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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Pioneering barrel racer and horse trainer Nelda |
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Patton of Mansfield was inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of |
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Fame in March 2009; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Teague, Mrs. Patton learned rodeo riding |
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and horse training from her father, Carter Wills; she began |
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competing in barrel racing at a young age, winning her first event |
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at the age of eight; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1951, she married Bill Patton and moved with him |
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to Oklahoma, taking time away from the sport to raise a family; and |
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WHEREAS, The Pattons returned to Texas in 1961, and Mrs. |
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Patton soon began racing again; she won the Texas Barrel Racing |
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Association title in 1963 and again in 1968; moreover, she was |
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reserve champion six times and consistently finished among the top |
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17 competitors throughout her career; she also took top honors in |
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the event at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo in 1968; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Patton has long been recognized as a top horse |
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trainer, and more than 30 horses have benefited from her expertise |
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to become champion barrel-racing mounts; now 75, she continued to |
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train horses until 2007 and to compete as a barrel racer into the |
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1990s; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Patton also played a vital role in the creation |
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of the Texas Barrel Racing Association and has been instrumental in |
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introducing many young women to the sport of barrel racing; and |
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WHEREAS, For more than six decades, Nelda Patton has been a |
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pioneer and a champion in her sport, as well as an inspiration to |
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younger generations of riders, and she is indeed deserving of this |
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prestigious recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Nelda Patton on her induction into |
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the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame and honor her for her remarkable |
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career; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mrs. Patton as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Turner of Tarrant |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2104 was adopted by the House on May |
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21, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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