Columbus, OH – Longtime USTA Director Dr. Kenneth “Doc” Walker has retired from the United States Trotting Association Board of Directors, it was announced Friday (Dec. 21).  Prominent Illinois driver Casey Leonard has been elected by the remaining District 5 directors to take Walker’s spot on the Board.

Dr. Kenneth “Doc” Walker, who has announced his retirement from the USTA Board of Directors, with his wife Pat. USTA Photo.

Walker, first elected to the USTA Board in 1982, is the founder of Walker Standardbreds, breeder of the ubiquitous “Fox Valley” horses that have been a presence in harness racing for decades, and, along with his wife, Pat, is a member of the Illinois Harness Racing Hall of Fame.  A Korean War veteran and former practicing veterinarian, Walker started in harness racing in 1964. Among his many roles in the industry, he is a past president of the Illinois Standardbred Owners and Breeders Association.

Leonard, 41, has been a dominant force in the Illinois driving colony for close to a decade, and has notched 2,579 victories in a career that began in 1996. He is a third-generation horseman.  His late grandfather, Bud Leonard, is a member of the Illinois Harness Racing Hall of Fame and his father, Terry, is a longtime trainer and driver. Leonard holds a business management degree from Western Illinois University and worked for several years before joining his dad to help operate their 100-acre farm/training center in Harvard, IL.

In accordance with USTA bylaws, Leonard will serve until the District 5 meeting of 2020, at which time an election will be held to select an individual to serve out the balance of Walker’s term, which expires the following year.