DiamonD an niversa - US Trotting Association

Diamond An
home sweet home: The USTA
has called several locations
home in its 75 years, starting
out beneath the grandstand at
Historic Track at Goshen, N.Y. (top
left), then moving to the eastern
edge of Columbus, Ohio, in 1948
(left), and finally settling in its current location, north of downtown
Columbus, in 1962 (top right).
56
HOOF BEATS march 2013
goshen courtesy of harness racing museum and hall of fame
first columbus office from USTA files • current columbus office by ed keys
niversary
Celebrating 75 years of the U.S.
Trotting Association by Jason Turner
In May 1981, Hoof Beats published an article
titled “The Departments of the USTA.” The goal
of the article was to share the story of the United
States Trotting Association with our members.
More than 30 years later, in conjunction with our
association’s 75-year anniversary, we are at it again.
The 1981 article paints a picture of a sleeker,
more modern USTA, boasting of “up-to-date electronic machinery”: typewriters, filing cabinets (and
presumably rotary phones). The article even went
so far as to cast a light-hearted, self-depreciating
glance at the USTA’s “archaic” 1940s self. It’s also
the same spirit in which the author of the 2043 version of this story will, in all probability, poke fun at
the trite e-mails, cell phones and non-flying cars of
this era.
Much has changed at the USTA in the last three
decades, and some things, including a few of the
folks who work here, have not. One thing that will
never change, however, is our commitment to serving our membership and the harness racing community at large. Here’s how we do it.
HOOF BEATS march 2013
57
Executive Department
“The Executive Department sounds
grander in scale than it really is,” said
USTA Executive Vice President and CEO
Mike Tanner. If the labeling of the department is overly bombastic, however, the
same cannot be said of its two members—
Tanner and his administrative assistant
Sally Stauffer—whose hard work and
dedication cannot be overstated.
With the help of Stauffer, Tanner
directs a team of department heads that
collectively oversee another 40 USTA
employees. Additionally, he is responsible to the board of directors for all
aspects of the USTA, including finance,
‘‘
We promote the sport
of harness racing and all
of the great things
Standardbreds can do.”
—Mike Tanner
customer service, communications, regulatory enforcement, registration, information and technology and more.
“It’s a great job with terrific responsibility,” he said.
Tanner added that the core of what
the USTA does is keep records and serve
as the organizing body for those involved
in harness racing. That includes licensing
trainers, drivers and officials and regulating the sport. And, of course, the USTA
is also harness racing’s biggest advocate.
“We promote the sport of harness
racing and all of the great things Standardbreds can do,” he said. “We sup-
USTA Timeline
Over the years the sport of
harness racing has changed,
and the USTA has also
changed to keep pace. The
following timeline provides a
record of those changes and
innovations that have come
as the result of the actions of
the USTA board.
58
HOOF BEATS march 2013
port, both financially and substantively,
efforts to ensure that the game is contested on a level playing field and we
serve to unify the many jurisdictions and
organizations involved in harness racing.
That was our mission back in 1938 when
we were first incorporated and it remains
our mission today.”
One of the most significant initiatives
Tanner has introduced is Back to the
Track. First launched in 2010, Back to
the Track is an industry-wide effort to celebrate, promote and unify the harness racing industry through a special, weekendlong event. Participating racetracks offer
special promotions and incentives while
USTA members are encouraged to invite
friends and family members out to the
track for a special night of harness racing.
“To be honest, the idea was based upon
what the Thoroughbreds used to do back
in the late 1990s,” said Tanner. “Their
promotion was driven in a more topdown, centrally organized manner, but
we envisioned our event as being more
of a grassroots effort that would have
almost a county fair-type atmosphere.
“It’s been a great partnership, and
Back to the Track is now a regular staple
on many tracks’ racing calendar. We’re
proud of that.”
Tanner said another, in-progress initiative is the development of an online
entry platform that will be integrated
with the USTA’s eTrack system. This
will allow horsemen to enter races electronically and will give race offices a new,
more efficient way to put cards together.
