Candid Photos

Candid photos second place winner is Cesar Contreras

Details: January 2, 2026; By SARA CAVANAGH

Tara Ziegler of Oxford, Pa., sent in this photo taken by her husband Cesar Contreras of their daughter Hannah running towards their chickens.

Hannah had just turned three when this picture was taken," said Ziegler. "This was the first year since she was born that we had chickens. Wehad gotten them earlier as chicks."

"We just incubated some eggs, so we'll have baby chicks," said Ziegler. "We also have goats, and we're surrounded by Amish with horses."

candid girl with chickens Ziegler

Candid Photo First Place winner is Walt Szybowski

Details: January 1, 2026; By SARA CAVANAGH

Walt Szybowski of Hawley, Pa. won the Candid Photo with this great photo of a deer eating a snack from the lips of his wife Heidi.

"We have a farm in the Poconos," said Szybowski. "We have all rescues, horses, cows, pigs and dogs. We love our rescues."

"This is a sweet deer," he said. "He's been around Heidi for about three years. We have deer all around, but we named him Special. He'd follow Heidi when she was mucking out stalls. When we were sitting on the porch, he's come up, We'd able to pet him."

"I was sitting right next to my wife when Special came up, and I took this picture," said Szybowski.

candid deer and girl ginny son

Tina Marie Powell sent this Honorable Mention Candid photo

Details: February 17, 2025; By Staff Writers

Tina Marie Powell sent this photo of two horsemen by water's edge.

Candid backs of 2 people on horses

Jeanne Sharpe took this Honorable Mention Candid photo

Details: February 17, 2025; By Staff Writers

Jeanne Sharpe sent this photo of the Comanche Creek Hound Exercise in Kiowa, Colorado.

"The Huntswoman is Amy McCracken, and the Whip is Jeanne Sharpe," said Sharpe.

candid backs of huntsman hounds

Carrie Trauger took this Honorable Mention Candid photo

Details: February 16, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

Carrie Trauger of Sprakers, N.Y. took this photo of Highland Falls in the winners circle after the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

candid Highland Falls wunner circle

Allie Barchi took this Honorable Mention Candid photo

Details: February 15, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

Allie Barchi of Malvern, Pa., took this photo of horse #7 at Penn National.

Candid outrider race horse

Amanda Dougherty took this Honorable Mention Candid photo

Details: February 14, 2025; By Staff Writers

Amanda Dougherty took this photo that she entitled "The Kentucky Horse Park with Jessi and Hawkins!"

candid horse and rider Ky

Carrie Trauger took this Honorable Mention Candid photo

Details: February 13, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

Carrie Trauger of Sprakers, N.Y. took this photo of Tapit Trice at Saratoga.

candid Tapit Trice at Saratoga

Elaine Deutsch took this Honorable Mention Candid photo

Details: February 11, 2025; By Staff Writers

Elaine Deutsch of Brandamore,Pa., took this photo.

"Irish Cork, a Pa-bred, gets hosed off after winning the Storm Cat Stakes.during PA Day at the Races." said Deutsch. "Irish Cork is owned by Irish Three Racing and trained by John Servis."

candid racehorse being hosed

Priscilla Godsoe took this Honorable Mention Candid photo

Details: February 11, 2025; By Staff Writers

Priscilla Goodsoe took this photo that she entitled "Future champion."

candid grey horse held by man

Debra Smith took this Honorable Mention Candid photo

Details: February 9, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

Debra Smith of Heaven on Earth - Equine Rehab sent in this photo.

Happiness is Beauty , Saving one Horse at a time.

Candid grey and man

Kathleen Marcozzi took this Honorable Mention Candid photo

Details: February 8, 2025; By Staff Writers

Kathleen Marcozzi took this photo that she entitled "Tabitha and Diamond at Radnor Hunt."

candid girl and horse at Radnor

Priscilla Godsoe took this Honorable Mention Candid photo

Details: February 7, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

Priscilla Godsoe took this photo that she entitled "Complete appreciation."

candid riderkissing horse

Elaine Deutsch took this Honorable Mention Candid photo

Details: February 6, 2025; By Staff Writers

Elaine Deutsch of Brandamore, Pa., took this photo at Parx on PA Derby Day.

"This is Next getting a cool down after winning the Greenwood Cup by 10 lengths," said Deutsch.

candid grey racehorse hosed

Anne Moss took this Honorable Mention Candid photo

Details: February 5, 2025; By Staff Writers

Anne Snipes Moss of Coatesville, Pa., took this Honorable Mention photo.

These people are Wild West HIstorical Re-enactors, (l-r) Dr. John Moss riding Dapplewood Hamilton, Dave Arroyo riding Gabe and Beth Brown riding Street," said Moss.

candid wild west re enactors

Elaine Deutsch took this photo that placed third in Candid

Details: January 7, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

Elaine Deutsch took this photo on Aug. 26, 2024 at Pennsylvania Day at the Races.

"Parx jockey Mychel Sanchez wanted to make sure that I got a photo of his "doggy silks"," said Deutsch. "He saw us standing by the rail as they were loading into the gate. He saw I had my camera up, so he said `Be sure you get a photo of this."

"The silks belong to Waldorf Racing Stables and are described as "Khaki, Dog Emblem"," she said. "The dog emblem is a very cute Jack Russell terrier. They are also on the cap and the blinkers! The horse that Mychel is riding is Movisitor, a Pa-bred.

Candid jocky Sanchez dog

Wendy Weikel took this photo that placed second in Candid

Details: January 6, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

Wendy Weikel of Lansdale, Pa., took this photo of a young horse that decided he'd had enough at Dressage at Devon while his handler looked on.

"The horse was in the Colts/Gelding born in 2024 class," said Weikel. "The colt was not having it and wanted out. He ended up on ground. The judges checked him out and he was OK."

candid horse on ground DAD

Cesar Contreras Pina won first place in the Photo Contest, Candid category

Details: January 6, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

Cesar Contreras Pina of Oxford Pa.. took this series of photos sent in by his wife Tara Ziegler.

This is a picture of our 2-year-old Cane Corso, an Italian mastiff named Angus, aka Gus, and our 5-year-old son, Samuel," said Ziegler. "They enjoy going for walks together."

Any one of the series could have won as a single photo, but together they show a wonderful progression, each with great expressions of the fun he's having on the face of Samuel as well as the expressive faces of Gus.

candid big dog w boy 2