For Immediate Release: May 8, 2008
Colorado Horse Development Authority (chda.org)

“Support the Horse” License Plate Bill Set for Governor’s Signature

Wednesday, May 14 will be an historic day for the 250,000 horses in Colorado when Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signs SB 178 into law, creating a special license plate honoring the contributions the horse industry makes to the economy and culture of the Centennial state.

The signing ceremony at the state capitol will include horses—of course—plus a representative sampling of the kinds of people and businesses touched by an industry which brings $1.6 billion annually to Colorado’s coffers. Although saddling up for a day enjoying a Rocky Mountain trail is a major component in the state’s horse picture, equestrian and equine interests stretch beyond the recreational to affect a wide swath of Colorado’s businesses often overlooked by the public. There are those directly involved with horses, such as stable operators and individual horse owners, outfitters, ranchers, breeders and racing concerns, competitors and trainers, veterinarians and other support professionals. Suppliers of feed, tack and ranch and transport equipment appreciate the horse’s role in the state’s economy, too, while youth program directors and equine science educators value the way responsibility for horses shapes leaders of tomorrow. This list is far from complete; consider the real estate businesses, advertising and insurance companies, banks, media… In fact, the horse is so often considered a metaphor for Colorado’s western culture that almost every Chamber of Commerce and tourism office in the state has used the image of a horse at some time or another to define Colorado’s particular “frontier” flavor.

Now, this western icon will be have a presence on a purely modern conveyance, with a special vehicle license plate featuring the image of a horse in motion and the words, “Support the Horse.”

“It’s time to give public recognition to the business and lifestyle opportunities the horse brings to Colorado and the Rocky Mountain west,” says Brian Kitchen, Colorado Horse Development Authority Executive Director. The CHDA led the charge to create the plates, the sale of which will benefit the educational and other programs supported by the CHDA. “We appreciate the work Senator Jim Isgar and Representative Marsha Looper did,” says Kitchen, “in sponsoring and guiding this legislation, which benefits such an important part of Colorado’s livestock industry.”

The signing ceremony will take place at the State Capitol on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 2 p.m. Production of plates will begin this summer and the plates will be available for purchase starting January 1, 2009. For more information about how to buy “Support the Horse” license plates or about the Colorado Horse Development Authority, visit www.chda.org.

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