The publication is reproduced in full below:
REMEMBERING HORTON ALEXANDER ``COTTON'' ROSSER
______
HON. JOHN GARAMENDI
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and lasting contributions of Horton Alexander ``Cotton'' Rosser. Passing away at the age of 93, Mr. Rosser leaves behind an indelible legacy in the rodeo world as a champion saddle bronc rider and owner of Flying U Rodeo Company, the oldest rodeo livestock company in the United States.
In the 1950s, he made a name for himself in the rodeo world as a champion saddle bronc rider, including a prominent victory at the Reno Rodeo in 1950. Unfortunately, his competitive rodeo career abruptly ended in 1956 when a ranch accident left him with two broken legs.
However, Mr. Rosser remained an integral part of the rodeo world as the country's premier rodeo rancher. In 1956, he bought the Flying U Rodeo Company, supplying rodeo animals and livestock. Over several decades, Mr. Rosser and his family built Flying U, based in Marysville, California, into one of the most successful stock contracting firms in professional rodeo.
In addition to stock contracting, Flying U produced around 50 rodeos annually; Mr. Rosser and his company became known for their outstanding rodeo productions. The showmanship of his rodeo opening ceremonies presented at the National Finals Rodeo, the Houston Livestock Show, and the Grand National Rodeo in San Francisco raised the profile of the sport.
Mr. Rosser was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1995 and honored with a half-sized bronze statue in front of the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center commissioned by past presidents of the Reno Rodeo Association. The statue remains a lasting tribute to Mr. Rosser's work as a longtime rodeo producer. In the same year, he became the first-ever Triple Crown winner at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. The Western Fairs Association inducted Mr. Rosser into their Hall of Fame in 2014 for his incredible work supporting the fair industry. In 2015, Mr. Rosser received the PRCA Donita Barnes Contract Personnel Lifetime Achievement Award.
I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to Mr. Rosser's loved ones. I know that they, along with the rodeo community, join me in celebrating his life and legacy.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 114(1), Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 114(2)
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