9 minute read
Picture of the Year
from HWPA Awards 2022
by Weatherbys
PICTURE
of the Year
“A once-in-a-blue-moon picture with the moment perfectly captured”
ALAN CROWHURST (Getty Images)
“Excellently cropped; a fine image of a big moment, made special by the expressions of the two boys”
GEORGE SELWYN (Freelance)
“The light is superb; such a good photo, you could make an oil painting out of it”
DAVID DAVIES (Press Association)
“Captures the essence of a horse race in the mud, a technically excellent photograph”
EDWARD WHITAKER (Racing Post)
ALAN CROWHURST
“Be ready for anything” is Alan’s mantra. In this picture, taken in early August at one of his two local tracks, Alan was understandably confident that within the few frames that he had shot (Sony 600mm F/4) from the level 3 balcony outside the Press room, “there was some potential here”. It only took a quick check on the laptop for this, his exemplary and iconic imagery to be realised. As it turned out it was, as he intended it to be, different and certainly is very special.
The Seagull, symbolic of and synonymous with Brighton Racecourse as well as Alan’s and the town’s football team, makes this unique image all the more profound. Keeping the image at the front of his memory throughout the rest of the season, meant his selection for the tenth Anniversary HWPA Picture Of The Year Awards became “a relatively straightforward and simple” task. Horses racing up the straight is an enduring representation of our specialist sport - in fact it’s a staple - but, seeing the gull in front, photographing it, noticing the direction, makes Alan’s concept very reflective of his individual photographic style and his thought processes. To see and look for “the Shot” is paramount. His exemplary representation of his craft results in an iconic image, amplifying the mantra and photographic approach of a rare key player within our industry. A truly awe-inspiring photographer with a consistent record of excellence. Alan highlights again that his approach “to be always ready” and, it goes without saying, to be prepared, but in this instance, “just be ready”, be “ready for the unexpected”! “When you are doing something that you love it’s not like going to work at all. It’s like that old saying, if you’re passionate about what you do then you’ll never work a day in your life.” HWPA Photographer of year 2009 & 2013 (SJA awards for both specialized horse-racing portfolio and overall sports photographer 2015.)
DAVID DAVIES
To fully understand the unreservedly precious and sentimental value of this image is the key to this spectacular photograph.
“8am on an ordinary day” for David, in his relatively new Worcestershire home in Strensham, a mere 20 minutes from his Mum and Dad’s place. From his kitchen window, David noted the sunrise and the “unusually dramatic sky”. David had just popped the kettle on, but while the kettle was boiling David decided to hop over the fence at the bottom of his garden to his neighbour Samuel Drinkwater’s gallops. There he took just the one frame, “just the one”, of Danny Burton exercising one of the horses, from the up-andcoming yard. David was back in time to pour the freshly boiled water on the tea bags and pack his family off to their respective days’ work. It’s November 2021. Don’t mistake this picture’s beauty for simplicity. “It’s my Mum’s favourite picture, she picked it, call it her last gift to me.” David’s Mum Christine passed away on the 17th February 2022. He and his Dad both have a copy on their wall, only one of two horse racing related images that makes the grade for display in David’s home. Shortlisted in both categories David reiterates again, humbly, the importance of being recognized alongside his peers “that this is the most valuable thing” and how he had never felt so bold as to enter HWPA Awards before, “such a specialist competition”. David Davies has been the Chief Sports Photographer of the Press Association since 2001. This image carries with it all the weight of knowledge, excellence, of a career spanning some 30 years in sports photography. His picture not only represents his dedication, but beauty and passion for the art of photography, but mostly a humility, and a wealth of experience to be able to see that that day was not so ordinary after all. As I reflected and looked again upon the picture, it brought a tear to my eye. (On the 7th March 2022, the day before his mum’s funeral, David won two SJA awards for both specialized horseracing portfolio and overall sports photographer.)
GEORGE SELWYN
Since 1975 George has only missed photographing one Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe before the Covid-19 Pandemic hit.
