LA Sokolowski in a New York State of Mind after AHP Equine Media Award Win for New York Horse Magazine
“You not only broke the New York Horse curse, you smashed it to bits,” New York Horse Magazine owner and publisher Janis Barth joked to LA Sokolowski, whose In Full Cry: Hunt Breakfasts, Beagle Teas & Whiskey Races won an unprecedented first place for best Feature Article in its circulation class for the Publishing Member on May 30 during the American Horse Publications 50th anniversary and virtual media awards via Zoom and a Facebook Watch Party.
“Who doesn’t love bacon or whiskey? How could I go wrong?” LA joked back. “During the nominations we laughed how ironic it would be if this turned out to be the year the magazine did really well because we couldn’t be there to celebrate and sure enough…!” New York Horse won a coveted General Excellence Award for best Self Supported Magazine (under 15,000), Barth won first- and second-place awards for her articles, and AHP Media Professional Katie Navarra also won for an NYH features contribution.
“As a native New Yorker, contributing to New York Horse Magazine feels great and to not only meet but reward its high standards of journalism is about as good as it gets,” LA said. In 2016, New York Horse Magazine successfully nominated her for a Syracuse Press Club Award for excellence in sports writing.
“Food and drink are integral to the social side of horse life and fertile sources of content. Everyone likes to eat, share recipes or cook, and these were menus and memories shared by some of the most time-honored hunt clubs in New York State. In Full Cry drew such a nice response that for an upcoming issue, I’ve written a second feature with recipes and ideas suitable for a horse and carriage to pack in a Picnic Class, plus advice from last year’s Lorenzo Driving Club winner. I’m also planning on talking to a culinary historian on how horses have helped write the history of cooking, from the cowboy chuck wagon to the crockpot.”
The 2020 AHP Equine Media Awards for material published in 2019 were judged by 21 professionals, and included 56 classes, 731 entries, and 111 contestants. Promoting excellence in equine media has been the AHP mission for 50 years and since 1975 its annual awards have recognized standards in journalistic integrity for informative and engaging content in a variety of media categories. Find results in PDF format or video at http://www.americanhorsepubs.org/ahp-awards-contest/.
