Todd
Bergen

Oregon to the Winner's Circle — Starting with Bob Avila

Todd Bergen grew up in Oregon and developed an interest in horses as a young rider through 4-H competition and breed shows. He did not come from a professional horse-training family — his early education in western performance horse training came after he began working for respected horseman Bob Avila. Bergen has credited his time with Avila as foundational in learning the skills required to train reining and cow horses at the professional level.

Bergen started competing at the age of 11 and turned professional at 18. He was still serving as an assistant trainer for Avila when he began winning world championships, an unusual accomplishment that established the tone for a career built on early achievement and sustained excellence.

Futurities in Two Disciplines — A Record Few Have Matched

Bergen first gained national attention in 1995 when, while still an assistant trainer for Bob Avila, he won the NRHA Open Futurity riding Todaysmyluckyday. That same season he won the NRHA Derby aboard Lean With Me, giving him two major NRHA championships in a single year. In 1996 he won the NRHA Derby Open on Jerry Lees Surprise, then in 1998 returned to win a second NRHA Open Futurity Championship on Chic Please. Chic Please also carried him to Reserve Championship honors at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity that same year, an early demonstration of his ability to develop dual-discipline horses.

Bergen went on to win the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open in 2001 on Boonlight Dancer and again in 2011 on Shiners Dun Juan. He also won the NRCHA Derby twice, the NRBC twice, the 2014 NRCHA Open Stakes on This One Time, and the 2015 NRHA Open Derby on Platinum Vintage. In 2012 he was the EquiStat No. 1 Leading Rider across reining, working cow horse, and cutting combined.

In 2004, Bergen became an NRHA Million Dollar Rider. He later became the sixth NRCHA Million Dollar Rider, and went on to be the first rider ever to achieve Two Million Dollar status in both the NRHA and NRCHA. His combined EquiStat earnings reached Elite $4 Million Rider status.

• 1995 NRHA Futurity Open Champion — Todaysmyluckyday (won as assistant trainer)
• 1995 NRHA Derby Open Champion — Lean With Me
• 1996 NRHA Derby Open Champion — Jerry Lees Surprise
• 1998 NRHA Futurity Open Champion — Chic Please
• 1998 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Reserve Champion — Chic Please
• 2001 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Champion — Boonlight Dancer
• 2002 NRCHA Derby Champion — Nic It In The Bud
• 2006 NRCHA Derby Champion — Sum Irish Rose
• 2011 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Champion — Shiners Dun Juan
• 2012 NRCHA Bridle Spectacular Champion — Smart Luck
• 2012 EquiStat No. 1 Leading Rider — Reining, Working Cow Horse & Cutting combined
• 2014 NRCHA Open Stakes Champion — This One Time
• 2015 NRHA Open Derby Champion — Platinum Vintage
• 2004 NRHA Million Dollar Rider
• Sixth NRCHA Million Dollar Rider · First rider to achieve $2 Million status in both NRHA and NRCHA
• EquiStat Elite $4 Million Rider

Eagle Point, Oregon — Todd Bergen Performance Horses

Based in Eagle Point, Oregon, Bergen operates Todd Bergen Performance Horses, a training program known for producing champions across reining, reined cow horse, and cutting. He produced two instructional DVDs — Framework of Performance and Fundamentals of Cow Work — that have been widely used in the industry. Bergen has remained respected as a mentor and horseman whose career reflects versatility and longevity across multiple western disciplines.