Runners and riders from annual equine journalism awards

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by HoldtheFrontPage Staff Published 21 Apr 2008

Evening Express reporter Marie-Claire Jones was among the winners at the Martin Wills Memorial Trust Awards.

The annual prize-giving celebrates the best in equine journalism and fictional writing, with Marie-Claire picking up the runners-up gong in the under-26 category.

Marie-Claire, acting features editor at the Aberdeen daily, wrote ‘Reining in a Sapling’ which was about a boy whose imaginary companion revealed a burning ambition.

The awards scheme’s three categories – under-26, under-19 and under-15 – attracted 130 entries with cash prizes totalling £3,125 handed out to both winners and runners-up.

Some of the winning articles will be published in the Racing Post and The Irish Field with work experience at the Post also on offer.

Winners will also enjoy a day at the races and a tour of stables.

The judging panel included Racing Post editorial director Brough Scott, journalist Christopher Fildes and Sunday Times sports writer Andrew Longmore.

The awards were set up to commemorate the journalist and jockey Martin Wills who died in 1992 aged 39.

The full list of award winners is:

Under-26 Winner: Georgie Hibberd, (20), from Wiltshire, who is studying English Language at Cardiff University. She won the under-19 award in 2006 and is the first person to win both awards. She received £1,250 for her article ‘Memento Mori’ about a jockey’s troubled life.

Under-26 Runner-up: Marie-Claire Jones, (25), from Aberdeen. She studied a post-graduate journalism course at Strathclyde University and received £750 for her article.

Under-19 Winner: James Moloney-Quinn, (17), from Ireland and studying at Newbridge College, in County Kildare. He received £500 for his article ‘The Birth of a Passion’ about the first experience of working in a racing yard.

Under-19 Runner-up: Nellie English, (19), a student from Buckinghamshire. She received £250 for her article ‘Day at the Races’.

Under-15 Winner: Chloe Pitts, (14), from Devon. She received £250 for her article ‘Fly without Wings’ about the essence, thrill and beauty of horse-racing.

Unde-15 Runner-up: Stephanie Posner, (14), from Essex. She received £125 for her article ‘Jenny’s Request’ about how a young milliner’s debut design for Royal Ascot makes the headlines.

Ten-year-old Rosanna Verdon, from Oxfordshire, was highly commended in the under-15 category for her article ‘The Finishing Post’ and received a book token.

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