By Laney H.R. No. 1122 75R14897 BNL-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The people of Motley County will join in paying 1-2 tribute to one of their most prominent favorite sons during Shannon 1-3 Davidson Pony Express Days, which will be held in June 1997; and 1-4 WHEREAS, In addition to an arts and crafts festival, food 1-5 concessions, music, and western dancing, this unique festival will 1-6 also feature 25-mile and 60-mile endurance rides, as well as a 1-7 quarter-mile ranch horse race, to memorialize Mr. Davidson's famed 1-8 victory in the 2,000-mile Pony Express Race of 1939; and 1-9 WHEREAS, Conceived as a publicity event for the small Texas 1-10 community in which it originated, the punishing race stretched from 1-11 Nocona, Texas, to San Francisco, California; Mr. Davidson, a 1-12 22-year-old cowboy from Flomot, pushed himself to ride 13 or more 1-13 hours a day through the deserts and plains of Texas, New Mexico, 1-14 Arizona, and California, all for the promise of $750 in freshly 1-15 minted silver dollars and a Hollywood screen test; and 1-16 WHEREAS, On March 24, 1939, 23 days after the starting shot 1-17 was fired, Mr. Davidson and his two faithful cow ponies, Rocket and 1-18 Ranger, crossed the finish line in Oakland, California, and later 1-19 that day, they received a hero's welcome at the San Francisco 1-20 World's Fair; and 1-21 WHEREAS, True to their word, the sponsors of the race 1-22 arranged for a screen test, and Mr. Davidson went on to work for 1-23 Republic Studios for the next three years, playing small roles in 1-24 several western movies, including Gene Autry's Colorado Sunset; and 2-1 WHEREAS, In the course of winning the 1939 Pony Express Race, 2-2 Shannon Davidson exemplified the courage, fortitude, determination, 2-3 and honesty that Texans have always attributed to our most powerful 2-4 mythic hero: the cowboy; this esteemed Texan's spirit lives on 2-5 today in the hearts of all who hold these values dear, and the 2-6 Shannon Davidson Pony Express Days celebration is a fitting homage 2-7 to his memory; now, therefore, be it 2-8 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas 2-9 Legislature hereby recognize June 21, 1997, as Shannon Davidson 2-10 Pony Express Day and commend the Motley County Chamber of Commerce 2-11 for paying tribute to this notable Texan; and, be it further 2-12 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-13 prepared for the Motley County Chamber of Commerce as an expression 2-14 of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.