Columbus, OH — USTA District 5 chairperson Sam Lilly and directors Casey Leonard and Jim Miller hosted the annual District 5 meeting on Tuesday (Nov. 18) via Zoom.
The session included a discussion of and voting on the nine proposed rule and bylaw changes for 2026.
District 5 members in attendance voted on the following proposals:
- Resigning membership while under investigation — Approved
- Horse race fatalities reported to USTA — Rejected
- Shoes off/shoes on — Rejected
- Horse retirement contribution from claims — Amended to 1% – Vote Tied
- Start caps for 2- and 3-year-olds — Rejected
- Deposit for appeals — Approved
- Stallion cap of 160 mares — Rejected
- Standardbred as embryo transfer recipient mare — Approved
- Executive committee composition — Approved
Members were reminded of the ongoing election for the membership seats currently held by Sam Lilly and Jim Reynolds, with ballots — also including candidate Tina Schrock — due to be postmarked by Dec. 9. Election results will be announced in early 2026.
A discussion was also held on the state of racing in Illinois, including industry challenges and current legislative issues affecting horsepeople in the state.
Chairperson Sam Lilly was reelected to serve another term leading District 5.
In the coming months, remaining USTA districts will convene to address region-specific topics and vote on the proposed initiatives. All district voting outcomes will be compiled and presented to the USTA Board of Directors at the annual meeting in March 2026.
Members can find the full schedule of district meetings, including agendas and post-meeting recaps, here.
Members are also reminded that they can cast their votes online through their USTA accounts. Full details and instructions can be found via this link.