Awards

Over the years, The Laughing Horse Awards Ceremony has involved much merriment, dancing and the quaffing of alcoholic beverages by the gallon. However, this year because of The Great Plague and almost insurmountable barriers to international travel, it was decided that the much anticipated 2021 ceremony would all happen via "Zoom". And so it came to pass witnessed by a massive worldwide audience that was described by Eric Yuan, the founder of "Zoom", as "the biggest for any world event ever and an enormous challenge to our technical infrastructure".

Bloggers from around the world attended The 2021 Laughing Horse Awards Ceremony via "Zoom"

As you will be aware, The Awards Committee always present a handful of sub-awards or "commendations" before reaching the orgasmic moment when the overall winner is declared. The sub-awards are chosen for different reasons each year and in 2021 only five "COMMENDED" widgets  have been granted. Receiving a "COMMENDED" award means you are entitled to copy and paste a precious Laughing Horse widget into your sidebar. This year's prize-winners may choose from either the regular full-sized widget or the smaller, perhaps more discreet mini version:-

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COMMENDED IN 2021:-

BEST BLOGGER IN YORKSHIRE 

Tasker Dunham for "A Yorkshire Memoir". The Awards Committee said, "It is a rather quirky but well-written blog. Topics addressed  are generally varied and often unexpected. In 2021. most of Mr Dunham's loyal followers loved his fifteen part Icelandic saga recalling his explorations of that "land of ice and fire" back in the nineteen seventies. Mr Dunham normally deals thoughtfully and pleasantly with visitors' remarks and wears the same cultivated mantle when visiting  other people's blogs. Many of his posts look back sweetly on past times. This special commendation is richly deserved."

RESILIENCE THROUGH BLOGGING (Special  Award)

The Committee said this: "As well as writing blogposts, bloggers also have regular lives to lead and sometimes big difficulties arise in daily life. Managing a blog can provide a helpful release valve plus a means of articulating and sharing troubles and awkward feelings."

Residing near Edmonton in Canada is a dedicated cancer nurse known as Nurse Lily or Pixie. For understandable professional and indeed private reasons, she prefers to keep her real name  hidden from view. Her blog tracks how challenging 2021 has been for her. "MyLifeSoFar" is the commended blog and The Committee applauds its author's continuing  resilience.

EVOCATIVE WRITING AWARD

Ms Mary Moon, the author of "Bless Our Hearts" was The Laughing Horse Blogger of the Year in 2018. Through 2021, she has continued to write in very engaging ways about her life in Lloyd, Florida. The Committee said: "Ms Moon is self-deprecating. She articulates often tricky thoughts and feelings with intense honesty and good humour. In another writer's hands her largely domestic subject matter might prove tedious but she is very skilled at making ordinary topics seem as delicious as her famous sour dough bread. It is a privilege to peep into her daily life and the way she sees it all."

CONTINUED BRILLIANCE THROUGH BLOGGING

John Gray from Trelawnyd, North Wales was The Blogger of the Year back in 2010. He wears his heart on his sleeve as he blogs away daily from his cottage or his i-phone. Those who follow "Going Gently" have witnessed his personal ups and downs, his good humour and his spats with awkward visitors. Looking in on his village community has been like living in a Welsh version of  "The Archers". John has brought joy to many and has an army of followers who drop in most days. Though eleven years have passed since his Laughing Horse triumph, The Awards Committee felt that his  continuing brilliant work deserved extra recognition.

NICEST BLOGGER AWARD

There are plenty of really nice people in the blogosphere. Their tendency is to be well-mannered, kind and supportive. If there's something they disagree with then they either don't say anything or they measure their responses carefully. It's so pleasant to have such good people around. Nice bloggers are arguably the oil that lubricates the medium.

Several bloggers were nominated for this new award including Dave Northsider, Meike Riley,  ADDY, Jennifer Barlow and Debby from "Life's Funny Like That" but in the end The Awards Committee picked Kylie, an Australian blogger who is responsible for "Eclectica" from the suburbs of Sydney. This is also a nice blog to visit. In it, Kylie reflects on her family, her dog, work and health issues. Her kindness, common sense and optimism shine through. Earlier this year she gave us a fascinating series of blogposts that exercised her talent for writing haiku verses. She occasionally acts as a doula - partnering women through childbirth and is active in The Salvation Army. Very deserving of the very first "Nicest Blogger" award.

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BLOGGER OF THE YEAR 2021:-

The golden envelope has been opened. The trumpets have been blown and the drums have ceased. The overall "Blogger of the Year" for 2021 is none other than Andrew De Melbourne for "High Riser". Car horns beep and a shaft of sunshine pierces the clouds, illuminating the balcony of his luxury penthouse apartment in downtown Melbourne, Australia. There he resides with his longtime partner of British descent -  the legendary "R".

Andrew has been creating blogposts on a very regular basis since September 2004. He writes with affection about his extended family and his home city which he knows like the back of his hand. He takes us hither and thither like a tour guide. 

The Chair of the Laughing Horse Awards Committee said this of Andrew's blog: "Essentially, it is a nice blog to visit. It has a light touch. Though Andrew can express anger and annoyance about things, he tends to be easygoing. He handles visitors' comments thoughtfully - often with  smidgens of humour. He can laugh at himself and his partner "R" who is always lurking in the shadows of  'High Riser' like a taxman. Andrew is a great advocate for Melbourne and a proud Australian too but he is well-travelled and interested in many things - including transport, street art, food and architecture. After seventeen years of blogging he thoroughly deserves recognition and we  at Laughing Horse are delighted to acknowledge his services."

As far as can be determined there are no photos of Andrew De Melbourne in the entire blogosphere. He likes to maintain a degree of privacy. However, another Melbourne source recently informed me that he once appeared in advertising for Akubra - a company that specialises in bush gear for The Outback - especially hats. Here, allegedly,  is Andrew a few years back, dressed to kill:-

Congratulations on your award Andrew. Please choose one of these widgets to post into your sidebar and then lay back  and bask in the glory of your deserved success:-

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