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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Wes O'Neal of Holliday was presented with the 2022 |
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Working Cowboy Award by the Ranching Heritage Association at the |
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National Golden Spur Award dinner on October 15 in Lubbock; and |
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WHEREAS, The Ranching Heritage Association is a national |
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nonprofit membership organization that supports the programs of the |
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National Ranching Heritage Center at Texas Tech University; the |
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association's Working Cowboy Award recognizes individuals who make |
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their primary living on horseback, caring for livestock; honorees |
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are skilled in all aspects of their trade and are respected by their |
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ranch crew and the ranching community at large; and |
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WHEREAS, Wes O'Neal was born in Clarendon during the Great |
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Depression; his first ranch experience came at the age of 13, when |
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he and his brother broke broncs to help support their family, and |
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his career in the saddle has now spanned nearly eight decades; he |
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worked for the historic JA Ranch in the Texas Panhandle, and in |
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1957, he was hired on at the W. T. Waggoner Ranch, which was the |
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nation's largest ranch under one fence before being sold in 2016; he |
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spent 58 years there, serving as wagon boss with the cattle |
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operation and for a quarter century as horse foreman; thanks in |
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large part to his expert oversight of horse breeding on the ranch, |
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W. T. Waggoner in 1994 received the coveted American Quarter Horse |
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Association Best Remuda Award; today, Mr. O'Neal works for the Four |
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Sixes Ranch near Guthrie; and |
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WHEREAS, An admired role model for younger cowboys across the |
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Lone Star State, Wes O'Neal has furthered the rich legacy of |
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ranching that is so closely tied to the history of Texas, and he is |
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indeed deserving of this prestigious honor; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature |
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hereby congratulate Wes O'Neal on his receipt of the 2022 Ranching |
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Heritage Association Working Cowboy Award and extend to him sincere |
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best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. O'Neal as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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Senate. |