US Trotting / About

What is the US Trotting Association and why join?

What does the U.S. Trotting Association do and why should I join? These are key questions to those who participate in the sport of harness racing and own or breed Standardbred horses, and although the mission of the association has changed over the years, the services it provides to its members remain substantial.

The U.S. Trotting Association is a not-for-profit association of Standardbred owners, breeders, drivers, trainers, and officials, organized to provide administrative, rulemaking, licensing and breed registry services to its members.

Our mission is to:

  • License owners, trainers, drivers and officials.
  • Formulate the rules of racing.
  • Maintain and disseminate racing information and records.
  • Serve as the registry for the Standardbred breed.
  • Endeavor to ensure the integrity of harness racing.
  • Insist on the humane treatment of Standardbreds.
  • Promote the sport of harness racing and the Standardbred breed.

Origins

Founded in 1939, the U.S. Trotting Association brought order to what had been chaos: In prior years, the sport was administered by regional organizations, each with differing rules, that often failed to honor each other's suspensions.

The United States Trotting Association, which since 1948 has been headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, ruled as the sport's sole regulatory body until the 1960s, before the state racing commissions took over most of those functions, but the US Trotting Association retains an important role in the sport today because of its mission and grassroots leadership.

Purpose

The US Trotting Association's role in harness racing is summarized in six areas, each of which serves the sport and its participants in ways state and local organizations cannot.

They include:

Breed Registry The US Trotting Association is the sole issuer of registration documents for Standardbred horses, which must first be registered with the US Trotting Association(by law) before being eligible to race in North America— or to subsequently be used in the Standardbred breeding industry. The US Trotting Association has agreements with all the major Standardbred breed registries in the world, which permits the import and export of registered horses.

Rules While racing at the commercial racetracks is regulated at the state level, the US Trotting rules have long served as models for rules passed in all the states. When the US Trotting Association modifies its rulebook the states most often amend theirs in the same fashion. The rules of the US Trotting Association also hold sway at most county and state fairs, and thus directly govern some of the sport's richest and most important races.

Licensing Every driver and trainer must, in order to qualify for state licensing, first pass written and practical US Trotting examinations. They must then obtain sufficient skills and experience while performing before licensed officials and veteran drivers and trainers before being licensed by the US Trotting Association-and thus participate at commercial or fair tracks across the country.

Integrity The US Trotting Association provides financial means and staff support to:

  • Gathering and maintaining the sport's most comprehensive database of rules violations (which serves as an invaluable tool to regulators and investigators)
  • Industry efforts for uniform drug testing and racing rules

Database The US Trotting Association maintains the racing and breeding records of more than one million Standardbreds, and information regarding more than 238,000 drivers, trainers, breeders, and owners. This database forms the backbone of the records of the sport and is an unparalleled research resource.

Promotion Whether it is educating and informing its members, working with publicists and the press, introducing youngsters to Standardbred horses, telling the story of harness racing to elected officials, or assisting in the placement of retired horses, the US Trotting Association is the unquestioned leader in the promotion of the sport and the breed.

Why join?

The question of why should I become a member of the US Trotting Association is best answered by examining the many services and products produced by the association. It provides members with products that improve their ability to compete, gives them a means of supporting industry-wide causes, and to obtain benefits which only come with US Trotting membership.

The benefits include:

Member Discounts Program US Trotting members receive substantial, unadvertised discounts on a number of products and services. View current member discounts.

Representation Through their elected representatives, members vote on the rules that shape the industry, and they can voice their concerns at annual business meetings around the country.

Industry support Harness racing's voice in Washington is expressed through the American Horse Council, of which the US Trotting Association is a charter—and very active—member.

Market development The recruitment of new horse owners, education of bettors, finding new vocations for retired racehorses, and supplying information to lawmakers and regulators help enhance and expand the racing and breeding industries across America.

Research Helping find cures for equine disease by making US Trotting research grants, and helping fund research being done on illegal medications and encouraging the formulation of uniform medication rules all contribute to the wider good.

Products US Trotting member fees have been used to develop many outstanding products, including:

  • Hoof Beats magazine, the sport's most widely read monthly publication
  • USTROTTING.COM, featuring harness racing news, racing results, important industry and membership information, and more.
  • Online Entry, allows US Trotting-licensed trainers to drop their horses in the box at all US tracks and fairs without having to call the race office
  • eSales, provides horse sale companies continuously updated information on horses entered in their sales, including live pedigrees and racelines and streamlines the ownership transfer process post-sale for buyers.
  • PATHWAY, the sport's online performance and breeding database
  • STARS - an invaluable Web tool for breeders, stallion owners, and yearling buyers

Promotion

The US Trotting Association also offers a number of programs designed to market harness racing, Standardbred horses, and participation in the sport, including:

  • US Trotting Outreach, which “takes the US Trotting Association to its members” by sending association representatives to horse sales to interact and assist our members, as well as educate those new to our sport and breeding Standardbreds.
  • Standardbred Star, an activity book, Youth Beats, a bi-annual publication, and posters designed to entertain and educate youngsters about Standardbreds.
  • US Trotting and harness racing logo items give members, fairs and fans gear to take home and show their affinity for the US Trotting and the sport.

U.S. Trotting Logo and Usage

The US Trotting Association logo is restricted to US Trotting Association use. Visit our clip art page for horse and harness racing related art available for use.