1-1     By:  Siebert (Senate Sponsor - Wentworth)             H.C.R. No. 21

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 1997;

 1-3     May 6, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on

 1-4     Administration; May 15, 1997, reported favorably, as amended, by

 1-5     the following vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 15, 1997, sent to

 1-6     printer.)

 1-7     COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1                             By:  Moncrief

 1-8           Amend HCR 21 as follows:

 1-9                 On page 1, line 46, between "in" and "Houston" insert

1-10     "Fort Worth,".

1-11                         HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

1-12           WHEREAS, Texas is blessed with a rich and colorful history,

1-13     and no event captures the unique spirit of the Lone Star State

1-14     better than rodeo; and

1-15           WHEREAS, The cattle industry of the Southwest flourished

1-16     throughout the 1800s, but the fencing of the open range in the

1-17     latter part of that century forever changed the nomadic existence

1-18     of the cowboy; bronc riding and roping contests at community

1-19     celebrations quickly gained popularity as opportunities for cowboys

1-20     to test their skills against counterparts from other ranches, and

1-21     these informal contests eventually gave way to organized

1-22     competitions that awarded prize money to the top finishers; and

1-23           WHEREAS, From the earliest days of the sport, Texas has

1-24     played a key role in the development of the modern rodeo; the

1-25     world's first recorded rodeo was held in Pecos in 1883, and Fort

1-26     Worth staged the first indoor rodeo in 1917; Rockdale's legendary

1-27     Bill Pickett laid the foundation for the popular steer-wrestling

1-28     event when he developed a method of bulldogging a steer by the lip,

1-29     and his success on the rodeo circuit opened the door for other

1-30     African American cowboys; and

1-31           WHEREAS, Problems soon emerged for the competitors, however,

1-32     and when the need for an organization representing the cowboys'

1-33     interests became apparent, Texas was again at the leading edge; the

1-34     Rodeo Cowboys Association, the forerunner to today's famed

1-35     Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), was established in

1-36     Houston in 1945, and renowned Bandera calf roper Toots Mansfield, a

1-37     seven-time world champion, was installed as its first president;

1-38     and

1-39           WHEREAS, Female competitors such as Fort Worth's Barbara Inez

1-40     "Tad" Lucas also gained fame and fortune on the rodeo circuit in

1-41     the early part of this century, and cowgirls eventually banded

1-42     together to establish the Women's Professional Rodeo Association in

1-43     San Angelo; many of these women have been honored for their unique

1-44     contributions in the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame, which is

1-45     located in Fort Worth; and

1-46           WHEREAS, Today, internationally known rodeos in Houston and

1-47     San Antonio, as well as countless others across the state, continue

1-48     the Lone Star rodeo legacy and preserve this invaluable link to our

1-49     past; no other sport so embodies the independence, fortitude, and

1-50     courage exhibited by our state's forebears, and thus the rodeo

1-51     holds a special place in the hearts of all Texans; now, therefore,

1-52     be it

1-53           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

1-54     hereby declare rodeo to be the official sport of Texas.

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