NTRA release

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers Association announced today that Jeff Taylor of Winchester, Va., has won the 2009 Media Eclipse Award for Photography for his picture taken at the Blue Ridge Hunt Point to Point Races in Clarke County, Va. The photo appeared in The Winchester Star on March 9, 2009.

“It’s an unbelievable thrill to win this award” said Taylor, who was born in Bethesda, Md., and has been a staff photographer for The Winchester Star for the past six years. “I very much enjoy covering racing events. We can see something in horses that evoke emotions in humans. I like to capture the muscles and veins, and the intensity that a horse brings to competition; to try to give the viewer not only what it looked like, but how it felt.”
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Jeff Taylor/Winchester Star (Virginia)
Jockey Anna McKnight falls from her horse after coming over a jump in Clarke County, Va.
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Taylor positioned himself on the Clarke County course on the opposite side from the crowd and caught jockey Anna McKnight clearing a fence but coming over the top of her mount with the horse standing on two legs. The horse was able to stay on all four feet, but McKnight landed on the ground nearby and temporarily lost consciousness.

“I was glad that the rider was fine afterward,” said Taylor.  “That was our consideration in publishing the photograph. I’m glad she wasn’t hurt and glad to have the photograph.”

Taylor took the winning photo with a Canon EOS-1 Mark III.

Honorable mention in the Photography category went to Adam Coglianese for his panoramic photograph of the finish of the 2009 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. The photo was published in the Thoroughbred Times on Sept 12. Honorable mention also went to Pat McDonogh for his photo of Mine that Bird and jockey Calvin Borel winning the 2009 Kentucky Derby. The shot appeared in the Louisville Courier-Journal on May 3.

Judges in the Photography category were Dan Dry of Dry Photography;  Barton Silverman of The New York Times, and Mike Kane, former director of communications for the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.

The 39th Annual Eclipse Awards will be held on Monday, January 18 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. For hotel accommodations and Eclipse Awards ceremony reservations, contact Michele Ravencraft at the NTRA’s Lexington office, (800) 792-6872, or e-mail mravencraft@ntra.com.