The Breckons were winners even before Friday night’s Ford New Zealand Rural Sports awards got underway in Palmerston North.
A number of high profile harness racing figures were at the annual awards at Awapuni Racecourse with Ken and Karen Breckon being named joint winner of the TAB Outstanding Contribution to New Zealand Rural Sports Awards and young gun Carter Dalgety winning Fonterra Rural Young Sportsperson of the year.
History-making driver Sam Ottley, the first woman to rein 100 winners in this country in a 12 month season, also made the RX Plastics Rural Sportswoman of the Year finals, as did the country’s top driver Blair Orange in the PTS Logistics New Zealand Rural Sportsman of the Year. That was taken out by world class wood chopper Jack Jordan while one of the world’s best tree climbers Steph Dryfhout won Sportswoman of the Year before taking out the ultimate accolade, the Ford New Zealand Rural Sports Supreme Award.
In accepting his award Dalgety described it as a “massive thrill” and a “big privilege”.
Carter Dalgety had a breakout year in 2024, making history as the fastest junior driver ever to reach 100 career wins and clinching his first Junior Drivers’ Premiership with 67 wins. His success came despite spending three months overseas after winning the $15,000 Valachi Downs Young Scholarship, which allowed him to visit and race in the United States. His international experience included a win at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. Upon returning home, Carter secured two major Group 1 victories, the $100,000 Invercargill Cup and the $250,000 Auckland Cup with Republican Party.
Renowned as breeders as well as owners, syndicators, and sponsors, the Breckons had 83 individual Breckon-bred winners across New Zealand, Australia, and the USA, including four Group 1 winners in 2024. Their commitment to the industry was further demonstrated by opening a state-of-the-art, multi-million-dollar complex at Breckon Farms in the Waikato. In 2024, Ken and Richard Cole also won the first-ever $500,000 THE ASCENT slot race at Addington with unbeaten sensation Keayang Zahara.
Breckon told the audience how his involvement in the sport has snowballed over the years.
“This is very humbling .. back in 1996 I bought my first horse with my late brother (Peter) and if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be standing here today.”
“What started off as one horse turned into two and then four and we bred a good horse called I Can Doosit and he won 18 in a row and after that I really got the bug.”
As the Breckons were heading into the function they paused to watch Race 2, the Phil Witcombe – Retiring After 52 Years at Alex Park Mobile Pace.
In what was a very encouraging start to the evening Mediator, bred by Breckon Farms, won for trainer-driver Matthew White. The Captaintreacherous colt was on debut after being purchased for $95,000, with the Breckon Racing Syndicate part of a high profile ownership group.
“We won!” said Karen Breckon.
It would be that sort of night.
