Columbus, OH --- U.S. Trotting Association President Phil Langley has announced the following President’s Awards for 2008, given for outstanding contributions to the sport of harness racing:

Tom Charters, the longtime president of the Hambletonian Society began his career in harness racing as a groom in the Delvin Miller Stable, and several years later, after Charters had gone on to work on two continents as a race secretary, was recommended by Miller for the position of executive director of the Breeders Crown when the series of rich races was first established. He is also active with other industry groups, most notably the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium.

Dave and Debbie Little are a husband and wife sports writing team -- he for the New York Daily News and she for the New York Post -- who share a deep love of Standardbred racing. Debbie Little serves as the president of the U.S. Harness Writers’ Association, and her husband has, in addition to writing frequent harness racing columns and features, taken a turn in the announcer’s booth at Historic Track and other venues.

Barbara Brooks has been an employee at the U.S. Trotting Association for the past 54 years, and for most of that time she has been the assistant registrar -- and in recent years has served as the secretary of the USTA Board of Directors. Over the years, her prompt attention to the administrative needs of Standardbred breeders has won her praise from USTA members -- and provided her with countless friendships within the sport.

Sally Stauffer has served as the USTA’s executive secretary for the past 14 years, and during that time has provided administrative support for the executive vice president and members of the USTA Board of Directors. In addition, she has coordinated the USTA’s annual meetings, and also helped plan and direct the operations of the 1995 World Trotting Conference.

The award presentations will be made Feb. 4, as part of the Racing Congress in Las Vegas, Nev.