The project is expected to take 12-18
months to complete, but many horse-
open-door policy: USTA Executive
Vice President and CEO Mike Tanner in
his office with his executive secretary,
Sally Stauffer.
men, and USTA President Phil Langley,
are anxiously awaiting its arrival.
In recent years, the USTA has also
introduced a successful Strategic Wagering
program, a fan education program called
Night School and several aftercare initiatives, such as Save Our Standardbreds,
Pleasure Horse Registration and Full
Circle, that seek to provide better lives
for equine athletes, both during and after
their racing careers.
Much has changed about harness racing since 1981. The USTA is smaller and
sleeker than in years past, said Tanner,
but the 49-person staff is a “talented
and efficient” group ready to take on the
short- and long-term challenges facing
the industry.
“We’re smaller in size than we were
30 years ago,” he said. “I also think as
the sport has consolidated people look to
the USTA to do more and more. Topics
like the appropriate use of medication
and aftercare—and the USTA’s role in
facilitating discussion on both—weren’t
really on the radar then like they are
now. It’s a new world.”
1938
• Meeting of the
“Fifty Best Friends
of Trotting”
(November 11-13)
1942
• Goshen and
Hartford offices merged and
registry records
consolidated
1940
1939
• Incorporation of the
USTA (January 7)
departmental photos by mark hall • timeline photos from USTA files
Regulatory
The Regulatory department wears
many hats—issuing licenses and rulings,
maintaining rule information submitted
by various authorities, soliciting complaints, moderating disputes and advocates on behalf of members who have
legitimate complaints against others—
but they are all worn by one, very busy
man, Chip Hastings.
“I guess you could say it’s a multifaceted department,” he said.
Hastings has been affiliated with the
USTA since 1976. He left the Association
in 1984 to become the presiding judge
at Rosecroft Raceway and Freestate
Raceway, but returned in 1992, after serving another 41/2 years as the state steward
and presiding judge for the New Jersey
Racing Commission at Meadowlands
Racetrack and Garden State Park.
Needless to say, there are few, if any, people who are more familiar with or better
equipped to steward the rules of racing.
But he gets by with a little help
from his friends. Hastings said he is frequently assisted by USTA staffers from
other departments, who contribute time,
‘‘
The idea [for the Driving
School], at the start, was to
offer a fantasy-type camp
for people who are interested in horses. It quickly
turned into an instructional,
hands-on school.”
—Chip Hastings
energy and resources to accomplishing
major tasks, such as the planning and
execution of major events that include
the USTA’s Driving School program, a
judges accreditation program and an
annual charity golf outing.
“I introduced the Standardbred
continuing education training and certification for racing officials from all
disciplines.
“ROAP requires that schools have a
minimum of 60 hours of classroom instruction,” Hastings said. “It is also mandated
that along with the Standardbred rules of
hands-on: Among
Chip Hastings’ many
duties as head of
the Regulatory
department is
instructing students at the annual
Standardbred
Driving School.
Driving School in 1999,” Hastings said.
“The idea, at the start, was to offer a
fantasy-type camp for people who are
interested in horses. It quickly turned
into an instructional, hands-on school
where attendees have the opportunity to
learn about the basics of horsemanship,
veterinary care, training, stable management and, of course, driving.”
The USTA has been conducting officials training since the 1960s, and was
among the first racing industry organizations to do so. In 1991, however, the
USTA joined with the Association of
Racing Commissioners International to
host and conduct their Racing Officials
Accreditation Program, which offers
racing and proper policies and procedures,
the students receive
instruction on medication and testing, administrative law and
legal proceedings.”
One of the major projects for the
Regulatory department this year is a
re-evaluation of the USTA’s Rules and
Regulations, a formidable undertaking that was commissioned by USTA
President Phil Langley at the annual
board of directors meeting in 2012.
“The work of the committee will be
presented to the full board at their 2013
meeting,” said Hastings. “Aside from
the removal of archaic language, we are
proposing the addition of a more comprehensive definition section and switching to a modular number system and a
new font.”
