by John Pawlak, the U.S. Trotting Association

Columbus, OH — The members and directors of the U.S. Trotting Association are currently discussing the merits of nine proposed changes to the USTA Rule Book.

At each USTA District meeting, between now and the end of January, members are commenting on these proposals, and giving opinions to their elected directors, advising them about how they should vote on the proposals. Final action will be taken at the annual meeting of the USTA Board of Directors, that will convene on March 20, 2009.

To add to the discussion, and as a means of drawing even more opinions, we have prepared an online survey. It permits those who respond to vote “yes” or “no” on each proposal, but in addition includes a “Comments” box, in which those who vote are able to offer opinions — or even suggest amendments to the proposed rules.

Take a few moments and let us know what you think by clicking on the following link.

Listed below are the nine rule change proposals.

1. A proposal to amend Rule 6, Sec 18 (15), on page 20, and Rule 6, Sec 23 (14), on page 22, to require the denotation of the use of trotting hobbles where applicable as is required for free-legged pacers.

Source: USTA Staff

2. A proposal to amend Rule 7, Sec. 7, on page 24, that would add the microchip as an acceptable means of permanent identification.

“Tattoo/Freeze Brand/Microchip Requirements: No horse that has not been tattooed or freeze branded or implanted with a microchip as authorized by this Association will be permitted to start at an extended pari-mutuel meeting unless the permission of the Presiding Judge is obtained, and arrangements are made to have the horse tattooed or freeze branded or implanted with a microchip. Any person refusing to allow a horse to be tattooed/freeze branded/microchipped by a USTA representative may be fined, suspended or expelled, or further applications for registrations submitted by such person may be refused.”

Source: Phil Langley, USTA President

3. A proposal to amend Rule 9 Section 3(c), on pages 25-26, to clarify the requirements for defining an acceptable lease or termination of a lease as one that must be signed by all parties (owners and lessees) by amending the rule to read as follows: “Any horse on lease must race in the name of the lessee. No electronic eligibility will be issued to a horse under lease unless an original executed copy of the lease signed by all parties is filed with the association. For purposes of electronic eligibility and/or transfer of ownership, a lease shall terminate at the end of the term or by the signature of all parties.”

Source: USTA Staff

4. A proposal to amend Rule 9, Sec 5(b), on page 26, by amending the rule to change the restriction on horses 15 years or older to age 18 or remove the age restriction altogether.

Source: Kathy Ratcliff, Orient, Ohio

5. Amend Rule 18, Section 4, on page 56, to provide for the awarding of purse money earned by the offending horse to be given to the unoffending horse(s) with which the horse interfered.

Source: Eric Cherry, Delray Beach, Florida

6. A proposal to amend Rule 18, Section 25 (e)(2), on page 60, to eliminate the requirement that a sulky model must have a fork assembly on the outside of the wheel.

Source: Tom Harmer, Evolution Racing

7. Amend Rule 24, Section 1, on page 71, to change the timing of races from “fifths of seconds” to “one hundredths of a second.”

Source: Eric Cherry, Delray Beach, Florida

8. Amend Rule 24, Section 1, to require that all horses are actually timed in a race instead of the current calculation of one length equals 1/5th of a second.

Source: Eric Cherry, Delray Beach, Florida

9 . A proposal to amend Rule 26, Section 14, on page 78, to provide for the non-racing registration of horses who have previously been registered and identified, but who will no longer be eligible to race.

Source: Terri Mt. Pleasant, Canton, Ohio

Bylaw Change

Article III, Section 6(c), on page 127—Regarding District Membership Requirements for Candidates for Membership Elected Directors

Option One: Add the following sentence to Article III, Section 6(c): “A candidate for membership-elected director need not be a voting member of the district that he or she seeks to represent. An individual can only run in one district at one time.”

Option Two: Add the following sentence to Article III, Section 6(c): “A candidate for membership-elected director must be a voting member of the district that he or she seeks to represent, as of the deadline for filing petitions to become a candidate for the term that the candidate seeks to serve.”

Source: USTA Board of Directors

Bylaw Change

Article III, Section 6(c), on page 127— Regarding Directorship Requirements For Candidates For Membership and Pari-Mutuel Elected Directors

Option One: Add the following sentence to Article III, Section 6(c): “Any candidate, for membership elected director need not be a voting member in the district that he or she seeks to represent, and for a pari-mutuel director he or she need not be domiciled in the district where the track is located that he or she seeks to represent. An individual can only be a candidate in one district at one time.”

Option Two: Add the following sentence to Article III, Section 6(c): “A candidate for membership elected director must be a voting member of the district that he or she seeks to represent, and a candidate for pari-mutuel elected director must be domiciled in the district where the track is located that he or she is to represent, as of the deadline for nominations.”

Source: Joseph A. Faraldo, USTA Director