Voting is well under way for the Border Sport and Leisure Celebration of Sport awards and this week Fiona Scott takes a closer look at the nominees for the Sports Personality of the Year category
VOTING for the inaugural Borders Sport and Leisure Celebration of Sports awards has been fast and furious since the phone lines were opened a fortnight ago.
But, as followers of Dancing on Ice will have learned this week, there is no room for complacency.
pported by GB Telecom and TheSouthern, the event is certainly picking up momentum and this week we are hoping to add to the buzz by taking a closer look at the three nominees for the Sports Personality of the Year awards.
After a lot of cogitating, debating and much compromising, the expert panel decided that equestrian heroes Scott Brash and Ryan Mania, along with rugby legend Chris Paterson, were the three to put forward, all having achieved greatly in their chosen arenas in 2011 and 2012.
It’s now down to you to select the outright winner.
Next week, we will be listing the achievements of our final category nominees, Team of the Year.
The winners of all of the categories of the Borders Sport and Leisure Celebration of Sport awards will be revealed at a special evening ceremony at the MacDonald Cardrona Hotel on Friday, March 1.
The event will be hosted by BBC TV presenter and sports journalist Alison Walker.
Tickets to attend cost £30 each and can be purchased by contacting Borders Sport and Leisure on 01896 756274.
The ticket includes drinks on arrival, sumptuous dinner followed by the awards ceremony.
Scott Brash – text D
HELD in great esteem in his hometown of Peebles, Scott was voted Tweeddale Sports Council’s Sports Personality of the Year back in April, having spent the first three months of the year showcasing his talent in America.
The 27-year-old international showjumper then leapt to the attention of the rest of the Borders when he was selected as the youngest member of the four-man team who would compete at the London 2012 Olympics. In an unforgettable contest at Greenwich it was Team GB’s Nick Skelton, Ben Maher, Peter Charles and our very own Scott Brash who made pole position on the rostrum to receive the gold medal. Brash, riding Hello Sanctos, was instrumental in getting the team into the jump-off, with a terrific clear round. And two days later, in the individual competition, Scott put in a highly creditable performance, finishing equal fifth, making him, alongside Nick Skelton, Great Britain’s highest-placed competitor. Had it not been for a single fault on the final round, we might even have seen him add another medal to his collection.
Ryan Mania – text E
A professional jockey from Clovenfords, Mania boasts, at the time of going to print, a proud record of 220 runs with 20 first places, 26 seconds and 23 third places in the current season alone.
The 23-year-old was Ettrick & Lauderdale’s Sports Personality of the Year in November and, despite been shot into the limelight when being pipped at the post in last year’s Scottish Grand National, 2012 Braw Lad Mania was delighted to receive such an accolade from his own people.
The following day, Mania rode his ninth winner of the season when crossing the line ahead of the field at Kelso Racecourse on Twice Lucky.
Currently riding for trainer Sue Smith, Mania already has more than 100 winners to his name in total and is set to become one of the best jockeys in the country in the near future.
Chris Paterson – text F
SINCE retiring from his international playing career, Gala’s Chris Paterson has been an ambassador and specialist coach for the Scotland and Edinburgh rugby union teams, as well as trying his hand at commentary.
He is a former professional player who played for Scotland – and for the most part of his career – Edinburgh.
Paterson is Scotland’s record cap and points holder with 109 caps and 809 points, capable in a range of positions, including full back, wing and fly-half. In recent years, he played the majority of his rugby as full back. Paterson retired from international rugby in December 2011 and as a professional player in May 2012.
Since then, he has undertaken a variety of tasks in the rugby world and outwith, including carrying the Olympic torch into his hometown stadium at Netherdale.
In May last year he was inducted into the University of Edinburgh’s Sporting Hall of Fame.
How to vote: To vote, you can either text or phone. Text the letter of your choice below to 01750 432002.
Text A to vote for Callum Airlie in the Inspirational Performance category
Text B to vote for Libby Clegg in the Inspirational Performance category
Text C to vote for Scott Brash in the Inspirational Performance category
Text D to vote for Scott Brash in the Sports Personality of the Year category
Text E to vote for Ryan Mania in the Sports Personality of the Year category
Text F to vote for Chris Paterson in the Sports Personality of the Year category
Text G to vote for Borders Elite Swim Team in the Team of the Year category
Text H to vote for Gala Rugby Football Club in the Team of the Year category
Text I to vote for Peebles Netball Club in the Team of the Year category
Alternaively, register your vote by phone by calling 01750 432002 and following the instructions.
Calls will be charged at local rate and texts at the standard network rate.