started making Jerky again. I can't seem to keep any around long so I will probably start making alot more soon.

Keep up with me through this blog. And with the training with the pictures and info. Remember we are still on dial up so it takes a full couple of hours to upload info.

John

Things have been so hectic.

No wonder life is like it is...

"K" went into the hospital last Tuesday and I just got her home Monday night. She went to work last Tuesday and ended up having one of her Acute Porphyria attacks right after lunch. (Curious about what she has go to www.porphyriafoundation.com - she has AIP) She called our doctor who told her that he had a bed waiting for her. When she starts having one of her attacks, there is only one way to stop them and that is intravenous glucose treatment. At least, she wasnt't totally dehydrated like she normally is when they decide to admit her. She just started the attack but her glucose and potassium levels were already very low. Good new is she is home and doing much better. She had an infection that triggered this attack. She is getting much better at watching for the signs of an attack. I just wish she didn't have to deal with these. This is a heridetery disease, it is very possible that one of the kids has it too. There is so much unknown about what she is dealing with. Like I told our doctor the other day, leave it to one of us to have one of the weirdest things in Bowie. At least we give him something unique to break up his days.

So with "K" in the hospital this last week, I have been trying to take care of myself, the kids and the ranch. "K" normally does all the kids, paperwork, computer work, etc but since she was sick none of that got done. Ooops! She is working on getting paperwork and computerwork caught up and told her that I would update the blog. I am working on getting better at that.

Fall is in the air at Lusk Ranch. The leaves are falling, grass is changing colors, getting ready to plant the rye. Thanksgiving is next week but is doesn't seem like it should be. With me being a Thanksgiving baby this time of year just gets to me. We have 18 pregnant mares and 14 foals. In the next few days I'm going through the foals to see which ones I think should go to the track, look for a page with the foals listed for sale. We have to get ready for the new crop of foals. Our first 2008 foal is due in early February!

We would like to send our Deepest Sympathies to Tim and Elissa Roberts. They lost their 2 1/2 month old daughter, Isabella, on Sunday due to SIDS. Tim wrestled as Guido Falcon for years and our hearts and prayers go out to him and his family. God Bless You, Tim!

I'm looking forward to seeing lots of my wrestling buddies this Saturday, 11/17, at Red Bastien's Texas ShootOut. It's a lunch held this time each year for all the "boys" to get together and BS. We missed it 2 years ago, beacuase it was two days after the wreck. Yep, it was 2 years since the wreck on Nov. 10th. I just let it go since "K" was in the hospital. I hope we get good pics to post next week to the site from the ShootOut.

By for Now,

John

I know it's been a while since I have updated the blog. "K" just updated the website with a page on Slam and a page on all the mares. Hopefully this will get info out and going on all our horses. We hope to get all the foals out to the track. We have sold one foal already this year, we have 8 more for sale.

Just to check in... I am doing better. Still headaches all day, my stomach is still messing with me daily. "K" has been fighting her porphyria this week but at least she is keeping it under control and not in the hospital.

The kids are at their dads this weekend. So "K" and I are on our own. No plans! We plan to get all the mares wormed and vaccinated and just rest.

Working on getting all the website updated. Thanks to all our friends/family who have checked in on us lately. We have needed all the thoughts and prayers.

I will try to be better and more consistent with my blogging.

Love, peace and horses,

John & "K"