| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 2104 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Pioneering barrel racer and horse trainer Nelda |
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| 6 | 6 | | Patton of Mansfield was inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of |
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| 7 | 7 | | Fame in March 2009; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, A native of Teague, Mrs. Patton learned rodeo riding |
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| 9 | 9 | | and horse training from her father, Carter Wills; she began |
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| 10 | 10 | | competing in barrel racing at a young age, winning her first event |
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| 11 | 11 | | at the age of eight; and |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, In 1951, she married Bill Patton and moved with him |
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| 13 | 13 | | to Oklahoma, taking time away from the sport to raise a family; and |
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| 14 | 14 | | WHEREAS, The Pattons returned to Texas in 1961, and Mrs. |
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| 15 | 15 | | Patton soon began racing again; she won the Texas Barrel Racing |
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| 16 | 16 | | Association title in 1963 and again in 1968; moreover, she was |
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| 17 | 17 | | reserve champion six times and consistently finished among the top |
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| 18 | 18 | | 17 competitors throughout her career; she also took top honors in |
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| 19 | 19 | | the event at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo in 1968; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | WHEREAS, Mrs. Patton has long been recognized as a top horse |
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| 21 | 21 | | trainer, and more than 30 horses have benefited from her expertise |
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| 22 | 22 | | to become champion barrel-racing mounts; now 75, she continued to |
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| 23 | 23 | | train horses until 2007 and to compete as a barrel racer into the |
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| 24 | 24 | | 1990s; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Mrs. Patton also played a vital role in the creation |
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| 26 | 26 | | of the Texas Barrel Racing Association and has been instrumental in |
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| 27 | 27 | | introducing many young women to the sport of barrel racing; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | WHEREAS, For more than six decades, Nelda Patton has been a |
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| 29 | 29 | | pioneer and a champion in her sport, as well as an inspiration to |
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| 30 | 30 | | younger generations of riders, and she is indeed deserving of this |
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| 31 | 31 | | prestigious recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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| 32 | 32 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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| 33 | 33 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Nelda Patton on her induction into |
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| 34 | 34 | | the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame and honor her for her remarkable |
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| 35 | 35 | | career; and, be it further |
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| 36 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 37 | 37 | | prepared for Mrs. Patton as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 38 | 38 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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| 39 | 39 | | Turner of Tarrant |
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| 40 | 40 | | ______________________________ |
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| 41 | 41 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 42 | 42 | | I certify that H.R. No. 2104 was adopted by the House on May |
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| 43 | 43 | | 21, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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| 44 | 44 | | ______________________________ |
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| 45 | 45 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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