Sacramento, CA — Approximately 20 USTA District 3 members met at the Hilton Arden West in Sacramento, Calif., on Saturday (Jan. 6) to discuss racing matters of local and national importance and to vote upon the 2023-2024 slate of Association rule change and bylaw proposals.

District chairman Ivan Axelrod, who was reelected to another term at the conclusion of the session, moderated the proceedings. He was joined by fellow director Ben Kenney, Chief Financial Officer of Watch and Wager LLC (Cal Expo), and director-elect Sal DiMario, who will be formally seated at the USTA’s annual meeting in March.

In all, 10 proposals were recommended for approval and 21 were rejected. The group voted to abstain on a submission that would amend the language contained in the Association’s policy addressing abuse and harassment.

The District 3 votes are summarized below.

Proposal #1 – Purse distribution for no contest races: REJECTED
Proposal #2 – Corresponding officer designation: REJECTED
Proposal #3 – “Ambulance” definition: REJECTED
Proposal #4 – Expand definition of accident warning lights: REJECTED
Proposal #5 – Fence requirements at county fairs: REJECTED
Proposal #6 – Taping of line buckles: REJECTED
Proposal #7 – Judges/warning lights and siren: ACCEPTED
Proposal #8 – Extreme weather postponements/cancellations: REJECTED
Proposal #9 – Judges explanation of warning lights and siren: REJECTED
Proposal #10 – Number of names on the electronic eligibility – unlimited: REJECTED
Proposal #11 – Increase number of names on the electronic eligibility – six: REJECTED
Proposal #12 – No horse 15 or older is eligible to perform in any race: REJECTED
Proposal #13 – One tier of starters at county fair tracks at judges’ discretion: REJECTED
Proposal #14 – Splitting of horses in multiple divisions: REJECTED
Proposal #15 – Publicly publish draw results: REJECTED
Proposal #16 – Require a driver to drive horse on which he/she is listed: REJECTED
Proposal #17 – Penalty for restart: REJECTED
Proposal #18 – Penalty for causing a race to be delayed: REJECTED
Proposal #19 – Driver objection “before dismounting”: ACCEPTED
Proposal #20 – Race within 30 minutes of assigned Lasix window: REJECTED
Proposal #21 – Five-year sulky warranty by USTA or manufacturer: REJECTED
Proposal #22 – Sulky manufacturers mandatory reporting: ACCEPTED
Proposal #23 – Coggins test rules to remove repetitive language: ACCEPTED
Proposal #24 – Track requirement to keep Coggins, vaccine info: ACCEPTED
Proposal #25 – Naming requirements for the registration of horses: REJECTED
Proposal #26 – Bylaw change – electronic voting for USTA board: REJECTED
Proposal #27 – Bylaw change – Terms of non-presidential officers: ACCEPTED (with comment)
Proposal #28 – Bylaw change – Abuse and Harassment policy: ABSTAINED
Proposal #29 – Definition of beneficial owner: ACCEPTED
Proposal #30 – Tattoo and/or freeze brand references: ACCEPTED
Proposal #31 – Revision of info requirements on list of mares bred: ACCEPTED
Proposal #32 – Revision of language for horse parentage, ID: ACCEPTED

The remaining districts will meet over the next month to discuss specific district topics and to vote on the proposals. The results of each district’s vote will be presented to the entire USTA Board of Directors at the annual meeting in March 2024. The full schedule of district meetings, as well as meeting details and recaps, may be found here.