10 His record speaks for itself: hundreds of winners, decades at the top, and a reputation built on quiet commitment. This year, Eric Musgrove is the recipient of the Country Achiever Award. The Australian Trainers’ Association presents the 2025 Country Achiever Award in partnership with Country Racing Victoria and the VRC. It’s a recognition of excellence, integrity and long-standing service to country racing – both on and off the track. Trainer Eric Musgrove has become almost synonymous with jumps racing in Australia. His record is staggering: more than 700 winners over hurdles and fences, more than any other trainer in the country. He’s won the Von Doussa Steeplechase at Oakbank 13 times, trained multiple Grand Annual winners, and developed generations of consistent horses who’ve delivered time and again at tracks across the country. However, the statistics only tell part of the story. Musgrove is a horseman in the truest sense – someone who lives and works with animals, listens closely to their quirks and rhythms, and, after all these years, still finds joy in the most minor signs of progress. He’s trained champions, but has also guided dozens of young trainers and jockeys, supported countless country clubs, and maintained his faith in a code of racing that he loves. “For me, it’s always been about personal satisfaction. I’ve had good horses, good owners, and a great team around me. That makes all the difference.” Musgrove’s love of horses runs deep, even though he didn’t come from a racing family. As a boy, he would go to great lengths just to get a ride. “I wasn’t from a horsey background, but from the time I was a kid, I was always drawn to them,” he said. 2025 COUNTRY ACHIEVER AWARD Eric Musgrove BY CELIA PURDEY
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODA1NTI=