Winchester Photographer Wins Eclipse Award
Submitted by: Betsy Burke Parker
Phone: 540-364-2929
Email Address: betsyp(at)crosslink.net
Date Added: 1/15/2010
Winchester Photographer Wins Eclipse Award
Taylor's spill from Blue Ridge catches judges' attention
By Betsy Burke Parker
Long-time Winchester Star photographer Jeff Taylor was honored with the national Turf Writers Association Eclipse Award for Photography for a picture taken at the Blue Ridge Hunt Point-to-Point last March.
The photo appeared in the Star on March 9, 2009.
“It’s an unbelievable thrill to win this award” said Taylor, who was born in Bethesda and has been on the Star's staff for 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.”
Taylor caught jockey Anna McKnight falling with Tap Tap early in the running of the ladies' timber. Horse and rider are nearly vertical as they tumble, reminiscent of the 2006 Eclipse winner by Warrenton's Douglas Lees from the International Gold Cup.
Tap Tap bobbled badly but did not fall. McKnight, daughter of notable timber jockey, and Tap Tap's owner, Turney McKnight, came off over the horse's shoulder as he touched down, breaking her arm and collarbone in the hard fall. She was briefly unconscious but was cleared as “okay” later.
“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 shot with a Canon EOS-1 Mark III.
Photo honorable mentions went to New York shooter Adam Coglianese for his panoramic photograph of the finish of the grade I Woodward Stakes at Saratoga, published in the Sept. 12 Thoroughbred Times on Sept 12, and to Pat McDonogh for his photo of Mine that Bird and jockey Calvin Borel winning the 2009 Kentucky Derby, which appeared in the Louisville Courier-Journal on May 3.
Judges 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 5 and was undefeated in 18 starts. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.
The 39th Eclipse Awards will be handed out Monday, January 18 in Beverly Hills; only the Horse of the Year title is kept secret until that night. Industry insiders are split between standout distaffers Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta, Derby winner Mine That Bird, and a few others.
This is not the first time very similar photos have won Eclipse Awards – the 1999 and 2008 winning shots featured virtually identical shots of jockey Frankie Dettori's famous flying dismount in the winner's circle. Two-time Eclipse winner Lees said that Eclipse judges change each year and that they are not given copies of previous photo winners.
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