CALLING ALL BUDDING WRITERS AND JOURNALISTS!

6th February, 2012

Has taking part in a Racing to School day inspired you?

If so, you may be interested in taking part in the Wills Writing Awards.  There are prizes and each entry will be published in the Racing Post and The Irish Field.

The annual Wills Writing Awards which started in 1993 in memory of journalist and amateur jockey Martin Wills are for creative writing (fact or fiction) around a horseracing theme. They are open to young people resident in the UK or the Republic of Ireland, with three categories: under 26, under 19 and under 15. Each category offers substantial prizes, the main one being £1,250.

Previous winners have gone on to write for the national and racing press, the news agencies and the broadcast media.

Those aged under 26/19/15 at 1 January 2012 are invited to submit a single article by 29 February 2012 via the ‘Entry Requirements’ section of the Awards’ website.

Particular importance will be attached by the judges to imagination, use of language and entertainment.  Quality of writing is the most important factor, a detailed knowledge of horseracing is unnecessary and no previous experience of published or competitive writing is required.

The six prizes, for the winner and runner-up in each category, are £1,250/£750 (under 26s), £500/£250 (under 19s) and £250/£125 (under 15s).  In addition, the winners will be published in the Racing Post and The Irish Field.  The under 26 winner will also have the opportunity of work experience at the Racing Post.

The Awards will be announced and presented at Newmarket’s prestigious Craven Meeting on Wednesday 18 April 2012, when all six prize winners will be given an expenses paid day’s racing, including a reception in a private luncheon room generously made available by the Racecourse.   There will also be a tour of two leading stables.

For more information please go to: http://www.willswriting-awards.co.uk