»»
1953
1947
• Driving colors registration mandated »
• First track directors seated, at-large
• USTA passes rules regarding
mediation of horsemen’s strikes
• Trotting and
Pacing Guide
first published
1950
1946
• “Time bar”
prohibited
as a racing
condition
1948
• All offices consolidated
in Columbus
1954
• Track accident insurance is mandated
• “ABC” classification
authorized
1957
• Anti-trust suit
initiated against
the USTA by the
U.S. government
1959
• Use of the
“staggered”
gate outlawed
HOOF BEATS march 2013
59
Member Services
Because the USTA is primarily a membership organization, there is no department that plays a more significant role
than the Member Services department—
a one-stop shop for harness racing fans
and participants that assists members
with just about anything.
“We’re a full-service department,
serving the needs of individual members
‘‘
Members need our
services at all times. We
are able to do that by
expanding our online
services features. Roughly
25 percent of our
members are online
purchasers.”
—T.C. Lane
as well as racetracks,” said department
head T.C. Lane. “Memberships, foal
registrations, license renewals, ownership
transfers, and electronic eligibilities are
just a small sample of what we provide.”
The seven-person Member Services
staff also handles Hoof Beats fulfillment
and subscription-related questions and
responds to dozens of e-mail and telephone requests each day from members
in need of assistance.
The department’s biggest challenge, said Lane, is keeping up with the
demands of an industry that does not
comply with a normal business schedule.
“Understanding the needs of our
members and realizing that despite
the fact that we are open from 8-4:30,
Monday through Friday, is not enough
in this day and age,” he said. “Members
need our services at all times. We are able
to do that by expanding our online services features. Roughly 25 percent of our
members are online purchasers.
“As an organization, we have been
continually streamlining our operations
while maintaining our commitment to
our members by providing exemplary personal service. Members are still
afforded the opportunity to speak with
‘live bodies’ verses a voice-activated or
touch tone system that many other organizations use.”
Also falling under the umbrella of
Member Services are 11 ID technicians
who spend a majority of their time on
the road, doing business with members
at their farm or place of business.
The ID technicians make every mile
count, said Lane. They strive to supply
services not only in a timely manner, but
also in an economical way. The goal is to
reduce the cost of travel as much as
possible, so that members are not
affected with price increases.
As systems and services have
become more streamlined, employees, and Member Services staffers
in particular, have learned to be
adaptable and even more efficient with
their time.
“Specialization within the departments has really gone away,” said Lane.
“The overall abilities of USTA employees
are really balanced and flexible enough
to fill in for several different departments
if needed. What was a completely separate department 30 years ago is a minor
task today, thanks to technology.”
Lane said the goal of the Member
Services department is to make dealing
with the USTA the easiest part of the
racing puzzle, adding that in the future
horsemen will be able to accomplish even
more online, at their own convenience.
But Member Services will always be
about the members.
“Dealing with us should be the easiest
part of your day,” Lane said. “We have
all been on the other side of the line and
the last thing we want to do is prevent
someone from racing because of paperwork or a registration issue. Our goal is
to help you make it to the winner’s circle,
not keep you out of it.”
may i help you?: From left,
Jayme Laing, Ida Hardman and
T.C. Lane, part of the Member
Services team, strive to ensure
members receive efficient and
personal customer service.
USTA Timeline continued
1960
1964
• Federal anti-trust suit dismissed
• Lip tattooing implemented »
• First officials’ schools authorized
1966
• Time trials outlawed,
but new rules passed
later in the year
revive them
• Board rescinds
track-horsemen dispute
mediation rules
1960
1961
• Safety
helmets
mandated
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HOOF BEATS march 2013
1962
• USTA moves into its new Michigan Avenue headquarters
• “ABC” classification rules
rescinded
1963
• New York tracks
suspended for using
“ABC” system
1965
• USTA pioneers pre-race testing
• Statistics kept on a calendar
year basis for the first time
departmental photos by mark hall • timeline photos from USTA files
Outreach and Fairs
County fair races are, and have
been for more than 100 years, the heart
and soul of the harness racing industry.
