TITLE: Honoring the life of S. J. "Sweet" Estes on the occasion of her posthumous nomination to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.

SUMMARY: Honoring the life of S. J. "Sweet" Estes on the occasion of her posthumous nomination to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The late Sammie Jean Estes has been nominated for induction into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame; and WHEREAS, Founded in 1975, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth is dedicated to honoring and documenting the lives of women who exemplify the spirit of the American West; with a mission to preserve the history and impact of western women living from the mid-1800s to the present, the Hall of Fame includes nearly 200 artists, writers, entertainers, competitive performers, ranchers, and others who have contributed to this distinctive region; and WHEREAS, Posthumously nominated to join this esteemed group, "Sweet" Estes discovered a lifelong passion for horses at the age of 11, when she purchased her first pony for two dollars and began charging neighborhood children a nickel to ride to the corner and a dime to ride around the block; and WHEREAS, Ms. Estes earned enough money to buy more horses, and by 1941, she and her family had a stable of 15; the income from her riding business paid for her college education as well as her sister's; while a student at the University of North Texas in Denton, Ms. Estes sponsored the Los Caballeros Riding Club and taught her fellow students riding and horsemanship, as well as classes on the anatomy and care of a horse; in addition to instructing courses and keeping up with her own studies, she bred many registered horses, and her "Double Dollar" brand could be found on many fine quarter horses; and WHEREAS, Ms. Estes earned both her bachelor's and her master's degrees in physical education at UNT; for nearly five decades, she taught horseback riding, backpacking, and wilderness camping to students at UNT and at Texas Woman's University; and WHEREAS, She also leased her horses for many years to summer camps across Texas and Colorado and beyond, serving many of them as a riding instructor; along the way, this inspiring woman managed to overcome tuberculosis and to acquire her dream home, a 30-acre property called Lone Chimney, in Colorado; it was there that she passed away on August 16, 1989; and WHEREAS, Sweet Estes shared her love of horses with generations of young people; she lived an extraordinary life that embodied the independence, character, and indomitable spirit of the American cowgirl, and she is most deserving of this special honor; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Sweet Estes on the occasion of her posthumous nomination to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. Crownover Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 968 was adopted by the House on April 7, 2011, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House