Columbus, OH — A two-day Racing Officials Continuing Education Seminar, presented by the U.S. Trotting Association and held at The Meadows racetrack, concluded Monday (Nov. 21). The meeting was hosted by USTA COO TC Lane and Racetrack Operation and Licensing Manager Michele Kopiec.

The agenda consisted of a wide variety of subjects discussed by the large group of racing officials representing seven states and one Canadian province.

A presentation on racehorse aftercare awareness and the transition from racing to other careers was hosted by Dr. Patty Hogan. USTA photo.

The opening session on Sunday morning (Nov. 20) was highlighted by a presentation on racehorse aftercare awareness and the transition from racing to other careers by Dr. Patty Hogan. The Sunday agenda also featured Ohio Harness Racing Commission Presiding Judge Doug Thomas and Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission Presiding Judge Kevin Gumm, who led a discussion of best practices for pre-meet communications with licensees with an emphasis on respect and fairness between racing officials and horsemen.

Day one concluded with a presentation by Delaware Standardbred Owners Association Executive Director Sal DiMario on effective public speaking as well as the role of judges in appeal hearings.

“The USTA board of directors have continued to stress upon the staff at the USTA, the importance of consistency in the various regulations around the country,” stated Lane. “This weekend was designed for just that, as great strides continue to be made toward accomplishing that goal.”

Monday morning (Nov. 21) opened with Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission Director of Enforcement Jason Klouser speaking on recent investigations and resources available for racing officials. Steve May, Client Solutions Executive for Gaming Laboratories, LLC, followed with a presentation on the basics of pari-mutuel wagering and the totalizator system. Pennsylvania’s Gumm returned to the floor to take the group through race review analysis, with discussion on various races from the past year.

The finale of the two-day meeting was a presentation by Amy Reisinger, CEO and founder of SteelFusion Clinical Laboratory, in which she provided information on her state of the art lab near Pittsburgh, Pa., and its potential to assist the racing industry with extremely accurate and fast toxicology results for both humans and horses.

To maintain accreditation, all accredited racing officials, stewards and judges, must attend a continuing education session approved by the Racing Officials Accreditation Program totaling at least 16 credit hours every two years. The ROAP CE is available to any accredited racing official, steward or judge.

In June of 2023, the Racing Officials Accreditation Program, along with the USTA, will be hosting a full accreditation program. More details of that offering will be made available soon. We encourage interested individuals to monitor horseracingofficials.com for the latest information.