SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 410
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
recognize the late Sammie Jean "Sweet" Estes, who has been
nominated for induction into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, Sweet Estes bought her first pony in 1935 with $2
she found and began a career in the horse rental business in Ennis,
Texas, where she charged neighborhood children a nickel to ride to
the corner and back and a dime to ride around the block; and
WHEREAS, She kept on adding to her string of horses and
continued her business through the Great Depression; in 1941,
Sweet, her family, and her 15 horses moved to Denton so that Sweet
and her sister could attend college at North Texas Teacher's
College, now the University of North Texas; her riding stable
business paid for both girls to finish college; and
WHEREAS, In January of 1942, the dean of the college called
Sweet to his office and proposed a riding class for physical
education credit; she began teaching her fellow college students
how to ride and care for horses; she also bred registered horses
and sponsored Los Caballeros Riding Club at the college; and
WHEREAS, Sweet leased her horses to summer camps for many
years and served as riding director for many of them; in the 1970s
and 1980s, she continued to send her horses to camps in the summer
and took her own horse to Colorado, where she rode and camped in
the Rocky Mountains and eventually found her dream home; and
WHEREAS, Sweet Estes died on August 16, 1989; for more than
50 years, she introduced thousands of people to horseback riding
and taught young people self-reliance and the importance of
caring for the environment; she was an inspiration to women of
all ages throughout her life and demonstrated that women could
provide for themselves and their families; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd
Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the life of Sammie Jean
"Sweet" Estes, who truly embodied the spirit of the West; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared to
honor the memory of Sweet Estes.
Nelson
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on March 1, 2011.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate