Harness: Waterstone joins USTA; Ross becomes Social media Content Manager

Former Associate Editor of The Horseman And Fair World, Gordon Waterstone, has been hired as a freelance Editorial Specialist to assist the U.S. Trotting Association with editorial contributions to Hoof Beats and Youth Beats magazines, the newsroom on www.ustrotting.com, content for www.HarnessRacingFanZone.com, social media and other projects.

"We're excited to have Gordon on board; he's an excellent addition to the team," said USTA Director of Marketing and Communications Dan Leary. "He's a Hall of Famer, two-time Hervey Award winner and a former track publicity director who has a wealth of writing experience, extensive knowledge about the industry and a vast network of contacts within it.

"And obviously, his relationships with Kathy (Parker) and the rest of the USTA Communications Department team will allow him to hit the ground running."

In his new role, Waterstone reunites with his former colleague Kathy Parker, who was named the new editor of Hoof Beats on March 12.

"I was unsure which of the many avenues to pursue when The Horseman closed, but it led to this great opportunity," said Waterstone. "I'm excited to add another chapter in my career in harness racing and looking forward to working with a team I have long respected.

"I am very grateful to others who reached out to me as a possible landing spot, but the USTA was the best fit and I want to thank Mike Tanner, Dan Leary and everybody at the USTA for this opportunity."

Prior to The Horseman And Fair World, which he joined in June 1998, Waterstone worked in publicity at Hazel Park in Michigan. He served as assistant publicity director from 1979 to 1981 when he was promoted to director and remained in that role through 1996.

In addition to his induction into the Communicators Hall of Fame in 2017 and two John Hervey Awards (1999, 2008) for excellence in harness racing journalism, Waterstone was named U.S. Harness Writers Association's USHWAn of the Year (2014), won the Harness Horsemen International Clyde Hirt Media Award (2002), the USHWA President's Award (2001) and the Harness Publicists Association's Allen J. Finkelson Golden Pen Award (1995). He was also the recipient of the Michigan Harness Horsemen's Association Appreciation Award twice.

A current member of the USHWA Hall of Fame Screening Committee, Waterstone served as that organization's president from 2004 to 2006 and was also president of the Harness Publicists Association in 1999.

Wendy Ross assumes new role as Social Media Content Manager

Wendy Ross, who joined the U.S. Trotting Association on May 23, 2018, will assume the newly created position of Social Media Content Manager beginning on May 3. She previously served as Social Media and Public Relations Coordinator.

"Wendy really stepped up during the past year with some creative ideas and ways to help promote harness racing's major races, events and participants when the USTA and harness racing industry faced some unprecedented challenges," said Leary. "The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered the way that our social media team operated because we were restricted from our normal traveling and on-site coverage.

"In addition, she successfully took on additional responsibilities involving our social media strategy and its execution with changes that we had in staffing."

In her role as the on-air talent for the USTA's coverage of harness racing, she has become an even more familiar face in the industry adding to her work at The Meadowlands, Tioga Downs, Northfield Park, The Meadows, and The Little Brown Jug.

-release (USTA Communications)