December-January 2015-2016 /
American Turf Magazine
13
East Coast Update
On the Backstretch with
Lynn Reardon
By Michael Sherack
L
ynn
R
eardon
is
the
executive
director of LOPE, the Lone Star
Outreach to Place Ex-Racers,
and also the author of “Beyond the
Homestretch:What SavingRacehorses
TaughtMeAbout StartingOver, Facing
Fear and Finding My Inner Cowgirl.”
LOPE provides Texas racehorses
with opportunities for new careers after
their racing days end, and has helped
transition more than 1,000 former
racehorses to a second career.
Reardon was born in Queens, New
York, and was raised in the Washington
D.C. area. She currently resides in Aus-
tin, Texas, with her husband, Dave, a
website and graphic designer who also
pitches in with LOPE.
For more info on LOPE, visit www.
LOPETX.org or
/
LOPETEXAS/
Question:
How were you introduced
to horses and racing?
Answer:
“I always loved horses as a
young person, but nobody in my fam-
ily was into the business other than
my grandmother as someone who just
liked going to the racetrack, and riding
or anything like that wasn’t affordable
as a pursuit so I guess I always had
somewhat of a frustrated desire to ride.
I ultimately worked in the account-
ing field and took riding lessons with
money I’d gotten as a bonus. I also
worked as a student for a professional
polo player and learned. In my career,
I’d spent all my time just waiting for
five o’clock to leave the office, and my
Lynn Reardon, the Executive director of LOPE
