LUSK RANCH

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