by Jessica Schroeder, U.S. Trotting Association Assistant Fair Liaison

Columbus, OH — Twelve students traveled to the USTA offices in Columbus to attend a three-day intensive course for clerking and charting harness races. Men and women traveled from Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia to learn the USTA rules, have practical experience charting and learn how to put in race entries and results.

On Thursday, Michele Kopiec from the USTA’s Race Track Support department, introduced the class to eTrack, an internet based program that allows racetrack personnel from across the country to input entries and results.

USTA/Ed Keys photo

TC Lane explained the USTA rulebook to the class on Friday.

Friday morning TC Lane, USTA’s Director of Officials, went through the USTA rulebook and the group did worksheet exercises to familiarize themselves with the rules and duties of clerking and charting. In the afternoon, Jessica Schroeder, Assistant Fair Liaison, went through charting, the different abbreviations used in a chart and how to read a call sheet. The group then split into pairs and recreated the entries for Scioto Downs’ 13 qualifiers the next morning.

Saturday morning everyone headed to Scioto for a tour of the track and to chart the races. Terri Mt Pleasant, Scioto’s charter, gave the group tips and Jason Roth, Scioto’s assistant race secretary, went over race office duties and how they take entries. After watching Mt Pleasant chart the first race, the group went out in their respective pairs to practice charting. After heading back to the USTA offices they entered all the qualifying results.

Sunday morning each person in the class has the option to take the written and practical examination required to become a licensed official.

“This has been such an informative class. We created a race card from condition sheet to race results and even got to practice charting an entire qualifying card,” said Doris Lineweaver of Maurertown, Virginia.

The USTA conducts seminars and continuing education workshops for new and currently licensed racing officials. For more information on future clerk/charting and judges schools, or one-day seminars, contact TC Lane at tc.lane@ustrotting.com or call 877.800.8782, ex. 3203.