For young readers interested in growing the stories of Tally, Mac, Jacob and their barn community, The Plaid Horse presents our first ever young writer series contest. This competition is a creative opportunity for the dedicated fans of Show Strides to reimagine Quince Oaks and equestrian life incorporating their own experiences and imagination. We encourage all authors to submit no matter their previous writing experience.
Closing Date: July 1, 2027
General Rules:
- Authors must be 15 years of age or younger
- Authors may submit more than one submission
- To be eligible, entries must be works of prose, at any length. We regret that we cannot consider poetry.
- Entries may not be previously published in professional media.
- All entries must be original works by the entrant, in English. Plagiarism, which includes the use of third-party poetry, song lyrics, characters, and another person’s universe, without written permission, will result in disqualification. Short stories or novelettes generated or created by computer software and/or artificial intelligence will be disqualified. Authors are welcome worldwide.
- Stories of all word counts will be considered.
All entries receive:
- One full year subscription to The Plaid Horse Magazine
- Complimentary print copy of the Show Strides Book 10 when published
- Complimentary print copy of My Show Strides Activity Book when published
Prizes:
- One Grand Champion Published in the August Pony Issue of The Plaid Horse Magazine
- 5 Champions posted on theplaidhorse.com + Instagram Feature
- 10 Reserve Champion
- All tricolors receive Show Strides Books 1-9 + My Show Strides Journal donated to the school library or community library of your choice
- All tricolors will be featured in a Show Strides fan fiction anthology book and receive 10 complimentary copies
Judges:
Entries will be judged by Piper Klemm, Rennie Dyball, and a Junior Judging Panel. The decisions of the judges are entirely their own, and are final and binding.
Submit your application below.