Columbus, OH — The U.S. Trotting Association announced Wednesday (July 14) that Steve Bateson is replacing Dan Ater as director on the USTA Board of Directors until the next District 1 meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021 when there will be an election to determine who will complete the remainder of Ater’s term through March 2023.

Ater, a longtime USTA director and member of the Ohio Harness Racing Hall of Fame, died at age 66 after a long battle with cancer on May 24, 2021.

District 1 represents USTA members in Ohio.

Steve Bateson is replacing Dan Ater as director on the USTA Board of Directors until the next District 1 meeting.

“I’m honored to be replacing Hall of Fame trainer Dan Ater, who was a well-respected member of our Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association board,” said Bateson.

“Dan didn’t speak out often but when he did people listened. Dan occasionally called me with concerns about the industry or the organization and I would always ask him if he had any suggestions for the situation. He always had a well thought out solution to the issue. He is greatly missed.”

Bateson has been involved with Standardbred horses since 1981 and bought part of his first racehorse in 1986. He currently owns several racehorses and broodmares residing in Ohio.

A director of the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association since 2011, Bateson served as vice president of the organization for four years and is its current president, a position he has held since 2019. In his role at the OHHA, Bateson helped implement the Buckeye Stallion Series for 2- and 3-year-olds, which added another valuable classification for staking many outstanding Ohio-bred foals.

A graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics, Bateson has worked for 30 years in sales for both manufacturing and distribution in the agricultural chemistry industry. He is currently a strategic account sales manager for Rosen’s Inc.

Bateson and his wife Terri have three sons — Case, Garret and Levi. Case, their oldest, has also begun a career in the Standardbred industry.