The USTA understands the value of
fair racing and of grassroots promotion, and created the Outreach and Fairs
department in the mid-1990s to underscore its commitment to both.
USTA Outreach and Enrichment
Coordinator Jessica Schroeder said the
department has taken on many different roles since its inception more than
a decade ago, but in recent years the
department’s primary responsibility has
been to promote the Standardbred breed
and the USTA.
“We promote the fact that the USTA
is the breed registry for Standardbreds
and the record-keeping entity for harness
racing, which is especially useful when
talking to people who have off-the-track
horses and want to learn more about
their racing career,” she said.
“We also work with 220 county, state
and independent fairs that put on harness
racing at their facility, and we help with
administrative duties (eTrack assistance,
generating programs), promotions,
licensing officials and other things.”
In an effort to connect with and
assist USTA members, Schroeder attends
approximately 20 events a year and
spends close to 60 days a year on the
road. Although she is technically the
only full-time member of the Outreach
and Fairs department, Schroeder attends
many outreach events with Member
Services representative Aimee Hock and
works closely with other USTA staffers from other departments including
making
friends:
Jessica
Schroeder
(left) and
Aimee Hock
staff the
USTA booth at
Harrisburg in
2012.
When we’re‘‘
out traveling,
it is great to put a face
and a voice to the people
we’ve been talking to, and
I think our members feel
the same way.”
—Jessica Schroeder
Regulatory and Racetrack Support.
“I love going out and meeting our
members, both individuals and those
representing our tracks,” said Schroeder.
“When we’re out traveling, it is great to
put a face and a voice to the people we’ve
been talking to, and I think our members
feel the same way.”
A lot of the time Schroeder spends in
the office is spent working on fair-related
projects, such as the USTA’s Matching
Funds Grant, and coordinating with fair
officials around the country to make sure
their events are a success. Another focus
of the Outreach and Fairs department is
member retention and looking for new
ways to incentivize membership.
“When you have to do business with
the USTA, we want it to be as seamless as
possible,” Schroeder said. “That might
mean having a presence at more sales,
increasing the type of work you can do
through our online services and providing incentives for people to participate in
our online programs.
“The biggest challenge is trying to
stay current on so many topics so that no
matter what state I’m in, or the type of
person I’m talking to, I can answer their
questions.”
»»
1969
1973 
• USTA hosts the first World Trotting Conference
• “Early Breeding Rule” adopted
• USTA board imposes lifetime ban on race-fixers
1970
1968 
• Wheel discs made mandatory
• Harness Tracks Security is formed
• Care and Training of the Trotter
and Pacer is published »
1971 
• Coggins tests
mandated at
all racetracks
1974
• Microfiche racelines and charts
made available
HOOF BEATS march 2013
61
Communications
Although Communications is most
commonly associated with Hoof Beats,
the industry-leading monthly magazine
it produces, this USTA department is
remarkably multifaceted. From producing materials for both internal and external communications, to publicity, marketing, Web development and reporting
the news, the Comm staff does it all.
One reason for Hoof Beats’ heightened visibility and association with the
USTA is that it is one of harness racing’s
oldest and best-known publications. The
first issue (which predates the USTA by
five years) was published in 1933, and
in the 80 years since has won numerous
awards, including more than two dozen
from American Horse Publications.
“There are so many fascinating people and talented horses in the sport. Hoof
Beats has been here all these years to tell
their stories,” said T.J. Burkett, who has
been executive editor of the magazine
since 2010.
Hoof Beats, however, is not the only
Communications output to find the win-
ner’s circle. The team has also earned
awards for its website, news coverage and video content. The industryleading website, ustrotting.com, is updated almost around the clock by a small
team of editors, while the production
team, led by multimedia coordinator
Rich Johnston, produces between 300400 videos each year.
