Sam Bergerson, New Zealand’s leading trainer, was recognised by his peers when receiving the top gong at the Entain Industry Excellence Awards on Sunday night.
Bergerson is part of the Te Akau Racing juggernaut, training in partnership with Mark Walker for the last two seasons, securing the trainers’ premiership last season and currently leads this year’s premiership with 127 wins and more than $9.1 million in stakes earnings.
The 31-year-old’s achievements were recognised on Sunday night, receiving the Equine Licence Holder Excellence Award before being bestowed the overall Supreme Entain Excellence Award.
“It was pretty exciting,” Bergerson said. “It was a really cool night and I had family up there and plenty of friends, so it was really cool.
“To get the recognition among your peers against some really good horse people was very humbling.
“It is an exciting time to be a part of the industry with what Entain is doing. To get recognition through their awards is amazing. I can’t thank them enough for the award.”
Bergerson said it has been a whirlwind last couple of years, and he is grateful for the position he is in, leading the New Zealand arm of Te Akau Racing, with Walker spending the majority of his time overseeing their Cranbourne base.
“It has been a massive couple of years,” Bergerson said. “I am very fortunate and privileged to be in the position I am in with Te Akau, with the backing of Mark (Walker), Karyn (Fenton-Ellis) and David (Ellis). It is just a fantastic opportunity.
“I just love it. It is a lot of work and a lot of sacrifice, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I am very grateful to them for the opportunity to work with these wonderful horses and fantastic group of staff and owners.
“It has been an awesome journey so far and I am looking forward to the future.”
Bergerson said he owes a lot of his success to his training partner and staff.
“I am so grateful to Mark. He has been a fantastic mentor to me and we have got a really good relationship,” he said. “I look at him like a mate, not like a boss. He has really taken me under his wing and we have had some great success together and gone through the hardships as well.
“Te Akau is a great enterprise to be a part of. I have come through the system there under Jamie (Richards) and then Mark, and I have been fortunate to get some amazing opportunities and work alongside some great people.
“I couldn’t do it without the staff here, they are a really good group of people. They are the ones at the coalface and don’t get the recognition and exposure I have been able to get through being the head trainer. But you can’t do it without the people at the forefront there every day.
“I won a bit of money last night, so we will probably have to have a shout and a bit of a celebration, which will be cool.”
Bergerson received $10,000 as a category winner and an additional $5,000 as the Entain Excellence Award winner, as well as a $5,000 education package.
“I am very grateful for the monetary prize, as well as the education grant,” Bergerson said.
“I would love to travel and see a few different stables. I am always looking to continue to learn, I don’t think you ever stop learning.”
As a past recipient of the Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship, Bergerson is aware of the opportunities educational grants provide, and he is looking forward to putting his Entain grant to good use.
“The great thing about the thoroughbred industry is that it can take you all around the world with whatever avenue you pursue,” he said.
“The Sunline Scholarship was more on the breeding side, but it came at a fantastic time for me as I was at a bit of a crossroads in not knowing what to do and it gave me a grounding and a good understanding of the breeding industry, which I think helps with the racing side and what goes into these younger horses.
“That allowed me to meet a lot of people along the way and learn from people not only in New Zealand but overseas as well.
“I pinch myself with how the last five or six years have gone, it is pretty surreal.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
