Ross has been president of the club for six years.
He was one of five North Canterbury people to win awards at the event, held at Addington Raceway.
He won the Volunteer of the Year Award on the night, but had no idea what was coming.
He said he was ''totally blindsided'' when his name was called out. As far as Ross knew, he was attending the awards with his wife, Pam, and a group of friends for a night out.
''It was an unexpected and nice surprise,' he said of the award.
''It is really cool to be acknowledged in this way by your peers in the game,'' he said.
However, he said that although his name was on the trophy, the award was really recognition for the many hours of volunteer work done by the Amberley Trotting Club committee.
''They are an awesome committee to work with,'' Ross said.
Other North Canterbury winners at the awards included Colin and Nancy Hair, from Kaiapoi, who won the Trotting Breeders of the Year Award. Their broodmare Stardon, dam of their outstanding trotter Sundees Son ($329,605 in stakes), won Trotting Broodmare of the Year.
Stablehand Nicole Thomas, from Rangiora, won the Rising Star Award and Woodend Beach trainer Regan Todd won the Horsemans' Association Trainers Award.
