from the USTA Communications Department

Columbus, OH — The USTA delegation to the International Trotting Association World Trotting Conference returned from Sydney, Australia this past weekend after nearly a week of discussion, debate, and interaction with harness racing leaders from around the world. It also came back with a trophy, having been recognized with the ITA’s International Media Award for “Best Social Media.”

Specifically, the ITA singled out the Harness Racing Fan Zone in commenting on its selection, with ITA president Geoff Want saying that the vote “wasn’t even close.”

For USTA President Phil Langley, the award was gratifying.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

The USTA was recognized with the ITA’s International Media Award for “Best Social Media.”

“We’re honored by the recognition,” Langley said. “Social media is a vital tool in communicating with our base and in connecting with prospective fans, as well. We were told by the WTC organizers that our program was far and away the best that they had reviewed. It’s a credit to the Harness Racing Fan Zone and everyone involved in its development and operations.”

The Harness Racing Fan Zone (www.harnessracingfanzone.com) is a content hub designed for current and potential new fans and owners to connect through the power of social media. The mission of the Fan Zone is not to replace current industry web sites or initiatives, but to serve as a key, central platform that will help unify, amplify and positively brand the sport. Together with various other USTA platforms — including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Vine — the Fan Zone has allowed more fans to engage in the sport and serve as content providers, not merely as content consumers.

USTA Executive Vice President Mike Tanner, who was elected to a term as chairman of the ITA Marketing and Business Development Committee while in Sydney, sees real possibility in linking the Fan Zone to the social media hubs of other harness racing countries.

T.C. Lane photo

USTA President Phil Langley (right) presents an etched glass ice bucket to Geoff Want, Chairman of Harness Racing Australia, at the closing of the 24th World Trotting Conference in Sydney, Australia.

“It’s a global sport now and the technology is there for us to connect in ways that we haven’t done before,” said Tanner. “That’s one of the tasks that my committee will tackle over the next year, and the USTA will take the lead on it. The other one is developing an electronic exchange of marketing and promotional ideas. Harness Racing Australia has volunteered to host that portal, and the USTA is one of several governing organizations that has committed funds to its development.”

T.C. Lane, USTA Director of Registry and Member Services, was elected chairman of the Breeding Committee. Primary on his committee’s list of goals is the exchange and processing of foreign data for use in records and pedigrees. Presently, all such information is compiled manually.

“It was an excellent conference,” Langley summarized upon his return to the United States. “Harness Racing Australia did an outstanding job in organizing it and we found the topics and discussions to be salient and timely. We look forward to building upon our momentum.”