Enterprizing Equine Student Wins great sponsorship deals for short story competition

Saddle up for success with Derby House

Mar 2010

Equine student, Pippa Ireland, has won sponsorship from Derby House Ltd for the short story competition she is running as part of her equine management course.  Derby House is a leading Pony Club sponsor and the UK’s foremost equestrian retailer, catering for all sections of the horse-riding community.

Pippa, a mature student at Bishop Burton College in East Yorkshire, decided to run a short story competition as part of her investigative project. 

‘The aim of the project is to be creative with an equine theme,’ says Pippa.  ‘I decided upon a writing competition because of the wealth of writing expertise in this country and with Derby House on board I am hoping for a massive entry.’

As well as sponsoring the prize money, Derby House will present a Derby House Samber saddle worth £500 to the winner of the competition’s Pony Club section.  Derby House customers can enter for free on production of a Derby House receipt for £10 or more dated between March 1^st and May 14^th.

Joining Derby House in backing the competition is a long list of prestigious sponsors, and in addition, Pippa has attracted two international award winning writers to back her.  The competition judge is Penny Grubb, crime writer and local show judge.  A first edition of her latest book, Like False Money, which is set in East Yorkshire, will be a prize in the competition’s special Yorkshire section.  Penny says, ‘I will be looking for well-written prose and a story to capture the imagination.’

Entrants will also be offered the chance of a critique from award winning author and writing coach, Linda Acaster, whose latest novel, Torc of Moonlight, is partly set in Malton close to one of the busiest Derby House stores.

Oliver Townend, 2009 Badminton winner and former Rockwood Harriers member, has donated an autographed numnah along with other goodies. Other sponsors include Dengie, Equest, Beverley Racecourse, Racing for Change, William Fox-Pitt and Shearwater Insurance.  The prizes include a weekend pass for the Bramham international horse trials 3^rd to 6^th June, VIP days at the races, and a fantastic Jeffries English leather bridle.  In addition, the winner and runner up will be offered the opportunity to feature their ponies in The Jawbone Gang, the third book in Penny’s crime series.  Other prizes in this section include insurance vouchers; saddle cloths; baseball caps; a polo lesson; saddlery vouchers and many more.  Pony Club entrants will remain eligible for the main cash prizes of £200, £100 and £50 plus runners up vouchers for equestrian photographer, La Scala Studios.

‘My ideal would be to offer a prize for every Pony Club member who enters,’ says Pippa.  ‘and I’m optimistic at this stage that I will be able to.’

Bishop Burton College in East Yorkshire has agreed to provide free entry to the short-listed entrants and the competition sponsors to the Pony European Eventing Championships on Saturday 31st July, where we will hold a wine reception and presentation for the winners.  This will take place around 4 pm. 

The Pony European Eventing Championships has not been held in Great Britain for 13 years.  This should be a fantastic day out with a huge amount to see.  Alongside the pony cross-country, there is championship dressage and show jumping as well as an international rugby match.

Schedule, rules and entry form can be downloaded from

http://lascalastudios.photium.com or email shortstory@lascalastudios.co.uk

Prizes

Overall winners

1^st prize - £200

2^nd prize - £100

3^rd prize - £50

Other prizes include: VIP days at the races and La Scala Studios vouchers

Overall competition sponsor is La Scala Studios – http://lascalastudios.photium.com

Also sponsored by Racing for Change – www.britishhorseracing.com/racing-for-change/

Pony Club section

First prize: a Derby House Samber saddle or equivalent up to a retail value of £500 together with an Oliver Townend autographed saddle cloth.

Other prizes include: a Jeffries English leather bridle, a weekend pass to the Bramham International horse trials 3^rd – 6^th June 2010, insurance vouchers; saddle cloths; baseball caps; specialist lessons; saddlery vouchers and many more.

Sponsors in this section include:

·        Derby House Ltd – www.derbyhouse.co.uk

·        Bramham international horse trials – www.bramham-horse.co.uk

·        E Jeffries of Walsall – www.ejeffries.co.uk

·        Dengie Feeds – www.dengie.com

·        Equest Wormers - www.wormingyourhorse.info

·        Master Saddler, Patrick Wilkinson of Beverley - www.patrickwilkinson.co.uk/

·        Oliver Townend, Eventer – www.olivertownend.com/

·        Shearwater Insurance - www.shearwater-insurance.co.uk/

·        White Rose Polo Club  - www.whiterosepolo.co.uk/

·        Karina Hawkridge at Interdressage – www.interdressage.com

·        William Fox-Pitt – www.foxpitteventing.co.uk

Yorkshire section

First prize – signed hardback first edition of Like False Money by Penny Grubb and a family day out at the Great Yorkshire Show 13 -15 July 2010.

Other prizes include: a day at Beverley races; a Border Collie lover’s gift pack (which includes mousemat, coasters, notecards, glass paperweight, fridge magnet and key ring) from renowned UK artist Susan Alison featuring ‘Good Morning, Morning’ one of her best-selling images; a signed set of three books from best-selling Yorkshire crime writer, Danuta Reah; vouchers from a leading Yorkshire photographer.

Sponsors in this section include:

·        Great Yorkshire Show – www.greatyorkshireshow.com

·        Susan Alison Art – www.susanalison.com

·        Danuta Reah, author – www.danutareah.co.uk

·        Beverley Races – www.beverley-racecourse.co.uk/  

·        Penny Grubb, author – www.pennygrubb.com

·        La Scala Studios – http://lascalastudios.photium.com

Further information

The deadline for entry to the competition is 15^th May 2010.

Rules and entry forms are available by email from La Scala Studios at shortstory@lascalastudios.pum.com or can be obtained by sending a SAE marked ‘Short Story Competition’ to La Scala Studios, Eastfield Farm, Rise Road, Catwick, East Yorkshire, HU17 5PN.

About Derby House –

www.derbyhouse.co.uk

Derby House currently has retail stores in Dundonald, Glasgow, Malton, Matlock, Moreton, Olney and Wrightington, plus a brand new outlet in Mold.  A quick reference guide to location and opening hours of all stores is at www.derbyhouse.co.uk/stores.asp

For those who prefer to shop from home or online, Derby House has a mail-order catalogue and secure online store. 

About

BishopBurtonCollege – www.bishopburton.ac.uk

About La Scala Studios – http://lascalastudios.photium.com

About author, Penny Grubb – www.pennygrubb.com