Public Accountability Report Public Accountability Report

2025 County Fairs and Horse Racing
Mission Statement Provide support to local agricultural fairs and horse racing industry across the State to promote Illinois agriculture and horse racing industries.
Program Goals and Objectives
  1. Provide swift and courteous service to all horse racing participants.
    1. Register horses quickly after receipt of application.
    2. Perform mare, foal, and stallion identifications in a timely manner.
    3. Provide requested information in an efficient and courteous manner.
    4. Make administrative decisions benefiting all facets of the horse racing industry.
  2. Schedule racing events to enhance and support Illinois' horse breeding and racing programs.
    1. In cooperation with the Illinois pari-mutuel racetracks, schedule approximately 175 races per fiscal year.
    2. Schedule approximately 250 harness racing events for Illinois-breds to be contested at 27 or more county fairs each fiscal year.
    3. Schedule approximately 55 Illinois-bred events to be raced at the Illinois and Du Quoin State Fairs.
    4. In cooperation with Illinois pari-mutuel racetrackes, schedule approximately 131 stakes and 147 overnight events restricted to Illinois-bred harness races each year.
    5. Schedule and adequate number of races at the county fair and state fair levels to serve and support Illinois' new quarter horse breeding and racing program.
  3. Supplement horse racing purses and provide county fair funding.
    1. Provide funding for Illinois-bred standardbred, thoroughbred, and quarter horse races.
    2. Provide stable financial support for each county fair per fiscal year.
Source of Funds Agricultural Premium Fund, Fair and Exposition Fund, Illinois Racing Quarter Horse Breeders Fund, Illinois Standardbred Breeders Fund, Illinois Thoroughbred Breeders Fund, Illinois Colt Stakes/Championship Purse Fund Statutory Authority 230 ILCS 5 & 30 ILCS 120
Fiscal Year 2026 Target/Projected Fiscal Year 2025 Actual Fiscal Year 2025 Target/Projected Fiscal Year 2024 Actual Fiscal Year 2023 Actual
Input Indicators
Total expenditures - all sources (in thousands) $ 14,613.0 $ 15,337.0 $ 10,542.0 $ 15,493.0 $ 6,162.0
Total expenditures - state appropriated funds (in thousands) $ 6,413.0 $ 6,092.0 $ 6,237.0 $ 6,336.0 $ 6,162.0
Average monthly full-time equivalents 6.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0
Output Indicators
Number of registered thoroughbreds conceived and/or foaled in Illinois 250.0 235.0 325.0 325.0 378.0
Number of registered standardbreds conceived and/or foaled in Illinois 775.0 744.0 853.0 853.0 1,322
Number of registered quarter horses conceived and/or foaled in Illinois 2.0 2.0 5.0 5.0 8.0
Number of thoroughbred stakes races and restricted races 236.0 236.0 109.0 109.0 78.0
Number of standardbred stakes races and restricted races 431.0 431.0 431.0 431.0 354.0
Total purses paid (in millions) $ 10.4 $ 10.4 $ 11.7 $ 11.7 $ 28.5
Outcome Indicators
State support as percentage of total purses paid to Illinois registered thoroughbreds, standardbreds, and quarter horses at horse races 40.00% 40.00% 31.00% 31.00% 14.00%
Efficiency/Cost-Effectiveness Indicators
Number of inspections per Bureau employee (Bureau of County Fairs and Horse Racing) 327.0 327.0 385.0 385.0 452.0
Number of horses enrolled and registered per Bureau employee (Bureau of County Fairs and Horse Racing) 475.0 475.0 500.0 500.0 570.0

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