His eloquently executed nomination of the 2022 event records a split second in time, where the viewer is “drawn into the expressions” of the “animated” faces of two young boys, one sitting on the shoulders of a man, all clearly “engaged in the moment”. As Luke Morris and Alpinista ride past, so close that the boys can almost touch the winning filly, they all look on in “excitement and awe”. George said that he was particularly struck by the fact “the inside of the track was almost entirely bereft of spectators” this specific year. A man of quiet reflection, George alludes to the fact that “the picture should do the talking”. But he couldn’t resist admitting that witnessing Luke Morris and Alpinista winning the Arc for Sir Mark Prescott was “special, very special” indeed, it “had certainly got the adrenaline rushing” and “the blood pumping” an experience that made him mindful of “another great performance” in Paris in 1986, Dancing Brave and Pat Eddery. At the tender age of 69, George continues to work, as he has for the last 17 years, for Owner Breeder magazine. He recently did the follow-up visit to Heath House to record Alpinista with her groom Annabel Willis, Luke and Sir Mark who were all “relaxed and happy” and enjoying their success. It was “poignant”, said George.
EDWARD WHITAKER
Whilst Edward is immensely personable, he is also to be revered and is often distracted by his next mission. Edward, as The Racing Post’s senior multi-award-winning photographer for some 35 years, needs no introduction to anyone who is actively involved in horse racing. His mission for perfection is palpable and his incomparable excellence is consistent.
As Edward says, Lingfield is notorious for heavy, mud-laden conditions in the winter, where the horses and the jockeys really have to battle. “I was particularly looking for a jockey in white silks” to obtain a very powerful representation of the conditions. The Sony A1 and Sony FE 400mm F/2.8 was the instrument used, the “quality is excellent for the horrendous conditions and you can see it’s raining still”. It’s important to fill the frame, said Edward, to choose the background that is most important to me, “a nice clean background”. He added: “99% of the time I will choose my background before shooting. This entry, his chosen shortlisted Picture Of The Year 2022 – I knew nothing of this picture – nor perhaps should I? I do not know the jockey, nor recognize the colours, there is not even a visual reference on the number cloth. I cannot place it at all? But, I think, if I may be so bold - I am sure, that is the point! The curiosity of this image was starting to get the better of me. Edward confirms, the concept of the image is that “the jockey looks like a bronze statue”. I am strangely elated by this experience and his description. Being that, this is the intention of this entry - and if seen, his concept is more than achieved. Brilliant, utterly brilliant! Well at least for me. (Like a murder mystery solved). Or maybe, you, the viewer, see, just tenacity and mud? Either way, that is the intention of the image, is a double win, and applause is merited! Pushing the boundaries, yet again, is Edward Whitakar’s USP. Edward says this is “The mud-caked white silks of Ben Poste driving Premier d’Troice for a minor place in a 3 mile Handicap Chase at Lingfield” making the jockey look like a Bronze Statue.” Ultimately, I am delighted for Ben Poste who is now immortalised in a virtual photographic statue in his honour. HWPA Picture of year 2018 HWPA Photographer of year 1999, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019 (SJA awards for both specialized horse-racing portfolio 2006,2008,2011 Overall portfolio 2008, 2011)
HORSERACE WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER
Goodwood Golf Day by Bill Selwyn
A good turnout with some well-known faces in attendance, including AP McCoy, and some welcome new faces off the Flat in Tom Greatrex and Sean Levey. Amazingly the shotgun start saw us tee off in windy and drizzly conditions, but after a few holes, and the odd beverage, conditions improved. Which can’t be said for some of the golf, including my own. Nevertheless, it was a thoroughly enjoyable day, and special mention should go to Hugh Routledge who produced a “Worldy” to flop shot over a 10 foot barrier, and stop the ball the other side to a couple of feet. A “Champagne” moment. The Team Trophy went to the form horse, as last year’s runners-up Rachel Candelora, Ben Evans, Mark Johnson and Chris Payne, took the top prize. ‘Others to distinguish themselves included Hugo Barran, the best of the HWPA runners, Jim Erwood, who hit the longest drive at the 18th, and Dan Thompson, who was nearest the pin at the 12th. The HWPA would like to thank most warmly Qatar for their sponsorship of the Annual Golf Day, as well as JSC, the team at Goodwood Racecourse and at the Goodwood Golf Course itself for their assistance in organising the event and the smooth running of the day itself. In addition, huge thanks are due to Rupert Bell, Rachel Candelora and Mark Johnson who did much of the organising on the HWPA side.
Results
TEAM RESULTS 1ST Rachel Candelora, Ben Evans, Mark Johnson and Chris Payne 2ND Rupert Bell, Richard Jacques, Steve Tebb and Phil White
Additional Awards
HWPA CHAMPION GOLFER OF THE YEAR HUGO BARRAN NEAREST THE PIN DAN THOMPSON LONGEST DRIVE JIM ERWOOD FLOP SHOT CHALLENGE HUGH ROUTLEDGE
