Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HCR53 Compare Versions

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Old	New	Differences
1	1	H.C.R. No. 53
2	2
3	3
4	4	HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
5	5	WHEREAS, The history and culture of Texas have been greatly
6	6	influenced by the celebrated era of cowboys and cattle drives and by
7	7	the ranching industry, which continues to be an important component
8	8	of the Texas economy to this day; the significance of these elements
9	9	to the state's identity is reflected in a number of the official
10	10	symbols that have been recognized by the Texas Legislature,
11	11	including the designation of the longhorn as the state large mammal
12	12	and rodeo as the state sport; and
13	13	WHEREAS, Perhaps the most iconic symbol of western lore is
14	14	the horse, and one breed in particular, the American quarter horse,
15	15	has played a central role in the story of the Lone Star State; and
16	16	WHEREAS, This versatile animal likely arrived in Texas soon
17	17	after the region was opened to colonization in the 1820s, helping to
18	18	transform the unsettled wilderness into a productive land of farms
19	19	and small towns; quarter horses also proved invaluable to such
20	20	legendary figures as Sam Houston, whose mount Copper Bottom was a
21	21	member of the breed; and
22	22	WHEREAS, The American quarter horse first caught the
23	23	attention of many during the cattle drives of the late 1800s;
24	24	strong, smart, fast, and tough, the animal was perfectly suited to
25	25	the task of carrying cowboys on the long journeys from Texas to the
26	26	railheads of Missouri and Kansas; the drovers called these prized
27	27	ponies "steeldusts," a name derived from the well-known American
28	28	quarter horse racer Steel Dust, who had won a host of victories in
29	29	Texas in the mid-1800s and who sired numerous offspring; and
30	30	WHEREAS, While widely admired for its achievements on the
31	31	western frontier, the American quarter horse traces its heritage to
32	32	an earlier era of U.S. history; in the colonies of Virginia and
33	33	North Carolina and South Carolina, the Galloway and hobby breeds
34	34	from England were mated with Spanish Barb horses raised by the
35	35	Chickasaw people; the result was the "Celebrated Quarter of a Mile
36	36	Running Horse," which excelled at short-distance races; later,
37	37	Thoroughbred stallions and the hardy mustangs of the American West
38	38	also contributed to the bloodline to produce the horse so beloved by
39	39	the Texas cowhands; and
40	40	WHEREAS, Today, the Lone Star State is home to nearly 500,000
41	41	American quarter horses that are owned by more than 130,000 Texans,
42	42	and the breed has a sizable commercial impact on the state through
43	43	its prominent role in horse shows, racing, ranching, recreational
44	44	riding, and other endeavors; and
45	45	WHEREAS, This noble animal endears itself to Texans in
46	46	numerous ways; rodeo athletes rely on its agility and intelligence
47	47	when competing in roping and barrel-racing events, and riders of
48	48	all abilities know it as a gentle and amiable animal that is a
49	49	faithful companion on the trail; of course, the quarter horse
50	50	remains a fixture on the working ranches of Texas, where its
51	51	hoofbeats still resound across the wide open spaces that were
52	52	trodden by its ancestors in decades past; and
53	53	WHEREAS, A uniquely American breed that reflects the
54	54	historical development of our state and nation, the American
55	55	quarter horse is a vital part of our Texas heritage, and it is
56	56	indeed a most appropriate symbol for the Lone Star State; now,
57	57	therefore, be it
58	58	RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas
59	59	hereby designate the American quarter horse as the official State
60	60	Horse of Texas.
61	61	Phillips
62	62	Swinford
63	63	Smithee
64	64	Chisum
65	65	Homer
66	66	______________________________ ______________________________
67	67	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
68	68	I certify that H.C.R. No. 53 was adopted by the House on April
69	69	9, 2009, by a non-record vote.
70	70	______________________________
71	71	Chief Clerk of the House
72	72	I certify that H.C.R. No. 53 was adopted by the Senate on May
73	73	26, 2009, by a viva-voce vote.
74	74	______________________________
75	75	Secretary of the Senate
76	76	APPROVED: __________________
77	77	Date
78	78	__________________
79	79	Governor