Highway 5 Is One Step Closer To Becoming 'Fox Trotting Highway'

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Sen. Jay Wasson reports that a portion of Missouri Highway 5 between Ava and Mansfield has moved one step closer to being designated “Fox Trotting Highway.”
The Senate Transportation Committee approved legislation this week which would, among other things, designate a portion of Highway 5 between Ava and Mansfield as the “Fox Trotting Highway.” Senator Jay Wasson, R-Nixa, sponsored the original bill, which was later combined with Senate Bill 767. State Representative Tony Dugger, R-Hartville, is sponsoring a similar bill in the House.
“Representative Dugger first approached me about this designation, and I was honored to be a part of the effort,” said Sen. Wasson. “The Missouri Fox Trotter is a nationally recognized horse breed that was started here in southwest Missouri nearly two centuries ago. This highway designation is a way for us to honor a part of our state’s past and the continued efforts, largely on the part of the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association, to keep the horse breed alive and well in Missouri.”
The Missouri Fox Trotter was originally bred by settlers who came to the Ozark region of Missouri in the 18th century. The land was rocky and heavily forested, creating a need for a horse with a natural four-beat gait, which led to selective breeding to produce the Missouri Fox Trotter. The breed is still popular in Missouri and is used throughout the United States to this day.
Senate Bill 767 has been referred to the full Senate for debate.
To follow legislation sponsored by Sen. Wasson, visit his Senate web page at www.senate.mo.gov/wasson.