The Legend of Johnny & The Dead Run

John Wesley Hand better know as Johnny was a man of the great plains who raised his family and his horses near Friona, Texas. He had a steady gaze and a gentle smile and in 1956 he did something unbelievable.

It all took place at the annual harvest festival called Maize Days The grand event that gathered crowds from miles around was the Pony Express Race. This race was a relay where teams of 4 riders on 4 horses raced 4 miles to in the town square. This year as teams were collecting around the registrations table Johnny stepped up and registered as a single rider on a single horse. People called him crazy but he knew something they didn’t. For the last year he had been raising and training a young horse from his own breed stock named Skooter, and this horse was different. He had the spirit and drive unlike any horse Johnny had seen and furthermore they trusted each other completely and Johnny knew they could do it. But he was a gambler at heart and craved a good adventure. So the riders line up at the starting line and stared across the long stretch of dirt road that lead into town, and through the dust they might could make out the cluster of figures at the mile marker. But Johnny and Skooter only see the finish line. On your mark…Bang! And the race is on. 

Johnny and Skooter surged forward with every mile of the Pony Express Race, passing by the changing stations where the other teams swapped out fresh horses and riders. But the legendary duo continued on, mile after mile, unfazed by the grueling pace of the race. The other teams, with their fresh mounts and riders, couldn't keep up with their unbreakable bond. The wind whipped through their hair and the sun beat down on them, but Johnny and Skooter never wavered in their determination to win the race. They were a force to be reckoned with, and every mile they conquered brought them closer to victory.

As the race wore on, Skooter's once steady gallop started to falter. The long miles and the unforgiving sun had taken their toll on the young horse, and his body was starting to tire. But Johnny wasn't about to give up. He had trained for this moment and had faith in the horse's spirit and drive. With a determined look on his face, Johnny urged Skooter on, pushing him harder and farther than ever before, his breathing became more labored, but he refused to give up, driven by the unshakeable bond between him and his rider. Johnny could feel the horse's exhaustion, but he refused to let it deter him. He knew that victory was within their grasp, and he would do whatever it took to reach it.

As they reach the last hill the finish line is in sight. But then they hear that dreadful horn and to their left they see the train and there is no way they can beat it before it cuts them off just blocks from the town square. The train stops him in his tracks. With the caboose in sight, Johnny turns around to see his opponent charging forward. As soon as the train motors on, Johnny and Skooter take off for the last half mile. They are head to head with their opponents down Main Street until crossing the finish line by a length!

In celebration the other riders took his old dirty hat, the one that he wore and set it on fire on the courthouse steps, then went and bought him a brand new one to replace it.  

Johnny was my great grandfather and I knew him.  This story is more than just a family memory for, it resembles having that fire in your belly, perseverance, and being a little nuts. So when I was searching for what to call this venture nothing fit quite like Dead Run.

Everyday we are going up against the odds, do we sit down or do we spur onward?