Closing date for story contest moved to April 6

The small Welsh pony danced through the ring. Beside her, her blonde owner. It was the third time she had been presented at a judging and although she enjoyed it, she enjoyed the day before the judging perhaps even more.

Yesterday her owner had gotten her all judged and she loved getting so much attention. First she had been washed with horse shampoo until the foam flew around in big flakes. Finally she was completely clean again and even her tail was again pure white. Then she had been given a thin blanket. This was to keep her from getting dirty when she lay down last night. By the way, her playpen had also been made spotless again.

This morning she had been brushed one more time and then taken to the judging grounds in the trailer. There she had looked around with big eyes at all the ponies. They all looked fantastic. A few were a little nervous, but that didn't apply to her. She knew what to do and was now trotting through the ring with great strides. Later during the group walk around, when the judges were going to determine the order, she would do her best to walk spacious and loose through her body. Then it had to be all right ...

And then?

In cooperation with writer Christine Linneweever, known for the wildly popular Golden Horses series from publisher Kluitman, the web editors of the Welsh Studbook have set up a Story Contest. Linneweever created the above intro especially for this purpose. In the now twelve books in the Golden Horses series, no Welsh pony has had the lead role yet, but that is about to change. Because in this story, which you, the contestant, get to finish, the lead role is for a Welsh.

Will you join us?

The books in the Golden Horse series are written for youth ages nine and up. For the story contest, we have no age limit. Anyone may enter.

The intro contains some words green printed. You may replace these words with other words / phrases. This is so that you can personalize your story.

Your goal is to finish the story started by Christine Linneweever. The maximum word count of the story you submit may be 1,500. There is no minimum word count.

You get two weeks. That is, we want submissions in by March 27, 2021.

Editor-in-chief Anja Rozema, web editor Daniëlle Carrière and NWPCS secretary Frederike Snel-van Daalen choose a 10 nominees from all entries. Christine Linneweever will choose a winner from these 10 stories.

What can you win?

The winner will receive a book from the Golden Horse series of their choice. In addition, the winning story will be placed on the Welsh Studbook website and in the Welsh Pony & Cob Magazine.

What to do.

• Complete the above story so that it has a maximum of 1,500 words
• If necessary, replace the text printed in green with other words/phrases
• Think of a great title for your story
• Mail your story by April 6, 2021 to webredactie.nwpcs@gmail.com
• In the e-mail, include your name (or names if you are doing it together), age, e-mail address and phone number

Christine Linneweever

“The ‘pen’ has always been my best friend,” says Christine Linneweever. For more than eighteen years she was part of the editorial staff of De Paardenkrant.

While taking a creative writing course at the Center for Communication and Journalism in Utrecht in 2006, she decided to try writing the first chapter of a children's book about horses. There she wrote the beginning of Aurea.

“After that, I had a taste for it. For a year and a half I worked on this book. The children and adults I let read it were enthusiastic. Then I sent it to Kluitman publishers in Alkmaar. They were also enthusiastic. Since February 17, 2009 Aurea, the wild pony in the stores.”

A total of thirteen books have now been published in the Golden Horses-series and Christine Linneweever also wrote children's books including the series Vila Animal Paradise, The secret of the Ravenhorst and the book to the film Crumb and the battle for the gold mine.

Click here for Christine Linneweever's website