Grand National Winning Trainer Jonjo O'Neill Wins Prestigious Sports Award
Top racehorse trainer Jonjo O'Neill won the Professional Sports Personality of the Year Award at the Gloucestershire Media Sports Awards.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE, ENGLAND, December 02, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Top racehorse trainer Jonjo O'Neill won the Professional Sports Personality of the Year Award at the Gloucestershire Media Sports Awards. The award ceremony, which was attended by many leading sporting figures from around the county, was held at Cheltenham Racecourse. Jonjo has experienced great success at Cheltenham, so it was a fitting location for him to be presented with the Professional Sports Personality of the Year Award.

Nominations for this award followed a number of big race wins earlier in the year, the most notable being Don't Push It winning the Grand National and Albertas Run at the Cheltenham Festival.

A delighted Jonjo said: "It's always nice to win awards and it's absolutely lovely to win a local award. We had a great year and winning the Grand National put the cream on it. It was fantastic for everyone at the yard, for AP (McCoy, jockey) and JP (McManus, owner), and we all enjoyed it."

The Cotswold based racehorse trainer has also experienced success as a jockey, winning the coveted title British Champion Jockey twice as well as breaking the record in 1977/78 for most winners in a season. Amongst Jonjo's wins was the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1986 aboard the famous mare Dawn Run. Jonjo O'Neill began his career as a racehorse trainer in 1986, following his cancer diagnosis. He was based at Penrith for 15 years then moved to Jackdaws Castle, near Cheltenham, in 2001.

Jonjo O'Neill was one of ten sports personalities to receive awards on the night. British Olympic rower Beth Rodford, was crowned Sports Personality of the Year. The 27 year old was a gold medallist at the World Championships in the women's quadruple scull in New Zealand last month. Other accolades included Young Sports Personality of the Year which went to Stroud sprinter Jennie Batten, and Coach of the Year which was awarded to Dawn Lawson, of Aspire Springers Trampolining Club.

More information about Jonjo can be found at http://www.jonjooneillracing.com.

Press Release Contact Information:

D. Duncan
Jonjo O'Neill Racing
Office Manager
Jackdaws Castle
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
UK GL54 5XU
Voice: 01386 584 209