The Hodgemoor Wildlife Junior Photography Award is an annual competition held at the Chalfont St Giles Village Show. The Hodgemoor Riding Association and its 300 members sponsor since 2022 an annual trophy and a £20 cash prize in the Junior Photography Section. Southbank Photography in St Giles also give framing of the winning entry or a £20 voucher. Since 1999 the Association has raised over £320,000 for the renovation and maintenance of the 6 km of horse-riding trails in the woods, improving this popular amenity for all users, whether walkers, cyclists or horse-riders. By making and maintaining other trails the Association promotes safety by getting horse-riders off the dangerous roads and into the woods. www.hodgemoor.org.uk
https://hodgemoor.org.uk/category/events/page/2/
Eligibility: Open to juniors (under 18). Subject: Photos can feature horses, but must include a significant wildlife element (wildlife photos are preferred over basic horse portraits). The winner gets an engraved pint tankard/beer glass trophy, and local photography framing or voucher offers. Sponsored by the Hodgemoor Riding Association.
Susie, Marcus and Heather judged the entries of the junior photography class this morning 5th September 2026 at the Chalfont St Giles Village Show. The requirements state “The photo may be of a horse or horses but must have a significant wildlife feature in the photo, i.e., not just a portrait of the horse. Photos of wildlife, flora or fauna will be preferred by the judges. Consideration will be given to the difficulty of getting the shot and to the scientific value of the study. This plays to the fact that Hodgemoor Woods are in the Chiltern Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is itself a site of special scientific interest.”
The winner was number 473 Theo Jones. Image right. The judges noted “The rear of the horse would not normally be the competitive photographers pose but it looks well here. The lumbering sportive muscles belong to a flight animal untethered in Hodgemoor Woods. Where did the horse go next? The bracken adds to a certain wildness. Well observed.” Gemma Jones writes “The horse in the photo is my horse, Taggart who lives at Oldefields. He might be the oldest Hodgemoor horse as he is 33 years old! He enjoys regular walks to the woods which is when Theo took the photo.”
Second, number 351, Ellie Greenwood. Image left. Friendly bumblebee on a lavender-coloured flower. Good focus. Nice colour-matched mount. One of the three judges’ favorite.
Third, number 73. Anya Hiely-Rayner. Image right. It’s of a brown marmorated stink bug, black with white triangles around the edges on a moss-covered trunk. but for all that the photo has a good nature feel and is well observed.
Highly Commended, number 469, Dora Hiely-Rayner. Nice view of a flower; difficult to tell if it’s growing wild or in a garden. A difficult subject to focus, but good try.
Sorry that my photos of your photos are not brilliant. If you would like to email me your jpeg to marcus@bicknell.com I will replace the image here with your original. Thanks. Theo, if you have not got the cash award yes please let us know.
On Saturday 10th May the Thames Valley Air Ambulance, at their Stokenchurch HQ open day, received a donation for £500 from the Hodgemoor Riding Association, Frank Everest, Susie and Marcus Bicknell. Our photo shows, Nicola Bishop (Community Fundraising Manager) and Ruth Dunkin (Head of Community & Events) of the Thames Valley Air Ambulance with Marcus Bicknell (chairman) and Susie Bicknell (secretary) of the Hodgemoor Riding Association. £300 of the donation was from Frank Everest whose fee for maintenance work in Hodgemoor Woods he wanted to give to charity. Frank at Waylands Equestrian is a great support to the riding community. £200 was from Susie and Marcus.
