Darlene Aldridge Awarded the Elmer Parker Lifetime Achievement Award

By February 18, 2020 November 3rd, 2023 News

Darlene Aldridge, DVM was awarded the Elmer Parker Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2020 TLBAA Annual Membership Meeting where the TLBAA Special Awards and TLBF Hall of Fame Induction was presented. This was held in Fort Worth during the Fort Worth Livestock Show and Rodeo on January 21, 2020.

The Elmer Parker Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded to individuals who have shown a Lifetime Devotion to the Texas Longhorn Breed and Its Breeders.

Elmer Parker was a longtime employee and manager of the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge Longhorn herd. Parker joined the staff at the Refuge in 1946, learning from the previous Longhorn managers: Earl Drummond, Heck Schrader and Joe Bill Lee. In 1968, he took over the responsibilities of the Longhorns at the Refuge and continued until his retirement in 1981. Thus, the continuity of Longhorn expertise at the Refuge continued for more than half a century.

The Parker Brown color designation on Longhorn registrations was named after Elmer Parker – the dark brown, almost black color, with lighter dorsal stripe, was one of his favorite colors.

This award honors those members, who have been dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Longhorn breed, qualities that Parker was known for.

“It is a real honor to receive this award. Although I never had the honor of meeting Mr. Parker I share his love for the Parker brown color in Texas Longhorns and my favorite bull, Starbase Commander, proudly displays this color,” said Dr. Aldridge.