Saturday, September 27, 1997

Perry to chair panel on Watt Matthews' Spanish Gourd Award

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

The Albany Chamber of Commerce noted that the late Watt Matthews had a yen for history and an enormous impact on the Albany community.

To express the deep gratitude of Albany folks, fellow Texans, and the nation's ranching industry, the Spanish Gourd will become an annual award in Matthews' name.

Texas Ag Commissioner Rick Perry will head a distinguished panel that will select the first recipient of the Spanish Gourd Award. The Spanish Gourd presentation will cap a huge Saturday in downtown Albany on Oct. 18 during "Watt R. Matthews Cowboy Day" when it is presented at evening ceremonies in the Aztec Theater during a grand musical.

Joining Perry on the panel are Phillip Seib, a noted Dallas journalist; John E. Dudley, a Comanche rancher; W.R. Watt Jr., president of the Fort Worth Stock Show; Chaunce O. Thompson Jr., a Breckenridge rancher; Bryon Price of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center; and Cass O. Edwards, a Fort Worth business leader.

Panelists are noted achievers

Like Matthews, these panelists became known for getting things done.

Perry, a retired captain and pilot in the U.S. Air Force, is a Haskell County native who comes from several generations of Perrys on the land. He achieved distinction as a state legislator and as Texas Ag Commissioner. Perry was named one of the "Ten Most Effective Legislators" by the Dallas Morning News in 1989 before winning the office of state ag commissioner. During his seven years as commissioner, Time Magazine named Perry one of the "Ten Rising Republicans" in 1996.

Seib is a Southern Methodist University journalism professor and a columnist for the Dallas Morning News. He also is a political analyst for WFAA-TV. Seib is the author of nine books and has written several articles about the life of Watt Matthews.

An international journalist, Seib holds degrees from Princeton University and SMU and also is a member of the State Bar of Texas. Seib has covered the last five presidential campaigns and has interviewed world leaders from Ronald Reagan to Fidel Castro. He now teaches communications ethics, TV news criticism and political journalism.

Dudley is a partner in the internationally renowned Dudley Bros. Hereford operation at Comanche. Dudley is senior vice president of the American Hereford Association and serves on the board of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. He also is county chairman for the Cattlemen's Round-Up for Rehab and is an officer of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA), Fort Worth.

Watt, president and general manager of the 101-year-old Southwestern and Exposition and Livestock Show in Fort Worth, has been with the historic stock show since 1955. He also is president of Watt Cattle Company in Throckmorton County and past president of the American Livestock Show and Rodeo Managers.

Thompson is a Breckenridge rancher with Hereford and Hereford/Angus cross cattle in Stephens, Shackelford and Eastland counties. He was elected TSCRA president in 1995 and also represented TSCRA as president of the Texas Beef Council.

Price has served as executive director of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyo., since 1996. Prior to his move to Wyoming, Price was executive director of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center in Oklahoma City for nine years. Price has a master's degree in Museum Science from Texas Tech University and has published many books and articles relating to the cowboy.

Edwards resides in Fort Worth and is president of the Overton Bank Shares. He is a partner of Edwards Geven, Ltd. and chairman of Cassco Land Company, Inc. Edwards also serves as vice president of the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show.

Clifton Caldwell, president of the Aztec Theater board of directors, said the Old Jail Art Center and Fort Griffin Fandangle Association have united with the chamber and the Aztec board in this event.

"We automatically associate the Spanish gourd with Watt and think this is appropriate in remembering him," said Shackelford County rancher, writer, historian and friend Bob Green.

The award is a replica of a Spanish gourd brand that Matthews frequently had embroidered on his shirt cuffs. Matthews came by this brand name through his maternal grandfather and namesake, Barber Watkins Reynolds, and he used the brand on all the Longhorn cattle at Lambshead.

For more about the big day, call Lisa Sanders at (915) 762-2525, or FAX (915) 762-3125. Albany is now a local call from Abilene.