from the USTA Communications Department

Columbus, OH — The United States Trotting Association announced Thursday that ustrotting.com senior correspondent Kim French has been hired as a new internet newsroom editor for the website.

French, who has been a contributor to the USTA website and Hoof Beats magazine for a decade, will join the USTA staff in mid-April.

USTA photo

Kim French has been hired as a new internet newsroom editor for the USTA website.

“Kim has written for about 20 equine magazines and has been working closely with our staff in several capacities over the last 10 years,” said USTA Director of Marketing and Communications Dan Leary. “She has the skills and knowledge, an excellent working relationship with the USTA staff and many others in the industry plus an understanding of the demands of the position. In addition, her extensive experience in television and with social media will be valuable assets to our overall efforts to promote harness racing.”

“It’s exciting to become part of the USTA team,” said French. “I’ve been a harness racing fan since growing up in Syracuse, N.Y. and going to Vernon Downs, Saratoga Harness and Batavia Downs, so being able to work in the sport for the USTA is a tremendous opportunity.”

French aided Emily Gaskin in marketing and publicity for Hoosier Park Racing and Casino in 2015 and was the social media coordinator for Midwest Harness Report for the past two years.

Besides Hoof Beats, she has been published in the harness racing magazines Canadian Sportsman and TROT Magazine as well as other breed publications including Daily Racing Form, Blood-Horse and the American Quarter Horse Journal.

Her extensive television experience includes serving as associate producer, field producer, production assistant and stage manager for ESPN and NBC Sports Thoroughbred national broadcasts, program editor for the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes and Breeders’ Cup from 2007 through 2015, and she has produced the national newsfeed for both the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup since 2013.

A graduate of Northern Kentucky University, French participated in the Clyde Hirt Memorial Sports Media Workshop at The Meadowlands in August 2006 and was a recent recipient of the John Hervey Award for excellence in writing for a story that appeared in Hoof Beats.