Easy Way to Happiness

There are many reasons why people will be presented with an award or trophy. Along with the more conventional trophies and awards presented for sporting excellence such as gold, silver and bronze Olympic medals there are other non sporting ones that can be presented. In this article we take a look at what some may consider to be the top 10 non sporting trophies and awards that can be presented today.

1. Academy Awards – Also more commonly referred to as the Oscars people involved in the world of movies would like to be presented with one of these human stylized awards. Normally the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will give these out in March each year and is one of the longest running award ceremonies in the world today.

2. Hugo Awards – This award is named after Hugo Gernsbeck who founded the pioneering science fiction magazine known as Amazing Stories. Each year awards are presented to those who from the previous year have produced the best science fiction or fantasy works. This one of the top 10 non sporting trophies and awards has been presented annually since 1955.

3. Victoria Cross – There are various medals that personnel who are part of the armed forces for the UK and Commonwealth Countries can achieve what is the highest decoration for these people. It is only given to those who have shown extreme bravery when fighting the enemy and since the first medal was presented in 1856 a further 1,353 individuals have been awarded this medial. Yet since the cessation of the 2nd World War only a further 13 medals have been presented to military personnel from both the UK and Australia.

4. Military Cross – This medal unlike the Victoria Cross is presented to British and Commonwealth military personnel where the person has carried out an act or acts of exemplary gallantry when actively operating against an enemy. A few of these medals since 1979 have been awarded to military personnel posthumously.

5. George Cross – This non sporting trophy is one that can be awarded to both military personnel and civilians who live not only in the UK but are Commonwealth citizens also. It is the non combative counterpart of the Victoria Cross and will be presented to people who perform an act of bravery at any time.

6. Queens Gallantry Medal – This medal has only been instituted since 1974 and has replaced the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry, the Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry and the British Empire Medal for Gallantry. Just like all the medals we discuss in this article this one is awarded for exemplary acts of bravery both by civilian and military personnel.

7. BAFTA’s – Just like the Oscars these are presented annually but are to cover all genres of film and television making. Whereas the Oscar is a miniature human the BAFTA’s take the shape of a theatrical mask and were designed by Mitzi Cunliffe and American sculptor back in 1955.

8. BRIT Awards -More commonly referred to as the BRITS each year a ceremony takes place where the awards are presented to musicians from all genres by the British Phonographic Industry. It is a ceremony not only people enjoy to watch to see their favorite singer or band perform but also to see how badly the presenters present it.

9. Nobel Peace Prize – This is probably along with the Oscars the most well recognized of the top 10 non sporting trophies and awards presented. Each year the Nobel committee produces a short list of candidates for this honor. There have been some well known names that have received this prize such as Nelson Mandela and which was bequeathed by the Swedish Industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.

10. The Man Booker Prize -When it comes to this top 10 non sporting trophies and awards it is presented to one author who a committee feel has produced an outstanding novel in the English language. The people who are entitled to be nominated for this prize must prove to be a citizen of the UK, Commonwealth, Ireland and Zimbabwe. Yet even if an author does not receive this coveted prize they feel just as honored to be nominated for it.

These medals and awards are some of the most famous in the world at the moment. There are some trophies and awards which are a bit more crazy, for example those a trophy is often given to victors of crazy golf competitions which can be a lot of fun – however be warned some people take their crazy golf competitions seriously!