Columbus, OH – This September, the USTA introduced a special initiative for the month called SIPtember, a month dedicated to those who participate in the Standardbred Incentive Program. For all 30 days of September, if a participant submitted at least one placing from a horse show, or recorded at least three trail miles, their names were entered into random drawings for a SIPtastic prize.
Out of the 237 show placings entered, Alexis Barros was the drawn winner from those that show. Alexis and her 17-year-old French trotter, Ubanji, have participated in SIP since 2023, earning reserve champion in the English Flat division and champion in the English 2-Gait subdivision for the 2024 SIP show season.
The trail riding participant from the random draw is Lindsay Toms – whose horses Good Bet, Clearly Foxy and Cloud Speed logged a total of 258 miles in September out of the 786 total miles submitted by participants. Lindsay has been involved in SIP since 2023 with Good Bet. This year, Lindsay competes with all three horses in horse shows, as well as competitive endurance rides with GB. Toms and GB were awarded the 2024 Trail & Endurance division champion and recognized as the High Mileage Standardbred in 2022, in conjunction with the American Endurance Ride Conference.
The month of September was a busy one for Standardbreds on the track as well as those retired from racing. While sire stakes finals, MGM Yonkers International Trot, Little Brown Jug, and the winding down fair season created a jam-packed racing schedule, off-track Standardbreds continue to prove their versatility both in the show ring and on the trails.
In September alone, 28 SIP approved horse shows took place in several U.S. states and Canada. One of those September shows was the 31st annual National Standardbred Show, which hosted hundreds of competition pairs from across the country, showing in over 100 events and nearly double the total amount of classes.
The Standardbred Incentive Program is a free program for USTA members to submit their placings at shows to earn points toward year-end awards. There is also a program to log trail miles ridden to get lifetime mileage awards. Participation medals are presented to everyone who submits at least one show placing or one trail mile during the show season.
Not a USTA member? Youth under the age of 18 can sign up for free; adults can become a USTA member to receive all USTA perks and member benefits or they can purchase a SIP season pass.
More information about the Standardbred Incentive Program can be found here.
Since 1996, the Standardbred Equine Program has worked with owners of off-the-track Standardbreds to educate the public about the many disciplines that Standardbreds excel at once they are retired from racing. For more information about the SEP at the USTA, visit LifeAfterRacing.ustrotting.com.