Entain "Excellence" Awards

[Huey]

Great to see the battlers of the NZ Racing Industry getting  recognised!

 

https://www.ttrausnz.com.au/edition/2025-07-01/entain-industry-excellence-awards-recognise-new-zealands-finest-young-racing-talent

[Chief Stipe]

Bergerson takes top gong at Entain Industry Excellence Awards

 

loveracing.nz

https://bitofayarn.com

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.”

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Huey said:

Great to see the battlers of the NZ Racing Industry getting  recognised!

 

Sam Bergerson still gets up at 3:30am each morning to train horses and often still there until the early evening.  

[Huey]

8 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

Sam Bergerson still gets up at 3:30am each morning to train horses and often still there until the early evening.  

Wow so does just about everyone else, been a trainer for 5 minutes .

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Huey said:

Wow so does just about everyone else, been a trainer for 5 minutes .

No he hasn't been "a trainer for 5 minutes".  Was training horses since his grandad Herb showed him a horse.

Aiden O'Brien said he was the best young horseman he'd had at Ballydoyle.

Your claim to fame?

 

[Huey]

On 1/07/2025 at 6:09 PM, Chief Stipe said:

No he hasn't been "a trainer for 5 minutes".  Was training horses since his grandad Herb showed him a horse.

Aiden O'Brien said he was the best young horseman he'd had at Ballydoyle.

Your claim to fame?

 

Their claim to fame is they ended up in the TA machine , can't wait to see how they get on outside of it. 

 

[Chief Stipe]

2 hours ago, Huey said:

Their claim to fame is they ended up in the TA machine , can't wait to see how they get on outside of it. 

 

That has been proven to be a very successful career step for those previous so I would expect nothing less from young Bergerson.  An intelligent, hard working young man with an exceptional pedigree.

[Special Agent]

I think it would have been difficult to find a more apt winner than Sam in the Equine Licence Holder category of those nominated.  He represents the racing industry better than most.  I agree with Huey's comments that he's not alone in putting in the hours as that is par for the course in his vocation but, Sam is definitely reaping rewards as a trainer.

One thing I might need educating on is the wording I've seen more than once in relation to these awards ... "was recognised by his peers when receiving".  Does this mean voting was by other trainers, or others in his category?  What does "recognised by his or her peers" mean here?

[Freda]

2 hours ago, Special Agent said:

I think it would have been difficult to find a more apt winner than Sam in the Equine Licence Holder category of those nominated.  He represents the racing industry better than most.  I agree with Huey's comments that he's not alone in putting in the hours as that is par for the course in his vocation but, Sam is definitely reaping rewards as a trainer.

One thing I might need educating on is the wording I've seen more than once in relation to these awards ... "was recognised by his peers when receiving".  Does this mean voting was by other trainers, or others in his category?  What does "recognised by his or her peers" mean here?

Hmm...not casting aspersions on Sam at all, a very worthy winner indeed...but yeah, no idea who or what body did the voting.

[Chief Stipe]

2 hours ago, Special Agent said:

One thing I might need educating on is the wording I've seen more than once in relation to these awards ... "was recognised by his peers when receiving".  Does this mean voting was by other trainers, or others in his category?  What does "recognised by his or her peers" mean here?

His "peers" would in the normal use of the word mean licensed trainers.

[Chief Stipe]

22 minutes ago, Freda said:

Hmm...not casting aspersions on Sam at all, a very worthy winner indeed...but yeah, no idea who or what body did the voting.

Hmmm...how would knowing who voted change the outcome?

[Muzza]

54 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Hmmm...how would knowing who voted change the outcome?

Yup. Can't upset the inner circle can we. 

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Muzza said:

Yup. Can't upset the inner circle can we. 

Now you are only diminishing the achievements of an up and coming young Trainer.  Partnered with a master in Mark Walker.

I've been fortunate to meet Sam a few times over a period of time and he is growing quickly in all aspects of being a Public Trainer.

I recall turning up at 5:30 in the morning to watch Trackwork and him telling me I was late and had missed half the work!!!

Yes there are other up and coming young trainers and some good ones who will be recognised in their own time.  After meeting a few of them it saddens me often when I see GOM's diminishing their efforts either directly or indirectly.

We should embrace the fact that NZ still has a lot of dedicated young talent and Te Akau as much as any stable enabled that.

[curious]

3 hours ago, Freda said:

Hmm...not casting aspersions on Sam at all, a very worthy winner indeed...but yeah, no idea who or what body did the voting.

