Columbus, OH — A total of 32 rule and bylaw change proposals have been submitted to the U.S. Trotting Association and will be voted upon by the full board of USTA Directors in March at the 2024 annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio.

The 2024 proposed rule changes may be found here.

Prior to the final decision on which rules will be adopted, amended or rejected, they will be discussed at each of the USTA’s 12 district meetings. USTA members in attendance at each district meeting will review and vote to provide a recommendation for each proposal; those recommendations will be submitted to the full Board of Directors at the annual meeting where the final decisions on rule change proposals will be made.

All USTA members are asked to consider the proposed rule changes and encouraged to attend their local district meeting to provide input. Members who are unable to attend their local meeting are urged to contact their local directors prior to the meeting date.

The names and contact information for directors in each district may be found online via this link. For a schedule of district meetings, some of which will be held in-person and others by Zoom, click here. Meeting notifications will be sent via email to USTA members approximately three weeks prior to each meeting.

The 32-rule change and bylaw proposals cover a wide range of issues that include racing rules involving the purse distribution for no contest races, additional language to define medical assistance (ambulance), the expansion of accident warning lights, racing in extreme weather, and splitting of race divisions.

Other proposals consider topics such as the designation of a corresponding officer as well as stable ownership percentages, increasing the number of owners on a horse’s eligibility from four to either six or unlimited, naming of horses, and electronic voting by USTA directors.

Submissions were submitted by USTA members, racing officials, horsemen’s associations, and directors from California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.