| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 510 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, The Muy Grande Deer Contest in Freer is celebrating |
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| 3 | 3 | | its 50th anniversary in 2015, and this milestone provides a fitting |
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| 4 | 4 | | opportunity to celebrate this exciting and popular event; and |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The competition traces its history to 1965, when |
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| 6 | 6 | | its founder, Leonel Garza, was serving as the manager of the |
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| 7 | 7 | | Center Circle Gas Station; he started the deer-hunting contest as |
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| 8 | 8 | | a way to draw hunters to his business, and that first year, there |
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| 9 | 9 | | was only one category, for the widest spread of antlers on a buck; |
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| 10 | 10 | | when the winner asked what he'd won, Mr. Garza, who hadn't |
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| 11 | 11 | | planned that far ahead, gave the man his wristwatch; and |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, Named for the size of South Texas deer, the Muy |
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| 13 | 13 | | Grande Deer Contest is widely considered the oldest big buck contest |
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| 14 | 14 | | in Texas, and Mr. Garza himself is now known by the nickname "Muy"; |
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| 15 | 15 | | today, the event boasts more than 1,800 lifetime members and annually |
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| 16 | 16 | | draws more than 900 registered entrants; through the decades, many |
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| 17 | 17 | | celebrities have participated, including baseball great Nolan Ryan, |
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| 18 | 18 | | actor Slim Pickens, and musician George Strait; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | WHEREAS, In recent years, Mr. Garza has been assisted by |
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| 20 | 20 | | his daughter and son-in-law, Imelda and Kenneth Sharber; the |
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| 21 | 21 | | contest now encompasses 70 categories, and the annual awards |
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| 22 | 22 | | ceremony regularly pays tribute to youth hunters, sports |
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| 23 | 23 | | writers, landowners, and ranch guides; a portion of the proceeds |
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| 24 | 24 | | each year goes to fund scholarships for local students; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, In its first 50 years, the Muy Grande Deer Contest |
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| 26 | 26 | | has grown from a moment of inspiration by "Muy" Garza into one of |
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| 27 | 27 | | the signature sporting events of South Texas, and this pioneering |
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| 28 | 28 | | competition is a source of great pride to the residents of Freer |
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| 29 | 29 | | and the surrounding area; now, therefore, be it |
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| 30 | 30 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th |
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| 31 | 31 | | Legislature, hereby commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Muy |
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| 32 | 32 | | Grande Deer Contest and extend to the event's staff and participants |
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| 33 | 33 | | sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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| 34 | 34 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be |
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| 35 | 35 | | prepared for the Muy Grande Deer Contest as an expression of high |
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| 36 | 36 | | regard from the Texas Senate. |
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| 37 | 37 | | Zaffirini |
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| 38 | 38 | | ________________________________ |
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| 39 | 39 | | President of the Senate |
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| 40 | 40 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 41 | 41 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 42 | 42 | | the Senate on April 9, 2015. |
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| 43 | 43 | | ________________________________ |
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| 44 | 44 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 45 | 45 | | ________________________________ |
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| 46 | 46 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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