Columbus, OH – In District 6, incumbent Dein Spriggs and challenger Sam Herrington are running for the at-large seat, which encompasses Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. District 6 members will vote for one candidate.
Ballots are being mailed in early November, with completed ballots required to be postmarked no later than Dec. 8, 2026. Election results are expected to be announced in early January 2027.
Following is information on the two candidates, listed in alphabetical order, seeking election to the U.S. Trotting Association Board of Directors in District 6.
Sam Herrington — challenger
Samantha Herrington has been involved with horses from a young age, growing up with a background in Quarter Horses. Sam graduated from Penn State, earning a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science with a focus in Business Management and a minor in Equine Science. During her time at Penn State, she was actively involved in their equine program; serving as student manager of the Quarter Horse Sale & Equine Science Showcase, member of the Horse Judging Team, Western Equestrian Team, and Equine Research Team. She also held leadership positions as Vice President of the Agricultural Sciences Club and President of the Collegiate Horsemen’s Association. She was introduced to the Standardbred breed while working for Dr. Sherrin at Nandi Veterinary Associates in New Freedom, PA.
In 2019, Sam joined Diamond Creek during the breeding season, beginning her career in the farm’s office. Today, Sam serves as the General Manager of Business Operations at Diamond Creek. In this role, she works across many aspects of the business including breeding operations, sales, stallion syndications, client relations, and administrative oversight. Her responsibilities allow her to work closely with breeders, owners, shareholders, and industry professionals providing her with a broad understanding of the business and the people who make it successful.
Why are you seeking election to the USTA Board of Directors?
I am running because I believe in the future of harness racing, but I also believe that future requires a willingness to embrace change. I want to be a voice for all participants in our industry, no matter their role or the size of their operation. I believe good leadership starts with listening, asking questions, and being open to fresh ideas and new perspectives. Most importantly, I want to contribute to an organization that is not simply maintaining our industry but actively helping it grow.
What experience, background or perspective would you bring to the Board?
Working at Diamond Creek Farm has given me a firsthand understanding of the business of breeding, raising and selling Standardbreds, as well as the challenges and opportunities facing those who are involved in our sport. My role requires organization, financial awareness, communication, problem-solving and accountability. I work in an environment where decisions have real financial consequences and where success requires both attention to detail and long-term thinking. I would bring a practical, business-minded perspective to the USTA, along with a willingness to listen and learn from others. I recognize that every part of our industry brings something valuable to the table, and I believe meaningful progress requires cooperation among breeders, owners, trainers, drivers and racetracks
What do you believe are the most important issues facing the USTA and harness racing, and what would you like to accomplish as a director regarding those issues?
Our biggest challenges are maintaining economic stability, attracting new participants and securing the future of harness racing. I believe we need to make ownership more accessible, promote our sport to new audiences and continue prioritizing integrity and horse welfare. Building a financially sustainable industry is essential to creating opportunities for everyone involved. As a director, I would support fresh ideas, responsible spending, transparency and open communication. I believe USTA members deserve to be informed, heard and confident in the decisions being made on their behalf. We have a great history in harness racing, but we also need to be willing to evolve. The decisions we make today will shape the future of our industry, and I want to help build a stronger, more transparent and sustainable sport that can thrive for generations to come
Dein Spriggs — incumbent
Dein Spriggs serves as the United States Trotting Association Director for District 6. He is president of the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association and president of the United States Harness Drivers Club (USHDC). As District 6 Director, he has represented owners, trainers, drivers, and breeders across the district’s 10 states, serving on the Communications and Marketing Committee, the Driver and Trainer Committee, and the Rules Committee, with a focus on horse and driver safety. His work has also included racing opportunities, amateur and developing-driver programs, equine aftercare, and breeding policy. Spriggs is a Standardbred owner, breeder, trainer, and driver. He has invested directly in Kentucky harness racing, building a Standardbred barn and facility near Oak Grove, where he stables multiple racehorses. He races throughout the state of Kentucky at Oak Grove, The Red Mile, and Cumberland Run, while at the same time breeding to Kentucky sires. Through the USHDC he has helped direct more than $400,000 to horse-related charities. A second-generation horseman, he followed his father, William “Bill” Spriggs, and his brother, Steve, into harness racing, stepped away in 1985, and returned in 1998. In his next term he will keep working for every segment of the membership, because the future of the sport depends on all of them.
Why are you seeking re-election to the USTA Board of Directors?
District 6 is 10 states and thousands of members: drivers, trainers, owners, and breeders. This seat should work for all four. I have done that work, there is more to finish, and I want to finish it for the whole membership.
What experience, background or perspective do you bring to the Board?
I drive, I train, I own, and I breed. I am president of the United States Harness Drivers Club and of the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association. I own the horses I race and pay my own bills, so the only people I answer to are the members. I am a second-generation horseman; my father Bill and my brother Steve brought me into this sport.
What do you feel you have contributed to the Board as a director?
I have served on the Communications and Marketing Committee, the Driver and Trainer Committee, and the Rules Committee. On each, my focus has been the safety of our horses and drivers, rules that are fair to everyone who competes, and getting the word out about our sport. I have also worked on racing opportunities, amateur and developing-driver programs, and aftercare, and through the USHDC we have put more than $400,000 into horse-related charities.
What do you believe are the most important issues facing the USTA and harness racing, and what would you like to accomplish regarding those issues?
Our problems are connected. Fewer foals mean shorter fields, shorter fields mean lower handle, lower handle means fewer dates and smaller purses, and smaller purses mean fewer owners buying yearlings. No single segment can fix that alone. In my next term, I want to keep horse and driver safety at the front of every rules discussion and protect racing dates and purses across the district, including fair and county racing. I also want to keep building opportunities for amateur and young drivers, support aftercare so every Standardbred has somewhere to go after racing, and keep breeding strong by keeping owners in the game.