Purdon recognised for leadership at Industry Excellence Awards

[Wandering Eyes]

The Entain Industry Excellence Awards were held in Hamilton over the weekend, celebrating standout contributions across racing administration, training, welfare, and leadership. Designed to spotlight rising stars and behind-the-scenes achievers across all three codes, the awards are now in their second year.

Harness racing trainer Nathan Purdon was recognised with the Leadership Excellence Award, honoured for the way he has embraced change and demonstrated strong leadership through a period of major transition. Following the sale of his Canterbury base, Purdon relocated north and has successfully rebuilt his operation in Auckland, a shift that required fresh thinking, adaptability, and trust in his new team.

“Professionally, it’s a true honour to be receiving such an award. I have really focused on changing into being a leader over the past few years, it’s not something that came easy to me but consistently working on it I feel I have reached a goal,” said Purdon.

“I’m really lucky with the team of people I have around me in Auckland. With me having to travel a lot to the different carnivals, it’s near enough impossible to do it without them all.”

Following the sale of the Rolleston farm, Purdon moved his operation north to Auckland – a move that required big-picture thinking, major adjustment, and a leap of faith.

“Since the decision had to be made about where to go once the farm in Rolleston was sold, it was a real think-quick moment and I had to tick all the necessary boxes to ensure it was the right move not only for myself but the owners and the new team that I would have to surround myself with. That’s the biggest decision I had to make, it wasn’t taken lightly that’s for sure!”

With a new base and a faster training surface to contend with, Purdon says he’s focused on treating each horse as an individual and letting them guide the approach. “ I’ve had to change a lot of the training and come up with fresh ideas as the track is a lot quicker to what I have been use to working on my whole working life, but just taking a step back and assessing each horse individually and how they are handling the work is the only real guide you can go off and that has worked pretty well so far”.

Among the proudest moments in the past 12 months was Treacherous Baby’s Group 1 win in the Nevele R Fillies Final on Cup Day.

“Winning the Nevele R fillies Group 1 on Cup Day, I tried something I had never really done before because the filly promised me a lot around home but wasn’t really taking it to the track on race day. But she showed her true talent on Cup Day and I’m wrapped that I had the faith to do it for starters and even better to be able to pull it off was something very special – and with my great mate Blair Orange in the gig too.”

Looking ahead, Purdon says he’s focused on maintaining momentum and producing high-quality performers.

“I have cut the training numbers back since coming north so the likes of winning training premiership looks very slim, but I’d like to keep quality horses coming through the barn and keep attending those big meetings – that’s the goal anyway.”

The winner of the National Racing Woman award, Caitlin O’Sullivan Doyle, also has a harness connection through her work managing social media and content for Breckon Farms.

Harness Racing New Zealand also congratulates all other harness finalists, including Zachary Butcher (Equine Licence Holder Excellence), Samantha Ottley and Crystal Hackett (National Racing Woman), David Branch (Administration and Innovation), and Shannon Armour (Care & Welfare).

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