Long time bloodstock consultant David Bridgland has been awarded life membership of the South Australian Thoroughbred Breeders.
The recognition was announced at the recent SA Horse of the Year Awards Dinner and was presented this week at the latest meeting of the SATB after 20 years of service to the organisation as a committee member.
The long thoroughbred career for David Bridgland commenced in 1986 during a three year stint at ABCOS under the tutelage of David Coles OAM. He was appointed the Regional Manager for Breeders in the South-East of SA and during this time formalised a stallion selection service as well as preparing the first pilot for a SA racing and breeding incentive scheme in 1987.
Bridgland joined the SATB and committee in 1995 while working as Racing Secretary at Lindsay Park during the time that the stable was the first in Australian history to win $10 million in prizemoney in a season.
During his stint at Lindsay Park, Bridgland travelled to Hong Kong with Crackenback and Fraar for feature international invitational races in 1990 and 1993 respectively.
Bridgland's dedication to the growth of the SA thoroughbred industry intensified in 1996 when he was appointed as the inaugural Manager of SABIS (now SABOIS) and was responsible for the scheme launch, funds raising and management.
In his nine years as the head of SABIS, the rise in bonuses was significant - metropolitan bonuses almost doubling to $20,000 in less than eight seasons.
Between 2006 and 2012 Bridgland operated as an FBAA accredited bloodstock agent trading as David Bridgland Bloodstock and during this time he tasted great success including the purchase of Madame Flurry, the dam of star local performer Happy Trails. He was also responsible for the mating plans for the aforementioned Happy Trails as well as fellow stakes winners Hollow Bullet, Honalee and Zip Baby Zip. He was also closely linked to other stakes winners including Umaline and Champion Star and city winners Imperial Lines, Exclusive Reign, Pura Seda, Buyers and Sellers, Manchester Boy, Confessor's Halo and Halo Amore.
During his time in South Australia, Bridgland spent five years working with Sky Channel with expert mounting yard comments and tips on major South Australian meetings.
Bridgland holds a Bachelor of Science majoring in Genetics and Zoology from the University of Adelaide and also a Masters in Business Administration from the University of SA.
Through his 20 year tenure on the SATB committee Bridgland was instrumental in formalising the criteria for the SA Breeders Awards, the promotion of SA-based stallions, a lobbyist for the growth of SABOIS, taking a technical role of statistical analysis of the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale as well as being an advocacy of ethics.
Bridgland becomes the fifth life member of the SATB following on from Dr Campbell Baker, Phillip Neck and Brian and Peter Toole.
News from SATB
