A Lester Award is one of a range of awards given to

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

s at an annual ceremony in

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

. The awards are named in honour of

Lester Piggott Lester Keith Piggott (5 November 1935 – 29 May 2022) was an English professional jockey and horse trainer. With 4,493 career flat racing wins in Britain, including a record nine Epsom Derby victories, he is widely regarded as one of the grea ...

, an eleven-time

British flat racing Champion Jockey The champion jockey of flat racing in Great Britain is the rider who has the most wins during a season. For most of its existence, the jockeys championship was decided on the number of winners ridden between Lincoln Handicap Day and November ...

who won thirty

British Classic Races The British Classics are five long-standing Group 1 horse races run during the traditional flat racing season. They are restricted to three-year-old horses and traditionally represent the pinnacle of achievement for racehorses against their ow ...

from 1954 to 1992. The awards were inaugurated in 1990, and they recognise the achievements of jockeys from both flat and jump racing during the previous year. The ceremony to present the 2012 awards took place at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel,

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

, on 28 March 2013. The event was sponsored by Stobart. The awards ceremony had traditionally been held the night before

Good Friday Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday, or Friday of the Passion of the Lord, is a solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary (Golgotha). It is observed during ...

, a day with no racing in Great Britain, but the start of Good Friday racing in 2014 led to the event being moved to a December date, with the 2014 ceremony honouring jockeys for their achievements in 2013 and 2014. Since 2018 the awards have been presented in a Sky Sports Racing broadcast and not at a live ceremony.

Flat Jockey of the Year

* 1990: Pat Eddery * 1991: Pat Eddery * 1992: Michael Roberts * 1993: Frankie Dettori * 1994: Frankie Dettori * 1995: Frankie Dettori * 1996: Pat Eddery / Frankie Dettori ''(tied)'' * 1997:

Kieren Fallon Kieren Francis Fallon (born 22 February 1965 in Crusheen, County Clare, Ireland) is a retired Irish professional flat racing jockey and was British flat racing Champion Jockey, British Champion Jockey six times. Care ...

* 1998:

* 1999:

* 2000: Kevin Darley * 2001:

* 2002:

* 2003:

* 2004: Frankie Dettori * 2005: Jamie Spencer * 2006: Ryan Moore * 2007: Jamie Spencer * 2008: Ryan Moore * 2009: Ryan Moore * 2010:

Paul Hanagan Paul Hanagan (born 8 September 1980 in Warrington, Cheshire) is a Classic-winning British flat racing jockey. Hanagan was twice been crowned champion jockey on the flat in Britain, riding 165 winners in 2011 to defend his title, having won hi ...

* 2011:

* 2012: Richard Hughes * 2013: Richard Hughes * 2014: Ryan Moore * 2015: Silvestre de Sousa * 2016: Jim Crowley * 2017: * 2018:

Oisin Murphy Oisin Murphy (born 6 September 1995) is an Irish jockey based in the United Kingdom who competes in flat racing. He has won two British Classics and a number of Group 1 races. He has been British Champion Jockey in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2024 ...

* 2019:

* 2020: Hollie Doyle * 2021: William Buick * 2022: William Buick * 2023: William Buick

Jump Jockey of the Year

* 1990: Richard Dunwoody * 1991: Peter Niven * 1992: Richard Dunwoody * 1993: Richard Dunwoody * 1994: Richard Dunwoody * 1995: Richard Dunwoody * 1996: Tony McCoy * 1997: Tony McCoy * 1998: Tony McCoy * 1999: Tony McCoy * 2000: Tony McCoy * 2001: Tony McCoy * 2002: Tony McCoy * 2003: Tony McCoy * 2004: Tony McCoy * 2005:

Timmy Murphy Timothy James Murphy (born 20 August 1974 in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, Ireland), known as Timmy Murphy, is a retired Irish jockey who competed mostly in National Hunt racing, National Hunt racing. A multiple Grade 1-winning rider, h ...

* 2006: Tony McCoy * 2007: Tony McCoy * 2008: Tony McCoy * 2009: Tony McCoy * 2010: Tony McCoy * 2011: Tony McCoy * 2012: Tony McCoy * 2013: Tony McCoy * 2014: Tony McCoy * 2015: Tony McCoy * 2016: Richard Johnson * 2017: * 2018: Richard Johnson * 2019: Richard Johnson * 2020: Brian Hughes * 2021:

Harry Skelton Harry Skelton (born 20 September 1989) is a British jockey who competes in National Hunt racing. Skelton was the 2020–2021 British Champion Jump Jockey. Career Skelton started his racing career with Richard Hannon on the flat, before switchi ...

