By: Rudd H.R. No. 427
73R6969 JLZ-D
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, Because the cultural and economic development of
1-2 this state historically have been closely associated with the rise
1-3 of the cattle industry in the late nineteenth century, one of the
1-4 most enduring popular images of a typical Texan is often that of a
1-5 cowboy on a horse riding the range, tending cattle; and
1-6 WHEREAS, Although this image often has been romanticized and
1-7 mythologized, many of the elements that went into its creation were
1-8 the products of the hard work and long hours the cowboy had to
1-9 endure in real life; despite the myths and legends, the life of a
1-10 cowboy meant developing and perfecting a myriad of skills essential
1-11 in his daily work, which required mastery astride a horse or with
1-12 rope in hand; and
1-13 WHEREAS, Cowboys took great pride in honing their everyday
1-14 skills and often took advantage of their leisure hours to show off
1-15 these skills in friendly competition with their fellow ranch hands;
1-16 out of this desire to hone and display their hard-earned skills
1-17 evolved an institution that has endured to the present time, the
1-18 rodeo; and
1-19 WHEREAS, Many feats that make up the principal events of the
1-20 modern rodeo--bareback and saddle bronc riding, calf roping, bull
1-21 riding, steer wrestling, and single steer roping--were performed
1-22 originally not as a means of entertainment but as a part of the
1-23 work of a cattle roundup in the days of the open range cattle
1-24 industry; in fact, the word "rodeo" itself is derived from the
2-1 Spanish word for roundup; and
2-2 WHEREAS, On July 4, 1883, the foremen of several far West
2-3 Texas ranches in the vicinity of the Pecos staged a rodeo that soon
2-4 became a popular annual event among local ranch hands; what set
2-5 this particular event apart from previous rodeos was the fact that,
2-6 for the first time in history, cowboys competed for prizes as well
2-7 as for the approval and respect of their peers, thus setting the
2-8 stage for the subsequent rise of the rodeo as both a major popular
2-9 sport and a significant cultural phenomenon; and
2-10 WHEREAS, That event of 1883 in later years became known as
2-11 the West of the Pecos Rodeo and now is highly regarded as one of
2-12 the premier events in this uniquely American sport; having remained
2-13 true to its roots, the 110-year-old Pecos rodeo recently was voted
2-14 the top rodeo on the Texas circuit by members of the Professional
2-15 Rodeo Cowboys Association; and
2-16 WHEREAS, A cowboy extravaganza held over four days around the
2-17 Fourth of July each year, this grandfather of all rodeos remains
2-18 one of the most popular rodeos in the state for spectators and
2-19 contestants alike, drawing thousands of aficionados from across the
2-20 state and nation to the West Texas town of Pecos; and
2-21 WHEREAS, While other rodeos have followed suit and attained a
2-22 large measure of success on their own merits, they nevertheless owe
2-23 their existence to the success achieved by their illustrious
2-24 predecessor; widely recognized as the first event of its kind, the
2-25 West of the Pecos Rodeo deserves its acclaim as the oldest rodeo in
2-26 the world; now, therefore, be it
2-27 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 73rd Texas
3-1 Legislature hereby recognize the West of the Pecos Rodeo as the
3-2 oldest rodeo in the world and honor the town of Pecos' claim to
3-3 being the Home of the World's First Rodeo; and, be it further
3-4 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-5 prepared for the city of Pecos as an expression of high esteem by
3-6 the Texas House of Representatives.