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| 1 | SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, The State of Illinois recognizes the role of | ||||||
| 3 | equines in the economy,
history, viewscape, and character of | ||||||
| 4 | Illinois - from the horses our forefathers
used to settle the | ||||||
| 5 | prairie and build our great State, transport people and
goods, | ||||||
| 6 | clear and till land, harvest and thresh grains, herd cattle, | ||||||
| 7 | power our mills, pull our barges, serve in our military, fight | ||||||
| 8 | our fires, and
deliver our mail; to the horses of today who | ||||||
| 9 | assist in police crowd control,
provide therapeutic aid to | ||||||
| 10 | veterans and disabled persons, and still work our farms; horses | ||||||
| 11 | are used for
pleasure riding, and for our enjoyment at race | ||||||
| 12 | tracks such as Arlington Park, Hawthorne, and
Fairmont Park; | ||||||
| 13 | and
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| 14 | WHEREAS, There are equine properties of all sizes in | ||||||
| 15 | Illinois, including
breeding farms, boarding and training | ||||||
| 16 | facilities, riding schools, small acreage
farmettes, | ||||||
| 17 | showgrounds, and equine-based therapy centers; and
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| 18 | WHEREAS, Equine operations encompass thousands of acres, | ||||||
| 19 | representing a
significant part of our land kept in open space, | ||||||
| 20 | pasture and forestland; and
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| 21 | WHEREAS, Horses are a source of Illinois jobs and income | ||||||
| 22 | for thousands of
residents both directly and indirectly, | ||||||
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| 1 | including services such as veterinarians,
trainers, farriers, | ||||||
| 2 | chiropractors, grooms, stable hands, entertainers,
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| 3 | carriage/sleigh/hay wagon drivers, jockeys, and sellers of | ||||||
| 4 | goods such as
lumber, hay, grain, grass seed, bedding, tack, | ||||||
| 5 | trucks, horse trailers, and more; and
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| 6 | WHEREAS, The Horsemen's Council of Illinois helps promote | ||||||
| 7 | and educate the
public about the importance of horses in | ||||||
| 8 | Illinois; and
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| 9 | WHEREAS, The equine industry brings significant benefits | ||||||
| 10 | to Illinois agriculture, tourism, and our quality of life; | ||||||
| 11 | therefore, be it
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| 12 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL | ||||||
| 13 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | ||||||
| 14 | CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the citizens of Illinois to | ||||||
| 15 | recognize the importance of horses to our security, economy, | ||||||
| 16 | recreation, and heritage, and to lend their enthusiastic | ||||||
| 17 | support to the Illinois equine industry; and be it further | ||||||
| 18 | RESOLVED, That we declare December 13, 2016 as "Illinois | ||||||
| 19 | Day of the Horse"; and be it further
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| 20 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 21 | presented to the Horsemen's Council of Illinois as a symbol of | ||||||
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| 1 | our respect and esteem.
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