New Group to Advocate for Equine Rights in the North Suburbs

North suburban horsemen will continue to advocate for their rights through the newly formed Northern Illinois Horsemen’s Association (NILHA). Area horsemen were spurred to unite when McHenry County Planning and Development proposed a zoning law that would have limited farms to holding just one equine event per year, a restriction that could have put some farms out of business.

“For all intents and purposes (the zoning amendment) is dead. It would need major discussion and revision,” said Ersel Schuster, of Woodstock, a county board member and representative on the planning and development committee.

Schuster, who owns horses, was shocked by the stringent zoning amendment and pulled together an informal group of horse people to help find solutions that were mutually agreeable. The proposed zoning amendment was the county’s attempt to deal with a farm in Union, that regularly holds horse races that attract thousands of spectators. Neighbors of the farm have complained that the events are disruptive.

Schuster said although the amendment is dead, the county is still working on a Unified Development Ordinance update that could affect the equine community.

 “I want every piece of information we can pull together as horsemen to present our issues when the time is right,” Schuster said.

Rachel Kane, veterinarian and owner of Entropy Farm in Woodstock, said the Northern Illinois Horsemen’s Association will keep a watch for any zoning changes that affect the horse community.

“Although this ordinance was tabled, something is likely to happen. We don’t know what. This is certainly not the last of it,” she said.

Kane said as the county becomes more populated, there are likely to be more issues, like the dispute in Union.  

“What we’re saying is, yes there is a problem between the fellow running races and his neighbors. But, it doesn’t matter if they were sowing pumpkins. The problem isn’t the horses, it’s a crowd issue,” Kane said.

The group was calling itself the McHenry County Horsemen’s Association when it first met to discuss the proposed amendment, on March 7.

The name change acknowledges that other suburban counties will likely face equine zoning issues in the future.

“There is strength in numbers. Other collar counties are going to run into the same problems,” Kane said.

Frank Bowman, director of the Horsemen’s Council of Illinois (HCI), an advocacy group in Springfield, helped out area horsemen. Bowman came to the horsemen’s meeting in Woodstock and wrote a letter to the planning committee.

“Everybody wants to take a real close look at what the horse community might be faced with. The Horsemen’s Council is dead set against anything that might constrict the interests of horsemen,” Bowman said, in an interview.

Bowman pointed out that McHenry County has the largest horse population of any county in Illinois. Lake County is also a top horse county.

According to Kevin Kline, University of Illinois professor and HCI director, one-third of all of Illinois’ horses are in the northern counties.

According to he HCI, the Illinois horse industry contributes $3.8 billion to the G.D.P. (Gross Domestic Product).

The Northern Illinois Horsemen’s Association will hold its next meeting at 7 p.m.,  March 28, at Entropy Farm in Woodstock.