| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 985 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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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, More than one town claims to be the "Cowboy Capital |
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| 6 | 6 | | of the World," but Stephenville can surely strengthen its case by |
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| 7 | 7 | | virtue of its status as the hometown of Whit Keeney, who has resided |
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| 8 | 8 | | in Erath County for all of his 92 years and continues to embody the |
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| 9 | 9 | | true spirit of pioneer Texas; and |
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| 10 | 10 | | WHEREAS, A member of the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame, Mr. |
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| 11 | 11 | | Keeney holds a gold card from the Professional Rodeo Cowboys |
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| 12 | 12 | | Association and has won 37 trophy saddles; in addition, he won eight |
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| 13 | 13 | | consecutive all-around championships at the National Old Timers |
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| 14 | 14 | | Rodeo and was inducted into the Stephenville Cowboy Capital Walk of |
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| 15 | 15 | | Fame in 1999; and |
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| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, His immense skill at roping and bulldogging made a |
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| 17 | 17 | | lasting impression on countless observers, among them a young |
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| 18 | 18 | | neighbor; years later she vividly recalled as "almost magical" the |
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| 19 | 19 | | way Mr. Keeney worked with his horse and his dogs to pen and load a |
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| 20 | 20 | | Holstein bull that had attacked her grandfather and brother; Mr. |
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| 21 | 21 | | Keeney also raised and trained border collies and entertained with |
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| 22 | 22 | | them at rodeos; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, In North Central and Central Texas, several |
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| 24 | 24 | | generations of youngsters grew up idolizing Mr. Keeney; they |
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| 25 | 25 | | learned the cowboy trade by watching him work livestock and rope |
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| 26 | 26 | | everything from a wild cow to a pig, and even a housecat or two, as |
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| 27 | 27 | | easily as taking a casual sip of coffee; early in his career, he |
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| 28 | 28 | | roped with Will Rogers at the Texas Cowboy Reunion, which was |
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| 29 | 29 | | founded in Stamford in 1930 to preserve the cowboy way of life; |
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| 30 | 30 | | still doing his part for preservation more than half a century |
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| 31 | 31 | | later, Mr. Keeney could be found out in the countryside roping |
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| 32 | 32 | | cattle when he was a few decades past Social Security retirement |
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| 33 | 33 | | age; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | WHEREAS, This quintessential Texan has been described as "a |
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| 35 | 35 | | real character as well as a real cowboy," and his friends and |
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| 36 | 36 | | admirers cherish his distinctive sense of humor and endearing |
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| 37 | 37 | | personality; the Lone Star State takes great pride in its frontier |
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| 38 | 38 | | heritage and rugged individualism, and Whit Keeney exemplifies |
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| 39 | 39 | | both; now, therefore, be it |
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| 40 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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| 41 | 41 | | Legislature hereby recognize Whit Keeney of Stephenville for his |
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| 42 | 42 | | myriad accomplishments and extend to him sincere best wishes for |
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| 43 | 43 | | continued happiness; and, be it further |
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| 44 | 44 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 45 | 45 | | prepared for Mr. Keeney as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 46 | 46 | | House of Representatives. |
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| 47 | 47 | | Miller of Erath |
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| 48 | 48 | | ______________________________ |
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| 49 | 49 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 50 | 50 | | I certify that H.R. No. 985 was adopted by the House on April |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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| 52 | 52 | | ______________________________ |
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| 53 | 53 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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