The Communications department is
also instrumental in getting the word
out about new programs and USTA
initiatives such as Back to the Track and
the Strategic Wagering program, which
helps provides value to harness bettors
by guaranteeing the size of designated
betting pools at participating tracks. The
team is responsible for marketing, messaging, ads, press releases, and, of course,
social media.
Maintaining and generating conversations through social media platforms
such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube
is another responsibility of the department. Social media plays a critical role in
any business’ ability to connect and stay
in touch with its customers.
“Harness racing is an
intense and visually stunning sport that adapts well to
social media,” said Burkett.
“Everybody involved in the
sport has an opinion, whether
it’s about who should win
action!: From left, Dan
Leary, John Pawlak and
Rich Johnston prepare for
a video shoot in the USTA’s
studio, or “green room.”
‘‘
The ability to connect with
others interested in the
game in real time is the
best opportunity for growth
that the industry has seen
since the introduction of
night racing.”
—T.J. Burkett
Horse of the Year or who looks the
best in the fourth race post parade, so
the ability to connect with others interested in the game in real time is the best
opportunity for growth that the industry
has seen since the introduction of night
racing.”
The Communications department also
produces annual publications, such as
the Trotting and Pacing Guide, a comprehensive media guide for the harness
industry, and the Stakes Guide, as well
as pamphlets and educational materials
such as “Harness the Excitement,” a n
introductory guide to the sport of harness
racing, and “A Winning Combination,” a
booklet on ownership in harness racing.
“The harness racing industry is fortunate to have the dedicated staff of the
Communications department working diligently on its behalf,” said USTA Director
of Marketing and Communications Dan
Leary. “The combination of their wealth
of knowledge, diversity of talent and passion for their job is extremely difficult to
find in sports, entertainment or any business in today’s world. It’s a great team.”
USTA Timeline continued
1975
• Rule defines a sulky as a “dualshaft, dual-wheel racing vehicle”
• USTA purchases additional office
space at 800 Michigan Avenue
• Early breeding
rule rescinded
1980
• Stallion books
limited to 125
(150 for established studs)
1980
1977
• Federal lawsuit against
Chicago racetracks and
horsemen filed
62
1978
HOOF BEATS march 2013
1981
1982
• Board votes against hiring
a full-time USTA president
• Stallion book limitation
rule rescinded
• USTA wins legal
case against Chicago tracks and horsemen, on appeal
1983
• Stallion books again
limited to 125
• Registrations become
fully computerized
single hitch from USTA files• all other photos by mark hall
Harness Racing Communications
If you’ve ever read about harness racing in a major newspaper, seen an article
on Standardbreds in a mainstream magazine, or caught a glimpse of your favorite
horse on ESPN’s SportsCenter, there is a
good chance that USTA Harness Racing
Communications Executive Director
Ellen Harvey is responsible for putting
it there.
Harvey and HRC media relations
manager Ken Weingartner are the totality
of the New Jersey-based department that
‘‘
Our primary goal is to
place stories, news and
videos in outlets that folks
see every day. Those
outlets can be as big as
USA Today or as small
as a local radio station or
weekly newspaper.”
—Ellen Harvey
is Harness Racing Communications. Both
are skillful writers and seasoned veterans
of the publishing and publicity game.
According to Harvey, HRC began
in the 1980s as a collaborative effort
between industry organizations, but
in January 1995 it became an official
department of the USTA. For the last 18
years, HRC has been the industry’s biggest cheerleader and advocate.
“Harness Racing Communications
serves as the conduit for news to the
mainstream media,” said Harvey. “Our
primary goal is to place stories, news
and videos in outlets that folks see every
day. Those outlets can be as big as USA
Today or as small as a local radio station
or weekly newspaper.”
Harvey said HRC’s ability to land
successful mainstream media placements
depends largely on the news being generated within the industry.
“We look for stories that we think
will be of interest to the mainstream
media every day of the year,” she said.
