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Horse (Equus caballus)
(From NJ
State Symbols at
http://www.shgresources.com/nj/symbols/animal/)
Adopted on August 14, 1977 as New Jersey's
State Animal. Elementary school students were responsible for
making the horse New Jersey's State animal
in 1977.
"I was in the fifth grade class of Our
Lady of Victories School. It was my
class that wrote letters and did
presentations to make the horse the
state animal. We were studying all of
the states and were dismayed to learn
that NJ did not have a state animal like
so many other states, and we wanted to
change that. We began a letter writing
campaign and made phone calls and the
like. Eventually, the bill was signed
into law in August."
From
Lisa Rega Bicocchi, a student in Sister
Emily's 5th
Grade, Our Lady of Victories
School, Harrington Park, NJ
Representing power and strength,
the horse is included on the State seal. It
was also very important in making New Jersey
farming successful. Today, raising and
racing horses are very popular in New
Jersey.
The state animal is the horse, Equus
caballus, so designated in Chapter 173 of
the Laws of 1977. Governor Brendan T. Byrne
signed the law August 14, 1977, while
attending the farm and horse show at
Augusta, Sussex County.
Press Release, Office of the Governor,
August 15, 1977
The
U.S. Equestrian Team is headquartered in
New Jersey.
Chapter 173, Laws of 1977
Approved: 8-14-77
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
Introduced December 13, 1976
By Senators GARRAMONE,
FELDMAN, DODD, DUMONT, GREENBERG, RUSSO,
SKEVIN, SCARDINO, MERLINO, HAGEDORN,
WALLWORK, BUEHLER, IMPERIALE, AMMOND,
ORECHIO, LIPMAN, MARTINDELL, ERRICHETTI,
DUNN, ZANE, DAVENPORT, VREELAND, DWYER and
HIRKALA
An Act designating the horse as the New
Jersey State Animal.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General
Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The horse (Equus Caballus) is designated
as the New Jersey
State Animal.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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STATEMENT
The horse is a large stately herbivorous
animal. Horses have been useful to man since
prehistoric times. The founding fathers of
this State thought so highly of the horse
that they included it in the State seal.
The horse industry makes a contribution to
the preservation of green acres at a time
when great demands are being made for the
use of our land. There are 4,654 horse farms
in New Jersey, of which 888 raise racing
horses. There are now more than 38,000
horses in the State, compared to 18,000 in
1961.
The horse is truly deserving of the title --
New Jersey State Animal. |
Mrs.
McGowan
Spring Lake, NJ