* 2022: Brian Hughes * 2023: Brian Hughes

Apprentice Jockey of the Year

* 1990:

Jimmy Fortune Jimmy Fortune (born March 11, 1955) is an American country music singer from Nelson County, Virginia. Fortune sang tenor for The Statler Brothers for 21 years, and wrote the song " Elizabeth" for the group. When the Statler Brothers disbanded, h ...

* 1991: Darryll Holland * 1992: David Harrison * 1993: Jason Weaver * 1994: Michael Fenton * 1995: Seb Sanders * 1996: Dane O'Neill * 1997: Royston Ffrench * 1998: Neil Pollard * 1999:

Robert Winston Robert Maurice Lipson Winston, Baron Winston (born 15 July 1940) is a British professor, medical doctor, scientist, television presenter and Labour peer. Early life Robert Winston was born in London to Laurence Winston and Ruth Winston-Fox, ...

* 2000: Lee Newman * 2001: Keith Dalgleish * 2002:

* 2003: Ryan Moore * 2004: Tom Queally * 2005:

Hayley Turner Hayley Turner (born 3 January 1983) is a retired England, English jockey who competed in flat racing. Originally from Nottingham, she was based in Newmarket, Suffolk, Newmarket for much of her career. In 2008 Turner became the first woman to ...

* 2006:

Stephen Donohoe Stevie Donohoe (born 28 February 1984) is an Irish jockey who competes in flat racing. He British flat racing Champion Apprentice, British Champion Apprentice in 2006. The Athlone man won the title with 44 winners in 2006 and finished four ahead ...

* 2007: William Buick * 2008: William Buick * 2009: Frederik Tylicki * 2010: Martin Lane * 2011: Martin Harley * 2012:

Amy Ryan Amy Beth Dziewiontkowski (born May 3, 1968), known professionally as Amy Ryan, is an American actress. She began her professional stage career in 1987 and made her Broadway debut in 1993 as a replacement in the original production of Wendy W ...

* 2013: * 2014: * 2015: Tom Marquand * 2016:

Josephine Gordon Josephine Gordon (born 16 May 1993) is a British jockey who competes in Flat racing. In 2016 Gordon won the British flat racing Champion Apprentice title, becoming only the third female jockey to win that title after Hayley Turner and Amy Ryan ...

* 2017: * 2018: Jason Watson * 2019: Cieren Fallon * 2020: Cieren Fallon * 2021: Marco Ghiani * 2022: Benoit de la Sayette * 2023: Billy Loughnane

Conditional Jockey of the Year

* 1990: Derek Byrne * 1991: Adrian Maguire * 1992:

Mick Fitzgerald Michael Fitzgerald (born 10 May 1970) is a retired Irish National Hunt jockey and current television racing pundit. Fitzgerald rode for the majority of his career in Great Britain and less often Ireland. Career as a Jockey Mick Fitzgerald's ...

* 1993: Warren Marston * 1994: Tony Dobbin * 1995: Tony McCoy * 1996: Richard Johnson * 1997: Barry Fenton * 1998: Robert Thornton * 1999: Joe Tizzard * 2000: Noel Fehily * 2001: Liam Cooper * 2002: Marcus Foley * 2003: Marcus Foley * 2004: Jamie Moore * 2005: Paddy Brennan * 2006: William Kennedy * 2007: Tom O'Brien * 2008: Brian Hughes * 2009: Aidan Coleman * 2010: Rhys Flint * 2011: Sam Twiston-Davies * 2012: Henry Brooke * 2013: * 2014: * 2015: Sean Bowen * 2016: Craig Nichol * 2017: * 2018: James Bowen * 2019: Jonjo O'Neill jnr * 2020: Jonjo O'Neill jnr * 2021: Danny McMenamin * 2022: Kevin Brogan * 2023: Luca Morgan

Female Jockey of the Year

* 1990: Alex Greaves * 1991: Alex Greaves * 1992: Emma O'Gorman * 1993: Diane Clay * 1994: Diane Clay * 1995: Alex Greaves * 1996: Sophie Mitchell * 1997: Alex Greaves * 1998: Alex Greaves * 1999: Sophie Mitchell * 2000: Joanna Badger * 2001: Joanna Badger * 2002: Joanna Badger * 2003:

Lisa Jones Lisa Victoria Chapman Jones (born August 15, 1961)Ellis, Trey (1988). ''Platitudes & "The new black aesthetic"''. Northeastern University Press, Ann Arbor. is an American playwright, essayist, journalist, and memoirist. Personal life and educa ...

