A Lester Award is one of a range of awards given to jockeys at an annual ceremony in Great Britain. The awards are named in honour of Lester Piggott, an eleven-time British flat racing Champion Jockey who won thirty British Classic Races 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, on 28 March 2013. The event was sponsored by Stobart. The awards ceremony had traditionally been held the night before Good Friday, 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 1998: Kieren Fallon 1999: Kieren Fallon 2000: Kevin Darley 2001: Kieren Fallon 2002: Kieren Fallon 2003: Kieren Fallon 2004: Frankie Dettori 2005: Jamie Spencer 2006: Ryan Moore 2007: Jamie Spencer 2008: Ryan Moore 2009: Ryan Moore 2010: Paul Hanagan 2011: Paul Hanagan 2012: Richard Hughes 2013: Richard Hughes 2014: Ryan Moore 2015: Silvestre de Sousa 2016: Jim Crowley 2017: 2018: Oisin Murphy 2019: Oisin Murphy 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 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 2022: Brian Hughes 2023: Brian Hughes
Apprentice Jockey of the Year 1990: Jimmy Fortune 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 2000: Lee Newman 2001: Keith Dalgleish 2002: Paul Hanagan 2003: Ryan Moore 2004: Tom Queally 2005: Hayley Turner 2006: Stephen Donohoe 2007: William Buick 2008: William Buick 2009: Frederik Tylicki 2010: Martin Lane 2011: Martin Harley 2012: Amy Ryan 2013: 2014: 2015: Tom Marquand 2016: Josephine Gordon 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 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 2004: Hayley Turner 2005: Hayley Turner 2006: Hayley Turner 2007: Hayley Turner 2008: Hayley Turner 2009: Hayley Turner 2010: Cathy Gannon 2011 Cathy Gannon 2012: Lucy Alexander 2013: 2014: 2015: Cathy Gannon 2016: Josephine Gordon 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 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: Mick Fitzgerald
Lester Piggott 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 2008: Ruby Walsh 2009: Michael Kinane 2010: Ruby Walsh
Flat Ride of the Year 1998: Darryll Holland on Double Trigger in the Goodwood Cup, 30 July. 1999: Francis Norton on She's Our Mare in the Cambridgeshire Handicap, 2 October. 2000: Gary Bardwell on Bangalore 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 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, 4 July. 2006: Martin Dwyer on Sir Percy in the Epsom Derby, 3 June. 2007: Paul Hanagan on Fonthill Road at York, 13 October. 2008: Jim Crowley on Bulwark in the Chester Cup, 7 May. 2009: Tom Queally on Midday in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, 6 November. 2010: Paul Hanagan on Opening Nite at Ayr, 17 September. 2011: Paul Hanagan on Barefoot Lady in the Nell Gwyn Stakes, 13 April 2012: Michael O'Connell on Qubuh at Hamilton Park, 6 May 2013: 2014: 2015: David Nolan on Rex Imperator at Doncaster, 10 September 2016: Robert Winston on Librisa Breeze at Ascot, 1 October 2017: 2018: Eoin Walsh on Storm Lightning at Wolverhampton, 22 September 2019: Paul Hanagan on Dutch Decoy at Hamilton Park, 30 August 2020: Dylan Hogan on Wanaash at Wolverhampton, 15 January 2021: Ray Dawson on Marshall Dan at Sandown Park, 10 September 2022: Jonny Peate on Rocket Rod at Newcastle, 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, 18 March. 1999: Richard Johnson on Anzum in the Stayers' Hurdle, 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, 7 April. 2002: Rodi Greene on Jurancon II at Uttoxeter, 21 December. 2003: Andrew Thornton on Kingscliff at Ascot, 22 November. 2004: Timmy Murphy 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 on Sissinghurst Storm at Chepstow, 18 April. 2007: Andrew Thornton on Miko de Beauchene in the Welsh National, 27 December. 2008: Robert Thornton on Nenuphar Collonges in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, 14 March. 2009: Tony McCoy on Wichita Lineman in the William Hill Trophy, 10 March. 2010: Matt Crawley on Lastroseofsummer at Musselburgh, 19 November. 2011: Maurice Linehan on Tarvini at Huntingdon 2012: Tony McCoy on Synchronised in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, 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, 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, 9 October 2022: Paddy Brennan on Knight Salute at Aintree, 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 1999: George Duffield 2000: Ray Cochrane 2001: George Duffield 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: Paul Hanagan 2011: Philip Robinson 2012: Michael Hills 2013: 2014: 2015: Jack Berry 2016: Tom O'Ryan 2017: 2018: George Baker 2019: Pat Smullen 2020: Hollie Doyle 2021: Joe Fanning 2022: Paul Mulrennan 2023: Paul Hanagan
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
thepja.co.uk – The Professional Jockeys Association. thepja.co.uk – The Lesters Past Winners (1990 to 2007).