“Our projects present themselves to us. A
developing, compelling story that translates into news that will be of interest
outside the sport means we have something to pitch to targeted media outlets.”
Among HRC’s most successful recent
placements is a feature story on older
pacer Tattler’s Jet that ran in the New
York Times. The ad equivalent value
of the space (meaning the
amount of space you would
have to buy if you were taking out an ad) was $260,000.
Additionally, it was a positive
story that helped highlight
the Standardbred breed and
the care they receive.
Most publications still
had a racing writer in the
mid-1980s, said Harvey, but
today they are few and far between.
Fortunately, the proliferation of electronic and social media platforms has made it
possible for harness racing to be seen and
heard in new, more cost-effective ways.
“All but the tiniest local papers have
websites, whose content is not limited by
space,” she said. “That gives us much
more opportunity; if we can’t get a story
in a print edition, we have a shot at the
online version. We also have self-guided
ways to spread news: Twitter, Facebook,
YouTube.
“There is an incessant production of
news with the advent of 24-hour news
cycles—nothing ever really gets ‘put to
bed’ and walked away from. There are
radio shows, cable TV and websites that
need to collect and churn out news. All
of those things are opportunities for us
that did not exist 20 years ago.”
outspoken: Ellen
Harvey is constantly getting the word out about
harness racing and the
USTA’s initiatives to help
horses and horsemen.
»»
1984
1988
• North American Harness Racing Marketing
Association (NAHRMA) founded
• USTA funds Snell Foundation helmet safety study
• Computerized Race Track System put into operation
• Stallion book limitation rule again rescinded
• Parentage-verifying blood typing of foals mandated
• Board offers $25,000 reward for information
regarding race fixing
• Fines and suspensions information computerized
1990
1985
• Early stakes payments are banned
• Minimum 10-day suspension for kicking
a horse is enacted
• Maritime provinces vote to remain part of the USTA
1987
• Special meeting held at “Harness
Expo ’87” in Pompano Beach, Fla.
• Standardbred Remote Information Service (SRIS) founded
1991
• Board commissions a comprehensive marketing plan
• Single-hitch sulkies banned »
HOOF BEATS march 2013
63
Information and Research
Considering that record keeping is
one of the USTA’s primary functions,
and that the organization has been at it
for 75 years, one can only imagine the
sizeable mountain of data, both physical and digital, that resides within the
walls of the 800 building on Michigan
Avenue. Fortunately for USTA members,
media personnel, individuals, organizations and anyone else who needs information on Standardbreds, Information
and Research Director David Carr and
his team are ready and waiting to help.
Carr has been with the USTA since
1982, first as a writer with Hoof Beats
and eventually as a member of the
Information and Research department,
which was introduced in 1985. Today’s
I&R team consists of four members, who
field requests from all over the world and
help harness racing fans and participants
find the information they’re looking for.
“I would estimate that we get 60-80
phone calls a day, ranging from simple
identification ones based on a tattoo or
freezebrand, to complex research tasks
that might take several hours,” he said.
“Additionally, we receive about 10-15
e-mail inquiries a day.”
When they’re not answering phone
calls or responding to e-mails, the I&R
staff also collects data for important
industry resources, including pedigrees
for sales catalogs, stallion directories and
more. The team annually produces the
majority of the content for the USTA’s
most prominent publications—Sires &
Dams, which takes five to seven weeks
to compile and review, and the Trotting
and Pacing Guide.
As one might expect, technology has
changed significantly since the department was first formed in the mid-’80s,
and so has the way that information
and research is disseminated. Carr said
he’s proud of the way the department
has been able to keep up
with the changing needs
of the industry—early
on with computer generated reports, and eventually with Pathway, the
USTA’s online database.
“The change has
tall order: From
left, David Carr and
teammates Anne
Chunko and Sandy Van
Horne handle huge
amounts of USTA data,
making it available for
customers.
been huge and ongoing,” Carr said.
