Attention Horsemen

All date-based deadlines: All date based programs in Ohio (stakes nominations, scholarship applications, feature race grant applications, capital improvement grant applications, breeder's award mare registrations, etc.) all follow the same date deadline protocol. Receipt at the OHHA Office by close-of-business on the deadline date, or official U. S. Postal Service postmark ONLY. Either is acceptable for deadline date receipt proof. Note. One common misconception is a metered mail date is a postmark. It is not. A postmark is an imprint put on by the USPS Office that accepted the mail. The postmark date is the only date on mailed items that is used to determine whether mail was sent on or before a deadline date. We recommend you personally witness the postmark being placed on your envelope if you mail near or on the deadline date. If received after the deadline date, a postmark is after the deadline date, or is missing, the submission is considered late and will be returned.

OHHA Text Blast: Subscribe to the OHHA Text Blast Service: Text OHHA to 1-888-808-1507 to sign-up for Ohio’s standardbred industry updates and emergency messages.

Equine Contagious Disease Alerts For active areas and locations of concern on highly contagious diseases, access can be found at the Equine Disease Communication Center

Negative Coggins Test: A horse’s Coggins must be valid at the time of entry in Ohio racetracks and fairs. Check your Coggins test expiration date. If your Coggins is valid at the time of entry and expires at the time of racing the horse will be scratched if you do not provide the valid Coggins negative test result to the race office prior to the race date. In addition to the scratch, the trainer will be subjected to a minimum $200 OSRC fine for a rule violation under 3769-15-30! Please make sure all horse’s Coggins Tests are up-to-date upon entry and will remain so through race day!

Ohio on Track Safety Requirements Ohio Racetrack Warning Lights System Explained

Safety Vest Use: December 15, 2021 Ohio State Racing Commission Directive modified the effective date for mandatory safety vest use effective March 1, 2022. Anyone on the track with a horse must wear one, including outriders. When driving or warming up horses the vest must be worn underneath racing colors. See below the various standards that are recommended:

Safety Vests must comply with one of the following minimum standards or later revisions:

(a) British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA):2000 Level 1 (b) Euro Norm (EN) 13158:2000 Level 1 (c) American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F2681-08 or F1937. (d) Shoe and Allied Trade Research Association (SATRA) Jockey Vest Document M6 Issue 3 (e) Australian Racing Board (ARB) Standard 1.1998

A safety helmet or a safety vest shall not be altered in any manner nor shall the product marking be removed or defaced.

Head Number Use: December 9, 2021 Ohio State Racing Commission announced effective January 1, 2022 Head numbers will be eliminated at pari-mutuel racetracks. Fairs can retain head numbers by application. Also announced effective as-of January 1, 2022 Safety vests and helmets are mandatory when seated behind a horse on the racetrack.