District Chairman Don Marean introduced John Pawlak, USTA Public Relations Manager, who reported on Association activities for the year just ended and led a discussion of the proposed rule changes for 2013. Those at the meeting took the following votes:

Proposal #1 (Bonus Earnings): Approve
Proposal #2 (Race Numbering): Reject
Proposal #3 (Prohibition of Same Day Fair Entries): Approve
Proposal #4 (Provisional Driver Preferences): Reject
Proposal #5 (Matinee License Minimum Age): Approve
Proposal #6 (Timing In Hundredths): Reject
Proposal #7 (Pleasure Horse Registration Language): Approve
Proposal #8 (Standard of Conduct Language): Approve
Proposal #9 (DNA Verification Requirement for Sales): Approve
Proposal #10 (Appeals to Full Board): No Action
Proposal #11 (Animal Cruelty Mandatory Ban): Approve, changing “animal welfare” to “horse welfare.”

Photo by the author

A large gathering attended the USTA District 9 and MHHA meetings in Augusta, Maine on Saturday

In addition, ballots were cast in a track director election, in which Fred Nichols, director of racing at Hollywood Slots at Bangor Raceway, was returned for a second three-year term. There was no membership election in District 9 this year; Don Marean’s term expired but no candidate filed to run against him.

Following the USTA meeting the Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association held its annual meeting. All the officers were returned for another term, including president Timothy C. Powers, DVM.

The meetings were followed by the annual MHHA awards banquet, at which Michelle Nelson’s Wholly Louy (Camluck--By Desire, by Artsplace), who won 14 of 35 starts and $87,180 and took a season’s mark of 1:53.1h. The 8-year-old gelding also set track records at Oxford, Maine and Farmington, Maine during 2012.

Among other noteworthy awards, the winners were:

Outstanding Pacer – Kim Ireland’s (lessee) Mr Nice Guy
Outstanding Trotter – Kevin Gee’s IPO Blue Chip
Claimer of the Year – Kevin Gee’s For Now
Trainer of the Year – Ron Cushing
Rising Star Award – Driver Chris Nye
Jake Phipps Groom of the Year – Donna Fenderson
Sheridan Smith Distinguished Service Award – Dodie and Tom Dillon

In addition, the 2012 edition of the Maine Harness Racing Yearbook was dedicated to the late Rick Cushing, who operated a small but very successful stable for four decades.