U.S. Trotting Association introduces paperless registration certs

USTA registrations have gone "paperless"
Friday, March 24, 2006 - by Kelly Rucker, customer service manager, the U.S. Trotting Association

The U.S. Trotting Association has introduced what it is calling a “paperless registration certificate,” meaning that, effective immediately, the owner of a horse can request that registration certificates be held electronically at the U.S. Trotting Association.

When the USTA is informed that a horse will be “paperless” it will no longer be necessary to have the registration papers in hand when buying or selling that horse; the fact that the horse is registered as “paperless” will be noted in the official records of the Association, and only a transfer slip will be needed to complete a sale.

The USTA will still issue a first-time registration certificate, as it always has, when a new foal is registered, but after that any certificate can be made “paperless” by checking the certificate in the appropriate place and mailing it back to the USTA.

If you possess one of the many older certificates that do not have this section, simply write somewhere on it that “this should now be paperless” and then mail it back to the USTA.

If you are purchasing a horse, and want to confirm that it is paperless, you can go online, on the USTA’s PATHWAY Web site, in the “Registration” section of the “Basic Horse Report,” or, if you do not subscribe to PATHWAY you may go to the free “Horse/Name Tattoo Search,” on the USTA’s Internet home page to see if there is a paper registration certificate for a particular horse -- or if it is paperless. If a horse is paperless the “Horse/Name Tattoo Search” will display something such as:



KEYSTONE GUNTHER (N83591, G)




BALTIC SPEED - KEYSTONE GARTER - FLORIDA PRO

Current Owner

Kelly J Rucker (W01252)


Pickerington,OH


Effective: 05/09/1998

Paperless Certificate held electronically at the USTA - 03/22/06




In this case you would only need a transfer slip signed by all of the current owners, but if a horse is not paperless the “Horse/Name Tattoo Search” will display something such as:



GALLO BLUE CHIP (S13439, G)




MAGICAL MIKE - CAMATROSS - ALBATROSS

Current Owner

Martin Scharf (388E95)


LAWRENCE,NY


Effective: 08/08/1999

Certificate Mailed 08/25/99




In the latter case the actual registration certificate, signed by the owners, would be needed to proceed with a transfer.

In addition, if a horse is paperless a transfer slip may be obtained online, from the “Membership and USTA Services” section of www.ustrotting.com. This new transfer slip has a section to check if you would like a horse to become paperless.

If for any reason an owner needs the actual paper registration certificate he or she can simply contact the USTA and one will be issued.

The U.S. Trotting Association is always looking for ways to make things easier for its members, and hopes that many of them choose to take advantage of this new option.

Those who have questions about paperless registration certificates should contact USTA Customer Service at (877) 800-8782, ext. 81.