Caitlin Venniker, a South African vet and writer, has won the 2022 Mogford Prize for Food and Drink Writing for her short story “The Hunt”.
United Kingdom (11 April 2022) – Caitlin Venniker has been selected as the top prize winner from over 870 writers worldwide. Her short story “The Hunt” has earned her a £10,000 prize and the title of the 2022 Mogford Prize for Food and Drink Writing.
The prize winner was selected by novelist, poet and playwright Sir Michael Morpurgo, award-winning TV chef Andi Oliver, and prize founder Jeremy Mogford.
Entries for the prize came from around the world, including Australia, USA, United Kingdom, Canada, India, Netherlands, Ireland, France, Switzerland, South Africa, Germany, Nigeria, Pakistan, Japan, Cyprus, and a notable entrant from Ukraine too.
Venniker first completed a B.A. in English at the University of Cape Town, which is where her love of writing blossomed but then changed direction and studied veterinary science at Onderstepoort, Pretoria. She has been a vet for the last ten years, working in South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
Her winning entry, The Hunt, is a 10-page short story about a vet nurse looking for love and marriage and finding it or at least an affair of sorts with a married farmer. A truffle pig uncovers their affair, and all her plans unravel. You can read the full story here.
Venniker started looking for writing competitions late into 2021 and decided to try her luck with the Mogford Prize. She never dreamed she would go on to win the top prize. She hopes to continue entering competitions and earning awards as she goes.
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