* 2004:

* 2005:

* 2006:

* 2007:

* 2008:

* 2009:

* 2010: Cathy Gannon * 2011 Cathy Gannon * 2012: Lucy Alexander * 2013: * 2014: * 2015: Cathy Gannon * 2016:

* 2017: * 2018: Nicola Currie * 2019: Hollie Doyle * 2020: Hollie Doyle * 2021: Hollie Doyle

Jockey of the Year

* 1990: Pat Eddery * 1991: Alan Munro * 1992: Michael Roberts * 1993: Adrian Maguire * 1994: Frankie Dettori * 1995: Frankie Dettori * 1996: Frankie Dettori * 1997: Tony McCoy ** ''discontinued after 1997''

Honorary Lester

* 1996: Peter O'Sullevan * 1997:

Willie Carson William Fisher Hunter Carson, OBE (born 16 November 1942) is a retired jockey in thoroughbred horse racing. Life and career Best known as "Willie", Carson was born in Stirling, Scotland in 1942. He was apprenticed ...

* 2000: Jim Foster ''(JAGB Treasurer for 30 years)'' * 2001: Michael Caulfield ''(JAGB Chief Executive)'' * 2016: Anne Saunders ''(Professional Jockeys Association director)''

Lifetime achievement award

* 2008:

Lester Piggott Lester Keith Piggott (5 November 1935 – 29 May 2022) was an English professional jockey and horse trainer. With 4,493 career flat racing wins in Britain, including a record nine Epsom Derby victories, he is widely regarded as one of the grea ...
Honorary Award

* 2022: Luke Morris

Chief Executive Award

* 2007: Reg Hollinshead

PJA Directors Award

* 2008: Tony Dobbin

International Jockey of the Year

* 2007:

Ruby Walsh Rupert "Ruby" Walsh (born 14 May 1979) is an Irish former jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen. Widely regarded as one of the greatest National Hunt racing, National Hunt ...

* 2008:

* 2009: Michael Kinane * 2010:

Flat Ride of the Year

* 1998: Darryll Holland on Double Trigger in the

Goodwood Cup The Goodwood Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 2 miles (3 ...

, 30 July. * 1999: Francis Norton on She's Our Mare in the Cambridgeshire Handicap, 2 October. * 2000: Gary Bardwell on

Bangalore Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...

in the Chester Cup, 10 May. * 2001: Steve Drowne on Harmonic Way in the Cork and Orrery Stakes, 21 June. * 2002: Darryll Holland on Just James at Newmarket, 25 May. * 2003:

Martin Dwyer Martin Joseph Dwyer (born 28 June 1975 in Aintree, Liverpool, Merseyside) is a retired English jockey who competed in flat racing, winning the 2006 Epsom Derby on Sir Percy and the 2003 Epsom Oaks on Casual Look. Career Dwyer, who was born ...

on Persian Punch in the Jockey Club Cup, 18 October. * 2004: Paul Mulrennan on Blue Spinnaker in the Zetland Gold Cup, 31 May. * 2005: Tony Culhane on Toss the Caber at

Musselburgh Musselburgh (; ; ) is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, east of Edinburgh city centre. It had a population of as of . History The name Musselburgh is Old English language, Old English in ...

, 4 July. * 2006:

on Sir Percy in the

Epsom Derby The Derby Stakes, more commonly known as the Derby and sometimes referred to as the Epsom Derby, is a Group races, Group 1 flat Horse racing, horse race in England open to three-year-old Colt (horse), colts and Filly, fillies. It is run at Ep ...

, 3 June. * 2007:

on Fonthill Road at

York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...

, 13 October. * 2008: Jim Crowley on Bulwark in the Chester Cup, 7 May. * 2009: Tom Queally on

Midday Noon (also known as noontime or midday) is 12 o'clock in the daytime. It is written as 12 noon, 12:00 m. (for '' meridiem'', literally 12:00 midday), 12 p.m. (for ''post meridiem'', literally "after midday"), 12 pm, or 12:00 (using a 24-hour cloc ...

in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, 6 November. * 2010:

on Opening Nite at Ayr, 17 September. * 2011:

on Barefoot Lady in the

Nell Gwyn Stakes The Nell Gwyn Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres) on the Rowley Mile ...