“Thirty years ago the racetracks mailed
their race results to the USTA, where
they were processed by a large data entry
staff. Just a few years later, this was completely changed, with the tracks transmitting their results directly to the USTA.
“Slightly more than 10 years ago,
in 2001, the USTA launched Pathway,
‘‘
I would estimate that we
get 60-80 phone calls a
day, ranging from simple
identification ones based on
a tattoo or freezebrand, to
complex research tasks that
might take several hours.”
—David Carr
meaning that members could see and
research current data, not having to rely
upon annual publications such as Sires &
Dams, the Year Book and racing performances on microfiche.”
Like much of the USTA, the
Information and Research department is
doing more, with less. The staff is small,
but the demand for information is at an
all-time high, which calls for creative
solutions and a very resourceful team.
“We are here for information needs,
whether it is answering a simple question, doing a more involved research
project, or helping the member learn
about and navigate Pathway in the most
effective and efficient way,” Carr said.
USTA Timeline continued
1992
• Use of fresh
transported
semen in
breeding is
approved
1994
• Sweeping sulky regulations adopted
• Anti “milkshaking” rules adopted and
black boxes made available
• USTA agrees to take over sole funding
of Harness Racing Communications
1993
•
•
•
•
1995
1997
• Registry changes from blood typing to DNA
typing
• Embryo transfer rules are passed
• USTA loses lawsuit regarding outlawing of bentshaft sulkies, but judge sets aside jury verdict
$1 million appropriated for marketing
• Freeze branding
Fifteen-year-old horses banned from racing
is made optional
Sulky Safety Committee appointed
USTA sued over its new rules outlawing bent-shaft sulkies
64
HOOF BEATS march 2013
1998
• USTA signs agreement to market handicapping data with
TrackMaster
1996
•
•
•
•
Use of frozen semen in breeding is permitted
Standardbred Investigative Service founded
Reciprocity with the Canadian Trotting Association is approved
Updated Care and Training of the Trotter and Pacer is released
departmental photos and driving school by mark hall
Racetrack Support
Racetrack support is a small
but experienced group. Kris Wolfe
(14 years), Michele Kopiec (13
years) and Ron Taubert (18 years)
serve as a liaison between tracks
and the USTA, providing information and support to help track officials put on races at their facilities.
In recent years, a significant
change for the Racetrack Support
team has been transitioning from
manual-style reporting and tracking to a more automated system
that allows horsemen and track
personnel to do things such as
online staking and entries and an
automated draw. As is the case
for many departments, keeping up
with today’s ever-evolving technology is a challenge.
Wolfe said she and her team are
proud of the way they’ve been able
to assist horsemen in the industry
through initiatives such as eTrack
and its predecessor, Raceway.
“The eTrack system maintains
records, such as eligibility, Coggins tests,
‘‘
The eTrack system
maintains records, such as
eligibility, Coggins tests,
vaccines, and other things,
and it’s available to the race
offices, which in turn
benefits all horsemen.”
—Kris Wolfe
vaccines, and other things, and it’s available to the race offices,” said Wolfe,
“which in turn benefits all horsemen
because it’s able to electronically capture
their information.
“With the addition of eTrack, we
don’t need to have computer equipment at the track, and with the addition
of Web-based software we have more
ways of communicating with the tracks
through e-mail and texts.”
The toughest part of the job is keeping
up with mobile technology and prioritizing all the requests that come in to the
small staff, but Wolfe said they really
enjoy their work, and, in particular,
post time: From left, Ron Taubert,
Michele Kopiec and Kris Wolfe provide information and support to track
officials. Their white board shows the
daily run schedule of USTA data.
working with the track personnel around
the country and resolving issues.
“We love the industry, and it’s great
getting to deal with the racetrack personnel on a personal level,” she said.
“Since all three of us come from a racing
background, it gives us an edge in communicating their needs to other USTA
departments.”
