Halberg awards
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The Halberg awards recognise New Zealand's top sporting achievements.
An annual award for the New Zealand athlete "whose personal performances, or example, has had the most beneficial effect on the advancement of sport in the country" was started in 1949 by 'NZ Sportsman' magazine founder Jack Fairburn, as The New Zealand Sportsman’s Trophy; it ceased with publication of the magazine in 1960, but the trophy was restarted by The Halberg Trust, (named for athlete Sir Murray Halberg), together with a presentation dinner which has become something of a media event. The awards dinner traditionally rotates between four New Zealand cities, Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. The award was expanded to include sportewomen of the year and then teams and coaches of the year. Service to Sport Award and Fair Play Awards are also made.
The award was eventually renamed in Murray Halberg's honour, since when the supreme award has always been known as the Halberg award, (although various sponsors have temporarily usurped naming rights for the minor awards, the remain popularly referred to as the Halbergs).
