A trio of finalists have been announced for the 15th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award. The three finalists are Diane Crump, A Horse-Racing Pioneer's Life in the Saddle, by Mark Sharger; Good Things Come, by Linda Shantz; and Sylvia Rideoutt Bishop, Had a Way With Horses, by Vicki Moon.
“This was the year of debut authors, including the fiction finalist [Vicki Moon],” said judge Kay Coyte, a former Washington Post and racing publications editor. “Part of the
mission of the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award is to encourage new writers to cover the sport he so loved. To have this many in 2020 would have delighted him.”
The award, founded by the late Dr. Ryan in 2006, has annually honored the best in longform writing about a topic or tale related to horse racing. Its $10,000 winner's prize remains among the largest in the literary world, matching that of
the prestigious National Book Award. In addition to the $10,000 winner's prize, two additional finalists receive checks for $1,000, while all three take home Tipperary crystal statuettes of the farm's iconic stone tower.
Due to pandemic precautions, for the second straight year the winner's announcement will be announced via Zoom
conference, scheduled for May 10 at 5 p.m.
For additional information, contact Betsy Hager at bhager@castletonlyons.com.
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