Peter Gertler, gold and silversmith has been working with the VRC for more than 20 years, producing many of the special trophies that now take pride of place on owners, trainers and jockeys mantlepieces. This creative silversmith creates about 20 trophies just across the spring carnival alone, not to mention all of the other significant race days throughout the year. He is passionate about his work, which has an elegant simplicity.
Alongside him in his workshop is Glenn, who has worked with him for more than 30 years, and his wife, Marion. This small team collaborates with a larger group of creatives, sometimes up to eight others, who all work together to create a memorable souvenir that people will treasure for many years to come.
“Creating a trophy is a specialised profession. I work closely with the VRC to create a design that realises their vision. I will hand sketch or use photographs as my inspiration,” he said.
“For each trophy, we try to incorporate something that is characteristic of the sponsor or race. We have four different styles of trophies – they might be a bowl or a cup. The Black Caviar trophy has been the same for a number of years now and is only used for that race. It is something that becomes a tradition that is very unique to that particular event.”
When designing the Black Caviar Lightning trophy, Gertler decided to incorporate the black in it, making it immediately distinctive and unique to that race, as does the small cameo of the black horse featured on it.