Results of the 2020 Competition

First:      ‘Shoelaces' by Trish Veltman (Paraparaumu)
Second: ‘Marigold's Ivy' by Lucy Hodgson (Riwaka)
Third:    ‘Mister Tall' by Tom Adams (Wellington)

Highly Commended:
‘Girlfriend’ by Sue England (Mapua)
‘The Question’ by Sue Kingham (Christchurch)
‘Red Cars and Rain’ by Greg Knowles (Auckland)
‘Two Words’ by Bruce Morrison (Christchurch)
‘More Tests’ by Tim Saunders (Palmerston North)
‘See Ya Sausage’ by Laura Tretheway (Christchurch)
‘Flight Lessons’ by Lisa Williams (Auckland)

The Judge, Mandy Hager, commented:
'All ten shortlisted stories are very strong in their own right and it was hard to choose between them. In the end, the three winning stories were the ones that stayed with me long after I’d read them. All three stories had something interesting to say about human nature and behaviour, each packing an emotional punch that leaves the reader thinking.’
                                                                                                        
The winning and shortlisted stories will be included in a print anthology, Horizons 5, which will be published in late 2021. They can be read online here   

Trish Veltman (first)

Lucy Hodgson (second)

Tom Adams (third)