Booker Ranch Fire Relief

On the evening of January 29th, 2023, Rienzi, Mississippi ranchers Danielle and Chad Booker and their three young children pulled into their driveway to discover their barn apartment ablaze. Good friend and tenant Stanley Stewart was already evacuating horses from stalls as Chad and Danielle rushed in to help, surrounded by flames. Within minutes the entire barn was engulfed in fire. They fought valiantly to save the lives of every animal in and around the barn but some horses refused to leave their stalls and a tragic nightmare of a situation unfolded. Jacket and cowboy hat burning, Chad struggled in vain as his hands and arms burned attempting to save multi-World Grand Champion stallion Stroker’s Powerhouse. As the barn roof began to collapse and Danielle’s jacket melted onto her, they had to make the gut wrenching choice to perish with the trapped horses or save themselves. The children were ordered to the road but would not leave the horses. The family watched helplessly with tears in their eyes as Danielle’s pony of 30+ years looked back at them, trapped in corral panels. This is what true heartbreak feels like for an equestrian family. 

 5 horses died in the initial fire, two were euthanized due to burns/injuries and approximately 16 were rescued from the inferno. 3 were customer horses. 27 horses under their care now inhabit the ranch and need emergency shelter. ⚠️ 

 Those animals that are burned and injured require immediate veterinary care. Some pigs were rescued but they do not have a total for which cats and dogs survived or may have run away from their home out of fear. 

 Danielle is a riding instructor and Chad is a horse trainer. They and their customers not only lost their beloved animals in this tragedy, but the Bookers also lost a big part of their livelihood. Their horse trailer and two trucks are severely damaged. 70+ Western and English saddles, all saddle pads, hundreds of bridles and 7-800 bits were destroyed. Every horse blanket is gone. A lifetime of horse show clothes, gear, tack trunks and all contents disappeared in a few minutes. 4 wheeler ATV, all buckets, feed & water troughs, horseshoeing tools and equipment, farm implements and tools vanished in the blink of an eye. Two big barn fans, propane heaters and power tools, pretty much everything needed to run a farm is all gone. 

 The apartment where Stanley lived contained all of his belongings and life savings of $12,000 cash, but as any true horseman would he chose to try to save the animals instead. 

 Antique 2 seated horse carriage, gone. 4 tons of horse, chicken and pig feed and hay, all gone. Even the hay trailer caught fire. Sentimental items like the saddle Chad’s dad gave him many years ago, the one that he felt like any horse could be ridden with, was also lost in the fire. “My life was in that barn” remarked Danielle as her voice cracked with grief. “We have two halters and lead ropes that were luckily in the trailer and that’s it.” 

 These are good, hard working people who are in the midst of a living nightmare. Any help and prayers would be appreciated more than anyone can possibly imagine and every penny (minus fees) will go directly to the Bookers. God bless and thank you~

Sincerely,

Josh Burchfield, Cody Childers and Kyle Earnest