In case you were wondering ...[TEXAS TAX]

Special to the Star-Telegram ^ | May. 22, 2006 | ELLIOTT NAISHTAT

[Rte66]

Well, hello! I was having a "McLynnan" moment just the past two days, as a matter of fact.

Two things: a Grand Ole Opry star died and I had never heard of him, at least his name and songs didn't ring a bell, which surprised me. He was Billy Walker and one of his "famous" songs was "Cross the Brazos at Waco." Do you know or have you heard it? I can't place it at all.

Second thing was about horses, as I have become captivated with thoroughbred Barbaro's recovery process from his Preakness accident.

I'm not a horse person, but had tried through the years to follow some of the quarter horse events in the SW because my g'daddy had had an interest in some horses that raced in Ruidoso, a long time ago.

When I googled to see if I remembered the winner of last year's All-American Futurity, I ran across a horse who won the 1st two points of the Ruidoso Triple Crown for 2-year-olds, but finished 5th in the All-American. The article was touting him ("Leading Spirit") for the New Mexico derbies this year.

Anyway, he is out of West, Texas, which is what caught my eye. The owner is - former Texas A&M chancellor, Barry Thompson - Thompson Ranch. I probably wouldn't have guessed that. There just aren't that many people in West!

Thompson's partner had the same kind of unusual last name of an oilman I knew *of* in OKC who was famous for having been kidnapped - ransomed and returned unharmed, too - back in the 1930s by George "Machine Gun" Kelly. That got me curious and I got "lost in the Thirties tonight" last night!

Glad to see you and glad you got a reprieve on those property taxes! It *does* work. Say hello to the people in Willie's birthplace town of Abbott for me, lol.

[McLynnan]

Billy Walker's death made the front page of the local paper, but I've never heard of him, and don't think I ever heard that song. We must be too young ; )

I'm not familiar with any horse breeders in West. The Salome's breed Arabians out near Crawford -- they have some beautiful horses. I think the Saudi Crown Prince spent some major money there when he was in Crawford a few years ago.