1-1 By: Hardcastle (Senate Sponsor - Haywood) H.C.R. No. 181 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 23, 2001; 1-3 April 24, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-4 Administration; May 4, 2001, reported favorably by the following 1-5 vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; May 4, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-7 WHEREAS, The Santa Rosa Palomino Club celebrated its 50th 1-8 anniversary as an organization in 1999 and continues today as one 1-9 of the premier western riding clubs in Texas and the Southwest; and 1-10 WHEREAS, The Santa Rosa Palomino Club, based in Vernon, in 1-11 Wilbarger County, Texas, has been a featured attraction at rodeos, 1-12 equestrian events, and charity events throughout the Southwest; the 1-13 club has won the National Drill Team Championships twice, and has 1-14 brought back nearly 400 first-place trophies from parade 1-15 appearances not only in Texas and Oklahoma, but also in Arizona, 1-16 Colorado, New Mexico, Tennessee, Indiana, Wyoming, and Alabama, as 1-17 well as been featured in national magazines and books, Wild West 1-18 shows, and television appearances, including the "Today" show; and 1-19 WHEREAS, Some 200 men have been members of the club since its 1-20 inception, including second and third generation family members and 1-21 a number of Wilbarger County's leading citizens; and 1-22 WHEREAS, Members of the Santa Rosa Palomino Club have 1-23 distinguished themselves as Vernon's "Ambassadors on Horseback" 1-24 with their beautifully matched Palomino horses, colorful flags and 1-25 attire, and precision riding maneuvers; and 1-26 WHEREAS, In the last two decades, the club has earned a 1-27 reputation for its charity work by performing at special schools 1-28 and hospitals across Texas, spending countless hours giving 1-29 horseback rides to disabled children, performing at many Cattle 1-30 Barons' Balls for the American Cancer Society, "Bustin' Diabetes" 1-31 rodeos, and MS walks; the only nonranch performer in each of the 1-32 Original Texas Ranch Roundups for rehabilitation centers, the club 1-33 has also provided a horse and activities for the Make-A-Wish 1-34 Foundation; and 1-35 WHEREAS, For many years the club sponsored and produced the 1-36 Santa Rosa Roundup, continuing a tradition begun by the late E. 1-37 Paul Waggoner in bringing the best in professional rodeo to North 1-38 Texas, and the club continues to support the rodeo with countless 1-39 hours of work by members and as a featured specialty act; and 1-40 WHEREAS, On the occasion of its 40th anniversary, the club 1-41 was honored as the official "Ambassadors on Horseback" for the 1-42 State of Texas by the 71st Texas Legislature; the organization has 1-43 since ridden in two governor's inaugural parades, presented a Texas 1-44 flag flown over the State Capitol to the people of Cody, Wyoming, 1-45 who in turn flew it over their rodeo arena for the duration of the 1-46 club's performance there, and participated in numerous other events 1-47 representing Texas; now, therefore, be it 1-48 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-49 hereby designate the Santa Rosa Palomino Club as the official 1-50 "Ambassadors on Horseback" of the State of Texas; and, be it 1-51 further 1-52 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 1-53 prepared for the Santa Rosa Palomino Club as an expression of high 1-54 regard by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. 1-55 * * * * *