, 13 April * 2012: Michael O'Connell on Qubuh at Hamilton Park, 6 May * 2013: * 2014: * 2015:

David Nolan David Nolan may refer to: * David Nolan (politician) (1943–2010), co-founder of the United States Libertarian Party * David Nolan (American author) (born 1946), American author * David Nolan (British author) (born 1964), British author of ''I ...

on Rex Imperator at

Doncaster Doncaster ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, Yorkshire, River Don, it is the administrative centre of the City of Doncaster metropolitan borough, and is the second largest se ...

, 10 September * 2016:

on Librisa Breeze at

Ascot Ascot, Ascott or Askot may refer to: Places Australia * Ascot, Queensland, suburb of Brisbane * Ascot, Queensland (Toowoomba Region), a locality * Ascot Park, South Australia, suburb of Adelaide * Ascot (Ballarat), town near Ballarat in Victoria ...

, 1 October * 2017: * 2018: Eoin Walsh on Storm Lightning at

Wolverhampton Wolverhampton ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands of England. Located around 12 miles (20 km) north of Birmingham, it forms the northwestern part of the West Midlands conurbation, with the towns of ...

, 22 September * 2019:

on Dutch Decoy at Hamilton Park, 30 August * 2020: Dylan Hogan on Wanaash at

, 15 January * 2021: Ray Dawson on Marshall Dan at Sandown Park, 10 September * 2022: Jonny Peate on Rocket Rod at

Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area ...

, 23 June * 2023 : Tom Marquand on Desert Hero in the King George V Stakes, 22 June

Jump Ride of the Year

* 1998: Brian Harding on One Man in the

Queen Mother Champion Chase The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the ...

, 18 March. * 1999: Richard Johnson on Anzum in the

Stayers' Hurdle The Stayers' Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain. It is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 m ...

, 18 March. * 2000: Tony Dobbin on Master Tern in the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle, 16 March. * 2001: Richard Guest on Red Marauder in the

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England. First run in 1839, it ...

, 7 April. * 2002: Rodi Greene on Jurancon II at

Uttoxeter Uttoxeter ( , ) is a market town and civil parish in the East Staffordshire borough of Staffordshire, England. It is near to the Derbyshire county border. The town is from Burton upon Trent via the A50 and the A38, from Stafford via the A51 ...

, 21 December. * 2003: Andrew Thornton on Kingscliff at

, 22 November. * 2004:

on Stormez in the Servo Computer Services Trophy, 13 November. * 2005: Matty Batchelor on King Harald in the Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase, 17 March. * 2006:

Henry Oliver Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy), Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Francis Oliver, (22 January 1865 – 15 October 1965) was a Royal Navy officer. After serving in the Second Boer War as a navigating officer in a cruiser on the Cape of Good Hope ...

on Sissinghurst Storm at

Chepstow Chepstow () is a town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the tidal River Wye, about above its confluence with the River Severn, and adjoining the western end of the ...

, 18 April. * 2007: Andrew Thornton on Miko de Beauchene in the

Welsh National The Coral Welsh Grand National is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Chepstow, Wales, over a distance of ...

, 27 December. * 2008: Robert Thornton on Nenuphar Collonges in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, 14 March. * 2009: Tony McCoy on

Wichita Lineman "Wichita Lineman" is a 1968 song written by Jimmy Webb for American country music artist Glen Campbell, who recorded it backed by members of the Wrecking Crew. Widely covered by other artists, it has been called "the first existential country ...

in the William Hill Trophy, 10 March. * 2010: Matt Crawley on Lastroseofsummer at

, 19 November. * 2011: Maurice Linehan on Tarvini at

Huntingdon Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district of Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by John, King of England, King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver C ...

* 2012: Tony McCoy on Synchronised in the

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlon ...

, 16 March * 2013: * 2014: * 2015: Sean Bowen on Just A Par in the Bet365 Gold Cup, 25 April * 2016: Colm McCormack on Fiddler's Flight at

Sedgefield Sedgefield is a market town and civil parish in County Durham, England. It had a population of 4,986 in the 2021 census. It has the only operating racecourse in County Durham. Etymology The name ''Sedgefield'' is of Old English origin. It ...