16. The judges of the Competition (“Judges”) will be employees and/or contractors
of Entain NZ, to be selected by Entain NZ at its sole discretion.

[Chief Stipe]

17 minutes ago, curious said:

16. The judges of the Competition (“Judges”) will be employees and/or contractors
of Entain NZ, to be selected by Entain NZ at its sole discretion.

I guess if you fund it you can judge it.  Shame in a way that these initiatives aren't led by TABNZ or NZTR and have a wider voting BUT it is a positive.

Perhaps a bit less in top end stakes should fund it?

 

[Murray Fish]

5 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

and have a wider voting

sigh, the have a grip tighter than a ducks bum!  way to scared to go to social media! sadly so!

 

[Chief Stipe]

3 minutes ago, Murray Fish said:

sigh, the have a grip tighter than a ducks bum!  way to scared to go to social media! sadly so!

 

Really?  Do you want social media to vote on ANYTHING?  I think the awards are well deserved.

Take for instance Sam Bergerson.  He had to work double this year as Mark Walker was often in OZ setting up the Cranbourne stable.  A challenging period and as expected a slight drop in performance BUT still over $9m in stakes and top of the premiership with a pretty decent strike rate of 6.35.

[Special Agent]

5 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

His "peers" would in the normal use of the word mean licensed trainers.

Yes, I understand the word peers but, I'm wondering what relevance being recognised by those peers means.  Thanks Curious, obviously not voted by his peers.

Does it just mean applauded by his peers?  Normally the terminology would refer to being voted the best by his/her peers.  Some sort of office work place appreciation and encouragement hang over maybe.

I find it perplexing phrasing.  NZTR have the most weird way of putting words together that say nothing, robust protocols and all.

[Chief Stipe]

1 minute ago, Special Agent said:

Yes, I understand the word peers but, I'm wondering what relevance being recognised by those peers means.  Thanks Curious, obviously not voted by his peers.

Does it just mean applauded by his peers?  Normally the terminology would refer to being voted the best by his/her peers.  Some sort of office work place appreciation and encouragement hang over maybe.

I find it perplexing phrasing.  NZTR have the most weird way of putting words together that say nothing, robust protocols and all.

FFS does it matter?  If you are a Trainer don't you have bigger issues to focus on?

DO YOU AGREE OR NOT AGREE THAT SAM BERGERSON DESERVES HIS AWARD?

IF NOT WHY NOT?

[Special Agent]

1 minute ago, Chief Stipe said:

FFS does it matter?  If you are a Trainer don't you have bigger issues to focus on?

DO YOU AGREE OR NOT AGREE THAT SAM BERGERSON DESERVES HIS AWARD?

IF NOT WHY NOT?

Haha.  I guess I asked the wrong question on this forum then.

I think I said it would be hard to head him off in his category and he represents the industry well.  How does that say Sam is undeserving of the award?

I'm all for promoting young people in the industry, there's no growth without them.

I can see where others are coming from though when more than a few of the winners are employed by NZTR or sponsors of the event.

[Murray Fish]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

1 hour ago, Murray Fish said:

sigh, the have a grip tighter than a ducks bum!  way to scared to go to social media! sadly so!

 

Really?  Do you want social media to vote on ANYTHING?

Really?  Do you want social media to vote on ANYTHING?  

My comment was based that there don't seem to be that many 'racing awards' that  people can vote on, via social media.. can you name some?

re the awards that this thread is about, I don't really care...  

for what its worth! I hopefully can find the energy to produce my own awards for down this! a few woman in the game down this way have had very good seasons!

another for what it's worth! about 50% of my bets this season were on Team Orange horses!  personally, I have found having a  negative cognitive bias around certain trainer or owners or jockeys just makes punting even harder!

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Special Agent said:

can see where others are coming from though when more than a few of the winners are employed by NZTR or sponsors of the event.

Does it matter who employs them?  They are young, enthusiastic and employed in the industry.  That's what we need!!! 

[Chief Stipe]

18 minutes ago, Murray Fish said:

another for what it's worth! about 50% of my bets this season were on Team Orange horses!  personally, I have found having a  negative cognitive bias around certain trainer or owners or jockeys just makes punting even harder!

I hear what you are saying.  You start getting biased because of allegiances or being influenced by the weight of what is posted from one type of opinion.

@curious sticks to the numbers.