By Hunter                                               H.R. No. 42
         76R4446 NBH-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives takes great pride
 1-2     in commending the members of the Texas High School Rodeo
 1-3     Association on their first-place finish in the 1998 National High
 1-4     School Finals Rodeo sponsored by the National High School Rodeo
 1-5     Association; and
 1-6           WHEREAS, In July 1998 the 51 cowboys and cowgirls who compose
 1-7     the Texas team gathered in Gillette, Wyoming, to compete in events
 1-8     such as team roping, cattle cutting, bull riding, and barrel racing
 1-9     in the National High School Finals Rodeo; and
1-10           WHEREAS, Facing tough competition from more than 1,500
1-11     individuals representing 37 states and four Canadian provinces, the
1-12     Texas team brought home four awards: the National Rookie Cowgirl
1-13     award, the National Goat Tying Champion award, the National Bull
1-14     Riding Champion award, and the 1998 National High School Finals
1-15     Rodeo Team Championship; and
1-16           WHEREAS, The National High School Rodeo Association is an
1-17     international, nonprofit organization created in 1949 by Texas
1-18     educator and rodeo contestant Claude Mullins, the man who had
1-19     created the Texas High School Rodeo Association two years earlier
1-20     in 1947; and
1-21           WHEREAS, Fostering the development of sportsmanship,
1-22     horsemanship, and good character in the youthful athletes is the
1-23     main goal of the National High School Rodeo Association; in return
1-24     for striving for those attributes, members have the opportunity to
 2-1     compete for awards and to earn part of scholarship funds totaling
 2-2     more than $425,000 each year; and
 2-3           WHEREAS, The Texas association requires that its student
 2-4     contestants maintain academic success as well as high standards of
 2-5     personal conduct while representing the state of Texas and its
 2-6     famed cowboy tradition; and
 2-7           WHEREAS, The Texas High School Rodeo Association is a vast
 2-8     organization composed of more than 1,450 members, and the
 2-9     organization sponsors more than 150 rodeos each year throughout 10
2-10     regions; the regional competitors vie for an opportunity to win
2-11     awards and scholarships and to represent the state of Texas in the
2-12     national finals held annually in July; and
2-13           WHEREAS, Since the inauguration of this noteworthy
2-14     competition, Texas has won the National High School Finals Rodeo
2-15     Team Championship trophy so often that the trophy has been
2-16     officially retired to the  Texas High School Rodeo Association, a
2-17     testament to the skill and excellence of our young cowboys and
2-18     cowgirls; now, therefore, be it
2-19           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
2-20     Legislature hereby congratulate the many dedicated student members
2-21     of the Texas High School Rodeo Association on their remarkable win
2-22     and their commitment to upholding the standard of excellence set by
2-23     previous Texas competitors and extend to them best wishes for
2-24     continued success in the years to come; and, be it further
2-25           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-26     prepared for the Texas High School Rodeo Association as an
2-27     expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.