Oklahoma Senate approves naming Quarter Horse official state horse

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Oklahoma State Senate authorised a invoice calling for the Quarter Horse to be acknowledged because the official state horse.

“This laws may be very close to and expensive to my coronary heart,” mentioned Sen. Blake “Cowboy” Stephens, R-Tahlequah. “Our state was constructed upon the western heritage and way of life of our ancestors and naming a state horse pays tribute to the cowboys, Native People, pioneers and others who constructed Oklahoma. There’s no higher approach to honor our previous whereas nonetheless wanting towards the longer term than enshrining the Quarter Horse as our state’s horse.”

Stephens and Rep. Randy Randleman, R-Eufaula, co-authored Home Invoice 3261.

The American Quarter Horse, one of many oldest acknowledged horse breeds within the nation, dates again to the 1660s and descends from the Colonial Spanish Mustang, which has main ties to Oklahoma’s tribal neighborhood, in response to a State Senate information launch.

Oklahoma has extra registered Quarter Horses per capita than another state within the nation, boasting greater than 33,000 registered homeowners.

The Quarter Horse trade can also be an financial staple in Oklahoma.

“It’s been estimated that the 15 nationwide and world-level exhibits hosted in Oklahoma Metropolis alone account for a $126.5 million financial influence,” a State Senate information launch mentioned.

An Oklahoma Equine Alliance examine discovered that the Oklahoma horse trade accounts for a mixed direct, oblique and induced impact of $3.6 billion and 35,000 full-time jobs, the information launch states.

“This laws was requested by a really particular constituent, my granddaughter, Julianne, a number of years in the past after she realized Oklahoma didn’t have a state horse,” Randleman mentioned. “I’m thrilled to see this designation cross the end line so we will acknowledge the dear function the American Quarter Horse has had in our state historical past.”