, 9 February * 2017: * 2018: James Bowen on Raz De Maree in the Welsh Grand National, 6 January * 2019: Matty Bachelor on Noble Glance at Fontwell, 22 August * 2020: Jack Tudor on Potters Corner in the Welsh Grand National, 27 December 2019 * 2021: Sean Quinlan on For Jim at

Hexham Hexham ( ) is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, on the south bank of the River Tyne, formed by the confluence of the North Tyne and the South Tyne at Warden nearby, and close to Hadrian's Wall. Hexham was the administra ...

, 9 October * 2022: Paddy Brennan on Knight Salute at

Aintree Aintree is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England. Historically in Lancashire, it lies between Walton and Maghull on the A59 road, northeast of Liverpool city centre. In 2011 the parish had a p ...

, 7 April * 2023: Derek Fox on Corach Rambler in the Ultima Handicap Chase, 14 March

Flat Jockey Special Recognition Award

* 1996: Jimmy Quinn * 1997: Kevin Darley * 1998:

George Duffield __NOTOC__ George Duffield MBE (born 30 November 1946) is an English retired flat racing jockey. He served a seven-year apprenticeship with Jack Waugh, and rode his first winner on 15 June 1967 at Great Yarmouth Racecourse on a horse called Sy ...

* 1999:

* 2000: Ray Cochrane * 2001:

* 2002: Pat Eddery * 2003: Pat Eddery * 2004: Willie Ryan * 2005: John Carroll * 2006: Richard Quinn * 2007: Kevin Darley * 2008: Dale Gibson * 2009: Dale Gibson * 2010:

* 2011: Philip Robinson * 2012: Michael Hills * 2013: * 2014: * 2015: Jack Berry * 2016: Tom O'Ryan * 2017: * 2018: George Baker * 2019:

Pat Smullen Patrick Joseph Smullen (22 May 1977 – 15 September 2020), was an Irish jockey who won the Irish flat racing Champion Jockey title nine times. In a career running from 1992 to 2018 he rode 1,845 winners in Ireland and 47 in Britain. Amongst hi ...

* 2020: Hollie Doyle * 2021: Joe Fanning * 2022: Paul Mulrennan * 2023:

Jump Jockey Special Recognition Award

* 1996: Andrew Thornton * 1997: Andrew Thornton * 1998: Simon McNeill * 1999: Gary Lyons * 2000: Peter Niven * 2001: Willie Worthington * 2002: Brian Storey * 2003: Norman Williamson * 2004: Vince Slattery * 2005: Jim Culloty * 2006: J. P. McNamara * 2007: Russ Garritty * 2008: Brian Harding * 2009: Jimmy McCarthy * 2010: Warren Marston * 2011: Anna O'Brien, physiotherapist * 2012: Campbell Gillies * 2013: * 2014: * 2015: Tony McCoy * 2016: Tom O'Ryan * 2017: * 2018: Andrew Thornton * 2019: Noel Fehily * 2020: Leighton Aspell * 2021: Richard Johnson * 2022: Josh Moore * 2023: Alan Johns

References

{{Reflist ----
thepja.co.uk
– ''The Professional Jockeys Association.''
thepja.co.uk
– ''The Lesters Past Winners (1990 to 2007).'' Horse racing awards Horse racing in Great Britain British jockeys

Flat Jockey of the Year

Jump Jockey of the Year

Apprentice Jockey of the Year

Conditional Jockey of the Year

Female Jockey of the Year

Jockey of the Year

Honorary Lester

Lifetime achievement award

Lester Piggott Lester Keith Piggott (5 November 1935 – 29 May 2022) was an English professional jockey and horse trainer. With 4,493 career flat racing wins in Britain, including a record nine Epsom Derby victories, he is widely regarded as one of the grea ... Honorary Award

Chief Executive Award

PJA Directors Award

International Jockey of the Year

Flat Ride of the Year

Jump Ride of the Year

Flat Jockey Special Recognition Award

Jump Jockey Special Recognition Award

References

Lester Piggott Lester Keith Piggott (5 November 1935 – 29 May 2022) was an English professional jockey and horse trainer. With 4,493 career flat racing wins in Britain, including a record nine Epsom Derby victories, he is widely regarded as one of the grea ...
Honorary Award