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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The history and culture of Texas have been greatly |
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influenced by the celebrated era of cowboys and cattle drives and by |
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the ranching industry, which continues to be an important component |
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of the Texas economy to this day; the significance of these elements |
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to the state's identity is reflected in a number of the official |
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symbols that have been recognized by the Texas Legislature, |
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including the designation of the longhorn as the state large mammal |
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and rodeo as the state sport; and |
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WHEREAS, Perhaps the most iconic symbol of western lore is |
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the horse, and one breed in particular, the American quarter horse, |
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has played a central role in the story of the Lone Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, This versatile animal likely arrived in Texas soon |
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after the region was opened to colonization in the 1820s, helping to |
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transform the unsettled wilderness into a productive land of farms |
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and small towns; quarter horses also proved invaluable to such |
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legendary figures as Sam Houston, whose mount Copper Bottom was a |
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member of the breed; and |
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WHEREAS, The American quarter horse first caught the |
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attention of many during the cattle drives of the late 1800s; |
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strong, smart, fast, and tough, the animal was perfectly suited to |
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the task of carrying cowboys on the long journeys from Texas to the |
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railheads of Missouri and Kansas; the drovers called these prized |
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ponies "steeldusts," a name derived from the well-known American |
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quarter horse racer Steel Dust, who had won a host of victories in |
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Texas in the mid-1800s and who sired numerous offspring; and |
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WHEREAS, While widely admired for its achievements on the |
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western frontier, the American quarter horse traces its heritage to |
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an earlier era of U.S. history; in the colonies of Virginia and |
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North Carolina and South Carolina, the Galloway and hobby breeds |
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from England were mated with Spanish Barb horses raised by the |
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Chickasaw people; the result was the "Celebrated Quarter of a Mile |
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Running Horse," which excelled at short-distance races; later, |
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Thoroughbred stallions and the hardy mustangs of the American West |
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also contributed to the bloodline to produce the horse so beloved by |
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the Texas cowhands; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, the Lone Star State is home to nearly 500,000 |
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American quarter horses that are owned by more than 130,000 Texans, |
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and the breed has a sizable commercial impact on the state through |
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its prominent role in horse shows, racing, ranching, recreational |
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riding, and other endeavors; and |
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WHEREAS, This noble animal endears itself to Texans in |
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numerous ways; rodeo athletes rely on its agility and intelligence |
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when competing in roping and barrel-racing events, and riders of |
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all abilities know it as a gentle and amiable animal that is a |
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faithful companion on the trail; of course, the quarter horse |
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remains a fixture on the working ranches of Texas, where its |
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hoofbeats still resound across the wide open spaces that were |
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trodden by its ancestors in decades past; and |
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WHEREAS, A uniquely American breed that reflects the |
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historical development of our state and nation, the American |
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quarter horse is a vital part of our Texas heritage, and it is |
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indeed a most appropriate symbol for the Lone Star State; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby designate the American quarter horse as the official State |
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Horse of Texas. |