The Texas Department of Public Safety on Tuesday, July 29, unveiled a new life-size fiberglass statue of an American Quarter Horse outside its Amarillo District Office, honoring the department’s legacy of service and deep ties to the Texas Panhandle.
The statue, named “Trooper,” joins the Hoof Prints of the American Quarter Horse public art project — a citywide display of artist-designed fiberglass horses that celebrate the breed’s iconic role in Western heritage. Local artist Gary Ward decorated Trooper with a red, blue and gray saddle pad and breast collar, incorporating official emblems from DPS divisions including the Texas Rangers, Highway Patrol, Criminal Investigations, the Crime Lab and the Driver License Division.
“Like the American Quarter Horse, the Texas Department of Public Safety has a rich history and a longstanding legacy in the Texas Panhandle,” said DPS Northwest Texas Region Chief Joe Longway. “Trooper showcases the shared values of DPS with the residents and spirit of the Texas Panhandle.”
The statue was funded entirely through private donations, including contributions from members of the Texas Rangers Association Foundation. No taxpayer dollars were used.
“Our district captain had the vision to place a quarter horse here because we admired the Hoof Prints project,” Longway said. “Once word got out, donors came forward to make it happen.”
Trooper is branded with the silhouette of a DPS-issued cowboy hat on his left hip and represents both commissioned and non-commissioned personnel.
“Commissioned members are those who carry a gun and badge — Troopers, Special Agents, Rangers and pilots,” Longway said. “Non-commissioned staff includes our dispatchers, crime lab analysts, regulatory teams and driver license specialists. Everyone plays a role in protecting Texans.”
While Trooper serves as a public art installation, real quarter horses are now deployed in DPS operations. The agency currently uses six horses in South Texas for search and rescue and criminal tracking and hopes to add more.
“The quarter horse is incredibly versatile,” Longway said. “They can go places a patrol vehicle or four-wheeler can’t.”
Started in 2002 by Center City of Amarillo in partnership with the American Quarter Horse Association — headquartered in Amarillo — the Hoof Prints project includes dozens of statues across the city, each celebrating the breed’s history and Amarillo’s place in its story.
“I was honored to be a small part of this,” Longway added. “The people of Amarillo are incredible. Every time I’m in uniform, someone stops to say thank you. It’s our pleasure to serve them.”
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: DPS unveils ‘Trooper’ American Quarter Horse statue in Amarillo
Reporting by Michael Cuviello, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
