Skip Smith

Edward L. Smith, commonly known as Skip Smith, is a third generation rancher. His grandfather, Ed Landreth, drove so fast near his south Texas ranch that nearby ranchers dubbed him “Flying L”.

The ranch that Skip and his family work is located approximately 15 miles south of Dublin, and is part of the old Lightning C. Ranch from which, in the 1950.s, Gene Autry gathered his entire rodeo stock and drove them into the town of Dublin proper, where they would be loaded onto trains for the long trip to rodeos in Madison Square Garden, Houston, Fort Worth, and then at last in Dublin.

Drawing from his grandfather’s heritage, Skip named his land the Flying L Ranch. He and those who live and work with him raise Brangus cattle, grow hay, and practice proper conservation methods for wildlife and native flora.

Skip received a Bachelor of Business degree in Marketing, and a Minor in Political Science from Texas Christian University in 1983, and later completed TCU’s Ranch Management program. His earliest work was in sales for soft drink and coffee companies, but he ultimately settled into the oil and gas business. After completing his real estate license work, he juggled both careers from his office in Fort Worth.

While at TCU, Skip met his future wife Amy, who would graduate in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. She changed career paths and received a Masters Degree in Education Research from TCU in 1994. She found that she had a love for the Latin language, and spent several years studying at the College of St. Thomas More. Amy then taught Latin to middle school students in Fort Worth for 5 years before the family decided to move to Dublin, allowing Skip to fully attend to ranching and real estate sales. Amy is now happily entering the horse breeding business on a very small scale.

Skip and Amy have three sons: Edward, Scott, and Charlie. The Smith family thoroughly enjoys the freedom and challenges of ranch life.