Columbus, OH – Directors and members from the U.S. Trotting Association’s District 6 indicated approval for 12 rule change proposals, recommended rejection of nine more, and tabled another five for future consideration on Saturday morning (Dec. 8) during the district’s annual meeting.

The session, which was held at the Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park, was led by district Chairman Joe Pennacchio, along with fellow Directors Joe Frasure, Jerry Haws, and Dein Spriggs. Stacy Cahill, the Isle’s director of racing operations and herself a USTA District 1 director, also was among those in attendance and provided feedback from the recently concluded American Harness Race Secretaries meeting. USTA Executive Vice President Mike Tanner served to moderate the discussion.

Of the 26 rule change proposals submitted this year, ten emanated from the ad hoc Universal Rules Commitee chaired by John Campbell, the retired Hall of Fame driver who currently heads up the Hambletonian Society. Campbell’s commitee has convened on several occasions since their initial meeting last January in New Jersey, with an eye towards standardizing and clarifying racing policies and protocols. These have included a refined definition of an extended break, several proposals related to the start of a race, and verbiage pertaining to driving rule violations. District 6 voted to approve seven of these items, while recommending further discussion on the remaining three.

In other business, it was announced that Joe Pennachio has been reelected to another three-year term. Immediately thereafter, the district directors voted to retain Pennacchio as their district chairman.

The complete listing of rule change recommendations is as follows (to read the full rule change proposals, click here):

Proposal #1 (Racing terminology and definitions):                  Accepted
Proposal #2 (Paddock rules):                                                Accepted
Proposal #3 (Horses entering track):                                     Rejected
Proposal #4 (Pari-mutuel, non-extended meet wins):             Rejected
Proposal #5 (Persons eligible to claim):                                 Tabled
Proposal #6 (Non-extended meet trailers):                            Rejected
Proposal #7 (Purse distribution for DQ’d horse):                    Rejected
Proposal #8 (Secure entry process):                                     Rejected
Proposal #9 (Electronic display of entry):                              Rejected
Proposal #10 (Outside/inside post draws):                            Rejected
Proposal #11 (Come to gate no nearer than 1/4-mile prior):   Accepted
Proposal #12 (Speed of gate):                                             Accepted
Proposal #13 (No charging of gate):                                     Tabled
Proposal #14 (Penalties for violation of starting rule):            Accepted
Proposal #15 (Deletion of “Holding Horses Before Start”):      Accepted
Proposal #16 (Single trailer – second tier):                            Tabled
Proposal #17 (Definition of amateur driver):                          Rejected
Proposal #18 (“P” drivers for amateur races only):                 Accepted
Proposal #19 (Distace of lead horse from pylons):                  Tabled
Proposal #20 (Black whips)                                                  Tabled
Proposal #21 (Extended break placings)                                Accepted
Proposal #22 (Mud aprons)                                                  Accepted
Proposal #23 (Total number of mares bred)                          Accepted
Proposal #24 (Deadline for lists of mares bred)                     Accepted
Proposal #25 (Restriction on reuse of names)                        Rejected
Proposal #26 (License trainers/active USTA membership)      Accepted