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John L. "Chip" Merrill of Crowley, Texas, will receive the the 2005 National Golden Spur Award during ceremonies Oct. 29 in Lubbock, Texas.
A TSCRA honorary director, Merrill runs the XXX Ranch in Tarrant County. From 1961 to 1994 he was director of the renowned Ranch Management Program at Texas Christian University.
Merrill was selected for the honor because of his leadership in education and the ranching industry. He was director of the Texas Christian University Ranch Management Program for 33 years before stepping back from administration.
He served two additional years as Burnett Ranches Professor before retiring from TCU in 1996 as Director Emeritus.
Students in the program came from 35 states and 22 other nations to attend the nine-month program, which combines intensive classroom study with 9,000 miles of travel for onsite case studies of farms and ranches, feedlots, marketing facilities and research centers in three states.
The program addresses aspects of profitable ranching in 12 integrated courses. Every faculty member must have worked in ranch management, and the program has been supported...