Jason Bridgman
Tea Akau Racing and Fortuna's New Zealand Trainer
Jason Bridgman was appointed Head Trainer of Te Akau Racing’s New Zealand operation on 1st August 2010, coinciding with former NZ Trainer, Mark Walker, moving to Singapore to head up Te Akau Racing’s operation there.
Jason brings a raft of domestic and international experience to his Head Training role. A graduate of Massey University, B.Hort.Tech ( Hons), Jason cut his teeth in the thoroughbred industry working weekends for the late trainer, Noel Eales. Jason then moved to Japan where he worked breaking in and pre-training thoroughbreds. This was followed by a stint at a South Island, NZ, stable, as Stable Foreman, followed by a spell in Australia working for leading trainer, John Hawkes. This was followed by a further period in NZ, including working as TE AKAU RACING foreman under the tutelage of David Ellis and Mark Walker.
Jason then decided to enhance his international experience by traveling to Europe where he worked in the UK for Clive Brittain, Dermot Weld and in France with Francois Doumen. Jason gained further experience in the USA working as Assistant Trainer for Niall O’Callaghan at Churchill Downs in Kentucky and also rode work for top US trainers, Dale Romans and Todd Pletcher as well as working as Assistant Trainer to Chris Speckert in Louisiana and Kentucky.
Returning to NZ in 2005, Jason worked with Matamata Trainer, Graham Richardson for one year as Stable Foreman and then trained in partnership with Graham for a further two years, before then training on his own account for one year. With Mark Walker moving to Singapore, Jason was the obvious candidate to fill the Head Trainer-NZ role for the powerful TE AKAU RACING operation.
Jason made a great start in his first year as Trainer for Te Akau Racing, finishing 10th on the Trainers Premiership list and training seven Group and Listed winners; an outstanding effort given that many of the leading Te Akau horses had traveled to race in Singapore under Mark Walker. Currently, in the 2011-12 season, Jason is sitting in 2nd place on the Trainer’s Premiership. Jason is ably assisted in his role by his assistant Trainers, Pam Gerard at Matamata and Neill Ridley at Rangiora.
Jason’s Group and Listed Race Victories are listed below:
Group One 1000 Guineas 2010 King's Rose
Group One 2000 Guineas 2011 Rock N Pop
Group Two Avondale Guineas 2011 Icepin
Group Two Sir Tristram Fillies Classic 2011 King's Rose
Group Two Royal Stakes 2011 King's Rose
Group Three Eulogy 2010 King's Rose
Listed Welcome Stakes 2010 Bespoke
Listed Ray Coupland Stakes 2010 King's Rose
Listed Canterbury Stakes 2011 Burgundy
Listed Metropolitan Handicap 2011 Zabene