In District 7, incumbent and USTA President Russell Williams is seeking re-election against challenger Ron Burke for one membership director seat. District 7 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 7.
Ron Burke — challenger
For Ron “Ronnie” Burke, harness racing has never been simply a profession. It has been a lifelong commitment, a family tradition, and an industry in which he has invested his time, resources, and future. The son of horseman Mickey Burke, Ronnie grew up immersed in the Standardbred industry. Following his father into the business, he helped build Burke Racing Stable into one of the most accomplished operations in harness racing history. Since assuming leadership of the training operation in 2009, he has become the sport’s all-time leading trainer in victories and purse earnings. Inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2022, Ronnie has trained champions including Foiled Again, Sweet Lou, Hannelore Hanover, Atlanta, and Warrawee Ubeaut. His success reflects decades of dedication to the horses and people who make the sport possible. His commitment extends well beyond training and racing as a breeder and long-term investor in the Standardbred industry. Ronnie has developed a growing broodmare band and has ownership interests in prominent stallions including Sweet Lou, Lou Print, TCI, Sippinonsearoc, and Lou’s Perlman. These investments reflect a commitment to breeding, developing, and sustaining the next generations of Standardbred racehorses. As a leader of a major racing and breeding enterprise, Ronnie brings a businessman’s perspective to the sport. His responsibilities encompass managing employees, operating a large stable, working with owners and breeders, evaluating bloodlines and young horses, and navigating costs, risks, and regulations across racing jurisdictions. He understands how industry policy affects the people who make their living in harness racing. The Burke family’s involvement now spans three generations. Ronnie followed his father Mickey, and his son Brad is pursuing a future in the same industry. For Ronnie, strengthening harness racing is therefore more than a business objective; it is a personal responsibility to today’s horsemen and to those who will follow.
Why are you seeking election to the USTA Board of Directors?
I am seeking election to the USTA Board of Directors because I want our sport to grow and thrive. I have an unmatched passion for the game and believe my experience in building and growing a business, combined with my lifelong involvement, would allow me to make a positive contribution.
What experience, background or perspective would you bring to the Board?
My experience in every aspect of racing, owning, training and breeding at the highest levels gives me the opportunity to contribute my knowledge and perspective to the Board. I have been involved in the sport since I was 12 years old and have learned from many great people along the way. As the current MSOA (Meadows Standardbred Owners Association) president, I developed a better understanding working with casino management and developing programs to better serve the horsemen that we represent. Working with my fellow MSOA directors, we are creating something special at the Meadows. Having been involved in every level of our sport, from groom on up, I bring a broad, firsthand understanding of what works and what doesn’t.
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.
For me, strengthening racing is more than a business objective, it is a personal responsibility to today’s horsemen and to those who follow. As a candidate for Dierctor, my priorities include supporting horseman, pursuing fair and standardized medication rules, prompting responsible aftercare, and protecting the economic and breeding foundations of the sport.
Russell Williams — incumbent
Russell Williams is president of the USTA, president/CEO of Hanover Shoe Farms, and chairperson of the board of Standardbred Horse Sales Co. Williams has spent his entire life in the sport. He earned a B.A. degree from the University of Virginia and a law degree from the University of Richmond. He serves as a trustee of the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame, the American Horse Council, and the Hanover Foundation for Excellence in Education, president of the Hanover Shoe Farms Foundation, secretary-treasurer of the Standardbred Racing Investigative Fund, and a director of the Standardbred Transition Alliance. He lives in Hanover, Pa., with his spouse, David Schaefer.
What experience, background or perspective do you bring to the Board?
Life spent involved in harness racing, 29 years a USTA director, 9 years USTA president.
What do you feel you have contributed to the Board as a director?
I have organized and deployed the talents on our board of directors without discriminating against people who disagreed with my own views.
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?
We must rebuild handle by operating efficiently and with integrity, and by offering the public culturally up-to-date forms of wagering entertainment based on live racing.