The Youth Literary Derby is a juried, horse-themed writing contest, which carries $2,000 in prize money plus free, donated online horse behaviour courses from Equine Guelph.
The derby, which is designed to encourage writing and literacy skills, has been constructed to reach out to horse-loving kids that are in the provincial education system and possess a literary flair.
The Derby calls for students’ evaluations and perceptions of the Standardbred horse.
It challenges students to express, in prose and verse, their up-close encounters with Standardbred foals and to articulate the unspoken bond between man and horse that has existed through the ages.
The Youth Literary Derby challenges the educational system to draw the attention of today’s youth beyond the world of computers and into the world of nature, and the horse, that has had a major impact on the history and development of this planet.
There are over 20 Ontario Standardbred nurseries waiting to greet eager, young writers during May (before they plunge into their literary endeavours).
The program is designed for Ontario-resident students in Grades 5 to 8 with divisions for poems and essays.
Entry
The deadline for submissions is June 15.
Although provincial school boards are being contacted and made aware of the Youth Literary Derby, interested students contact their teachers and principals.
Farms
There are four farms open for foal visits in Wellington County:
– Warrawee Farm in Rockwood at www.warraweefarm.com;
– Nu Quine in Hillsburgh; and
– Hewvilla Farms in Mount Forest.
Contest details
For complete contest details and a list of Ontario farms available for visiting (before writing their entry), students are advised to visit www.YouthLiteraryDerby.ca.
