by Sam Lilly

Springfield, IL — The USTA District 5 membership meeting and awards banquet is scheduled for Jan. 18, 2014, in Springfield, Ill.

It will be held in the Artisan Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds starting at 3 p.m. for the USTA membership meeting with the reports, rule change discussions, and reports from the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association and the Illinois Department of Agriculture Bureau of County Fairs and Horse Racing.

The cocktail reception commences at 5:30 p.m. with the awards banquet following at 6:30 p.m. The banquet will be catered by Poe Catering as it was last year. The featured speaker of the banquet is Mike Tanner, Executive Vice President of the USTA.

Many door prizes have been donated by numerous suppliers, horsemen’s groups and individual horsemen. Illinois conceived and foaled divisional awards, top stallions, top broodmares, Illinois Horse of the Year, Illinois Department of Agriculture awards, Topline awards and several special awards will be presented. A dance follows the banquet and awards at 9 p.m.

Banquet tickets are $30 per person, $55 for two or $165 for a table of six. Tickets must be purchased before the event and will be held at the door for your arrival. Tickets may be secured from Sam Lilly (630.373.7670) or Brenda Watson (217.416.3973). Reservation deadline is Jan. 11, 2014. Checks made out to USTA District 5 and mailed to P.O. Box 399, Downers Grove, IL 60515.