»»
1999
2002
• First
USTA
Driving
School
• Advertising permitted on driving colors
• Cloning as a reproductive method is
specifically excluded
• Racing Medication Testing Consortium
founded
2004
• Integrity policy
relating to USTA
publicity is adopted
2000
2000
• RACEWAY computer
system means end of
eligibility papers
2001
• PATHWAY database goes online
• Maritime provinces leave the USTA
• All earnings kept by the USTA to be
expressed in U.S. dollars
2003
• USTA funds study
on genetic
diversity among
Standardbreds
HOOF BEATS march 2013
65
Information Technology
In 1981, there would have been little use
for an Information Technology department at the USTA, but today, as a result
of the technological boom that has indelibly altered the way both businesses
and patrons function, it is one of the
Association’s most critical components.
When current Information Technology manager Sherry Antion-Mohr first
joined the USTA in 1997, her department was known as the Data Processing
department, and focused on making
paperwork more accurate and manual
tasks, such as recording or transcribing,
more efficient. As the need for and use of
computers evolved, however, so did the
department and its objectives.
“At the time I joined the USTA, the
emphasis to simply speed up the data
collection had already started shifting
instead to using the technology to accomplish new goals,” said Antion-Mohr.
“The change of the department’s name to
Information Technology (IT) was subtle,
but fundamentally important. The IT
‘‘
Now that most products
and services are computerized, the focus is again
shifting to allowing us to
streamline USTA services
so that our members can
look up and even perform
their own work, in their
own timing.”
—Sherry Antion-Mohr
up to speed: Igor Efremenkov
maintains the USTA’s vast data servers.
staff was already doing much more than
just providing computers instead of typewriters and using databases to sum up
purse money on racelines. The department’s main objective had changed to
enabling the USTA staff and membership
ways to access the vast amounts of information the organization had collected.”
Antion-Mohr said one of the most significant changes in recent years has been
the increasingly central role Information
Technology has played is serving the
USTA and its members. A primary example of this is electronic eligibility—providing, online, all the necessary information about a particular racehorse, which
is made use of by nearly every facet of the
harness racing industry, including fairs,
tracks, trainers, owners and breeders.
“The amount of work that goes on
behind the scenes is amazing,” said
Antion-Mohr. “Now that most products
and services are computerized, the focus
is again shifting to allowing us to streamline USTA services so that our members
can look up and even perform their own
work, in their own timing.”
In addition to creating and implementing the technological systems that
benefit members, the IT group is also
essential to the day-to-day operations
within the USTA, servicing more than 40
employees and their laptops, desktops,
printers, scanners, servers and mobile
devices.
Given the rapid-changing and increasingly prolific nature of modern technology, IT will likely undergo significant
changes in the near future, and the
department is working hard to stay on
top of the needs of both the USTA staff
and its membership. Antion-Mohr said
the Web and mobile applications are a
chief focus of the group, as is the expanded use of technology to deliver products
and services with as much convenience
and accessibility as possible.
“The IT department is a small but
close-knit group of talented technical
people, striving to find ways technology
can create solutions,” said Antion-Mohr.
“I am fortunate to have a team of people
that thrive under these challenges, truly
enjoy working together and can accomplish so much together.”
To comment on this story, e-mail us at
[email protected].
USTA Timeline continued
2010
2006
• Stallion books limited to 140
• County Fair Liaison program
instituted
• Paperless registration instituted
• STARS online stallion guide debuts
2007
•
•
•
•
$100,000 appropriated for “Save Our Standardbreds,” or SOS
Standardbred Investigative Service is dissolved
Use of microchip identification is authorized
Bylaws abridged so that directors may live in a district other
than the one they are elected to represent
• “Back to the Track” is inaugurated
• Online Member Services debuts
• Online fines and suspensions
system debuts
• eTrack online race office and
race reporting site debuts
66
HOOF BEATS march 2013
2009
2010
• Whipping rule
strengthened with
tiered penalties
2012
• Policy on furosemide
use is adopted
• New data licensing
contracts with the
Daily Racing Form,
TrackMaster
2011
• Strategic Wagering
Program debuts
• Online voting for
directors is authorized
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