The U.S. Trotting Association’s 2019 Board of Directors annual meeting is scheduled for Friday (March 8) through Monday (March 11) at the Hilton Columbus at Easton. This year’s meeting is starting a day earlier on Friday afternoon to allow for the addition of numerous subcommittee meetings and other working group sessions prior to the start of the usual committees and general sessions.
USTA Speaker Series lineup for Delaware set
The 12th annual U.S. Trotting Association Speaker Series, presented by the Harness Racing FanZone, at the Delaware (Ohio) County Fair will be held on Wednesday and Thursday mornings before the Jugette (Sept. 19) and Little Brown Jug (Sept. 20), respectively.
Harness Racing FanZone introduces USTA Play of the Day
In conjunction with the U.S. Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering Program, the Harness Racing FanZone is introducing the “USTA Play of the Day,” which will be hosted by Social Media and Public Relations Coordinator Michael Carter and appear daily on the HRFZ website and social media platforms starting Tuesday (June 12).
Ater gets a winner with Sandys Victory
Dan Ater has spent more than four decades in harness racing, winning nearly 1,500 races as a trainer and 1,700 as a driver on his way to a spot in the Ohio Hall of Fame, but he has never experienced anything like the ride he is enjoying as the owner of Sandys Victory. Ater purchased the 7-year-old female trotter for $8,200 at an auction in November 2016 and has watched the mare win 21 races and $257,435 in purses since then.
Hervey and Smallsreed winners announced
Dave Briggs swept the writing categories in the 2017 John Hervey Awards competition, capturing the feature division with a story written for Hoof Beats magazine and the news/commentary division with a story written for Harness Racing Update, the U.S. Harness Writers Association announced Monday. In addition, the U.S. Trotting Association’s www.ustrotting.com was selected the winner of the Hervey Awards for excellence in harness racing broadcasting and Chris Gooden and Jacob Cohen were named the winners in the George Smallsreed Awards for excellence in harness racing photography.
“Yankee Joe” Lee named USHWA Amateur Driver of the Year
It was unanimous. The USHWA National Amateur Driver of the Year Award Committee has named “Yankee Joe” Lee the National Amateur Driver of the Year for 2017. The ever-improving 38-year-old Bronxville, N.Y. native is enjoying his best season in the sulky while being a member of multiple amateur organizations.
When contacted, Lee was at Yankee Stadium where he is the New York Yankee’s assistant equipment manager, thus the moniker “Yankee Joe.”
USTA Speaker Series line-up at Delaware announced
The 11th annual USTA Speaker Series at the Delaware (Ohio) County Fair, to be held the mornings before the Jugette (Sept. 20) and Little Brown Jug (Sept. 21), will feature the sport’s drivers, trainers, analysts, and executives.
Hoof Beats photo contest is open
Have some photos that capture your love for harness racing and Standardbreds? Enter them into the Hoof Beats photo contest. The contest, hosted on the Hoof Beats Facebook page and on www.harnessracing.com, will run from June 1 until Oct. 1. The winners will be determined by the most votes in each category.
USTA relaunches the Harness Racing FanZone
The U.S. Trotting Association announced Tuesday (May 9) that the social media-based, content hub website, www.harnessracing.com, has been re-launched with a new look and additional information. The newly-designed site focuses on four important pillars: Own, Watch, Wager, with an emphasis to Share on social media plus it is more mobile friendly.
USTA relaunches improved mobile site
The U.S. Trotting Association announced the relaunch of a new and improved mobile site at m.ustrotting.com on Tuesday (April 25). Originally launched in April 2015 with basic links to news, entries & results and top performers on the homepage, the new site has a new look, more features and additional information.