from the USTA Communications Department

Las Vegas, NV — Russell Williams, newly elected president of the USTA, said the Association will conduct a test program at Scioto Downs using microchips to identify Standardbreds during his address to the board of directors at the closing session of their annual meeting Tuesday (Feb. 28) at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino.

Williams, who was elected by members of the board on Monday (Feb. 27) and immediately assumed the duties of president, said the program will involve implanting microchips in a select group of racehorses.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Russell Williams, newly elected president of the USTA, said that the Association will conduct a test program for using microchips to identify Standardbreds.

“It’s a better way of identifying horses than what we’ve been using,” said Williams after the session. “Lip tattoos are illegible, unsanitary, and difficult to check. Freeze-branding is unsightly — none of us like that.

“Now we have something that doesn’t deface the horse, will tell us the temperature of the horse, and it has a storage capacity for health papers and Coggins test information. So the horse is all packed up and ready to go.”

Mike Tanner, USTA executive vice president and CEO, told the board that he wants the staff to become “more curious,” in his address to the board.

“Over the past several years, I was happy with myself about operational issues, but I stopped asking questions and I stopped thinking outside the box,” he said.

Three committees met prior to the closing session: Racing, Finance, and Rules.

The Rules committee approved rule change proposals 1, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, which include provisions to standardize pylon violations and penalties, and standardize purse distribution. Rule change proposals 19-28, all pertaining to Racing Under Saddle, will be considered by a to-be-created committee.

“Racing Under Saddle shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures adopted by the Racing Under Saddle Committee to be appointed by the President, to the extent that such procedures are not inconsistent with the rules of the United States Trotting Association,” the Rules Committee said in a statement.

This year’s Racing Committee combined the Driver/Trainer, Fairs, Pari-Mutuel, and Regulatory committees so that members of each committee could discuss the 24 rule change proposals under their aegis as a group.

In the Pari-Mutuel Committee portion, Chris Schick, District 3 director and chairman of the Strategic Wagering Committee, told the Racing Committee that his group guaranteed more than $19 million in wagering pools last year, on which more than $25 million was wagered.

In the Fairs Committee portion, Jessica Schroeder, USTA assistant fair liaison, told the board that the USTA Matching Funds Grant program has now given out more than $130,000 to some 78 fairs to help market their races since 2006. She also said that 129 fairs use the USTA’s Online Entry system. Since its launch in 2014, more than 770,000 horses have been entered by 2,041 trainers using the system, counting both fairs and pari-mutuel facilities.

During the Driver/Trainer portion, USTA Licensing Assistant Michele Kopiec presented the updated Driver/Trainer Study Guide, which is the comprehensive resource for passing the tests to become a USTA-licensed trainer or driver. Previously a book costing $20, the board moved to make it available as part of the New Driver/Trainer License application.

Kent “Chip” Hastings, USTA director of regulatory affairs, said that the USTA will be creating a website containing informational and instructional videos to help educate aspiring trainers and drivers.

There were 172 new trainer and 133 new driver licenses issued in 2016.

The Finance Committee approved a 2017 budget that will include such items as $120,000 in funding for television broadcasts and $5,000 to help the Harness Racing Museum restore the stall of the immortal trotter, Greyhound.

The USTA Board of Directors will hold their next annual meeting March 10-12, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio.

Click here or on the link below to view a video recap of this year’s Board of Directors meeting.