Winners

Winners are entitled to copy one of the 2016 prize 

widgets before pasting into their own illustrious blogs. 

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The Laughing Horse Awards Committee have instructed me to announce the winners of the 2016 blog awards. This is a duty that I feel immensely honoured to execute having been associated with the Laughing Horse organisation since its inception way back in 2008. The central remit of Laughing Horse is to encourage excellence in blogging and to honour leading exponents of the craft of blogging.There is no truth whatsoever in vindictive rumours that suggest The Awards Committee are influenced by  monetary backhanders or bribery.

Without any further ado, here at the very end of 2016 AD, let us go straight to the awards...

SENIOR BLOGGER OF THE YEAR - Pat (Mrs Weaver) for "Weaver of Grass". This Yorkshire-based blog gives us a window upon country life in the Yorkshire Dales. It is about friendship, family, memories, poetry and appreciating the simple joys that life presents. Written in a kindly, contented manner the blog demonstrates that being an octogenarian does not mean one's zest for life should shrivel up. Pat deserves credit for excellent blog maintenance and for responding thoughtfully to comments that are received.

BEST WELSH BLOG - Once again "Going Gently" by John Gray is honoured. The Committee stated, "It is an antidote to The Archers on BBC Radio 4". Having gained worldwide popularity, "Going Gently" continues to surprise us all as John reports on his various animals, The Prof's eyebrow, the legendary Mrs Trellis and of course the machinations of The Flower Show Committee. There is a heart-on-sleeve humanity about this village blog which keeps its readers returning.

BEST AMERICAN BLOG - Jennifer for "Sparrow Tree Journal"  . Emerging from Florence, South Carolina, Jennifer writes a very candid blog. In 2016 she considered the ups and downs of working life in a retail environment and her struggle to stick with it. There's her beloved dogs Ginger and George, her parrot Marco, her husband Gregg, reading group meetings and all of the rest of the paraphernalia of everyday life in a typical town of the southern states. Jennifer's thoughtful and supportive comments on other blogs were also noteworthy. (Runner-up in this category was Bob Brague for "Rhymes With Plague", Steve Reed's blog, "Shadows and Light" was dismissed from this category as it is mostly produced in West London, England)

BEST REGULAR FEATURE ON A BLOG - Ian Rhodes for "The Sunday Round-Up" in "Shooting Parrots". Every Sunday - almost without fail - Ian treats his readership to a quirky look at the previous week's news. There are links to news stories from around the world and an obituary section too. It deserves more visitors. His "Sunday Round-Up" is bound to make you chuckle and perhaps your jaw will also drop. Ian even posted a "Sunday Round-Up" on Christmas Day which is most commendable.

BEST CANADIAN BLOG - For the second year running this has gone to Red of Red Deer, Alberta for his calm and friendly "Hiawatha House". One of the best features of Red's blog this past year was recollections of the time he spent working as a teacher in the far north of Canada. We also learnt more about the infamous "micro manager" who lurks in the background, monitoring Red's activities and no doubt keeping him sane. Red continues to leave pleasant, supportive remarks on other people's blogs.

Two previous Laughing Horse Blogger of the Year winners were highly commended by The Awards Committee for outstanding services to blogging. They are of course Ms Lee George for "Kitchen Connection" and Ms Meike Riley for "From My Mental Library". The former blog is forged in Queensland, Australia and the latter blog is mostly manufactured in Ludwigsburg, Germany. Both blogs are carefully crafted, well-maintained and enjoy loyal followings. They remain a credit to the blogosphere.

And now, drum roll, we move on to the major award - 

The Laughing Horse Blogger of the Year for 2016

Here's a clue:-

And here's another:-

Yes folks! The Laughing Horse Blogger of the Year for 2016 is none other than Steve Reed for "Shadows and Light"

In  selecting Steve's blog as the overall winner, The Awards Committee noted "...the clarity of its expression, its grammatical accuracy, its regularity and reliability, the ceaseless high quality of accompanying photography." The Committee enjoyed tales of outings with Olga the pet dog on Hampstead Heath and Steve's recent Caribbean cruise which took followers to faraway places such as Belize, Key West and Cozumel. But above all, it was those amazing, expertly formed and often quirky photographs that clinched it for Steve to whom we send a huge... 

Well Done!