By Hardcastle H.C.R. No. 181 77R6842 WMS-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The Santa Rosa Palomino Club celebrated its 50th 1-2 anniversary as an organization in 1999 and continues today as one 1-3 of the premier western riding clubs in Texas and the Southwest; and 1-4 WHEREAS, The Santa Rosa Palomino Club, based in Vernon, in 1-5 Wilbarger County, Texas, has been a featured attraction at rodeos, 1-6 equestrian events, and charity events throughout the Southwest; the 1-7 club has won the National Drill Team Championships twice, and has 1-8 brought back nearly 400 first-place trophies from parade 1-9 appearances not only in Texas and Oklahoma, but also in Arizona, 1-10 Colorado, New Mexico, Tennessee, Indiana, Wyoming, and Alabama, as 1-11 well as been featured in national magazines and books, Wild West 1-12 shows, and television appearances, including the "Today" show; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Some 200 men have been members of the club since its 1-14 inception, including second and third generation family members and 1-15 a number of Wilbarger County's leading citizens; and 1-16 WHEREAS, Members of the Santa Rosa Palomino Club have 1-17 distinguished themselves as Vernon's "Ambassadors on Horseback" 1-18 with their beautifully matched Palomino horses, colorful flags and 1-19 attire, and precision riding maneuvers; and 1-20 WHEREAS, In the last two decades, the club has earned a 1-21 reputation for its charity work by performing at special schools 1-22 and hospitals across Texas, spending countless hours giving 1-23 horseback rides to disabled children, performing at many Cattle 1-24 Barons' Balls for the American Cancer Society, "Bustin' Diabetes" 2-1 rodeos, and MS walks; the only nonranch performer in each of the 2-2 Original Texas Ranch Roundups for rehabilitation centers, the club 2-3 has also provided a horse and activities for the Make-A-Wish 2-4 Foundation; and 2-5 WHEREAS, For many years the club sponsored and produced the 2-6 Santa Rosa Roundup, continuing a tradition begun by the late E. 2-7 Paul Waggoner in bringing the best in professional rodeo to North 2-8 Texas, and the club continues to support the rodeo with countless 2-9 hours of work by members and as a featured specialty act; and 2-10 WHEREAS, On the occasion of its 40th anniversary, the club 2-11 was honored as the official "Ambassadors on Horseback" for the 2-12 State of Texas by the 71st Texas Legislature; the organization has 2-13 since ridden in two governor's inaugural parades, presented a Texas 2-14 flag flown over the State Capitol to the people of Cody, Wyoming, 2-15 who in turn flew it over their rodeo arena for the duration of the 2-16 club's performance there, and participated in numerous other events 2-17 representing Texas; now, therefore, be it 2-18 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-19 hereby designate the Santa Rosa Palomino Club as the official 2-20 "Ambassadors on Horseback" of the State of Texas; and, be it 2-21 further 2-22 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-23 prepared for the Santa Rosa Palomino Club as an expression of high 2-24 regard by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate.