Uddingston dancer's prize row over visa problems

Nov 26 2009 by Gary Fanning, Hamilton Advertiser

A RUSSIAN ballet dancer this week told how winning a £3000 top prize at Hamilton Park’s Ladies’ Night turned into a farce.

Anna Borisenko was jumping for joy after she won first prize in the best-dressed ladies competition at Hamilton Park’s Ladies’ Night in August 2007.

The 22-year-old, who lives in Uddingston, scooped a fantastic three-day trip to New York for two, staying in a three- or- four-star hotel.

The £3000 prize sponsored by Stewart Travel and Delta Airlines included flights and accommodation.

Anna was pictured winning her prize at the racecourse with Clyde 1 DJ Suzie McGuire, Martin Fry from 80s pop group ABC and representatives from Stewart Travel and Delta Airlines.

Anna was studying at the Vagnova Ballet Academy in St Petersburg and travelling between Scotland and Russia when she won the prize.

Because of her commitments, Anna and her then fiancee Peter Johnson (39) could only make the trip to New York in October last year.

But Anna’s dreams where shattered after the American embassy in London refused her a visa for the visit to the Big Apple.

Embassy staff said she didn’t have enough “strong ties” with Britain and might not return to the UK.

They refused to change their mind even though Anna showed them her diamond engagement ring and other documents in support of her visa application.

Peter, a internet marketer, then called Stewart Travel and told them that Anna had been refused the visa and asked for an alternative prize: either another holiday to Europe or within the UK.

But a Stewart Travel spokesman said they were enable to do that as Delta Airlines don’t schedule flights to Europe or within the UK.

As a goodwill gesture, Hamilton Park offered the couple dinner at the racetrack.

They turned down the offer because it was nowhere near the same value of the winning prize.

Anna and Peter met overseas several years ago.

They married at a registry office in Glasgow’s Park Circus on August 4 this year.

Anna entered the Ladies Night event after buying a £160 dress for the occasion.

She said: “I was absolutely delighted with the prize as I have never won anything before in my life and to come to a foreign country and win made me feel very welcome.

“I had never been to New York and, as I study ballet at the Vagnova Ballet Academy in St Petersburg, I was dreaming of visiting the theatres in Broadway.

“But when I was refused a visa for the US, I was devastated and cried the whole way home from the American embassy in London to Scotland.”

Anna added: “We contacted Stewart Travel and were told that there was no alternative prize.

“I didn’t even receive a bunch of flowers and I can’t express how disappointed I was.”

Peter added: “What is the point of winning a £3000 first prize and receiving absolutely nothing.

“Clyde 1 were sympathetic but told us to contact Stewart Travel, and it was a similar situation from organisers at Hamilton Racecourse.”

Roddy McPhee, senior manager at Stewart Travel, insisted the firm did all they could to accommodate the couple.

“The prize dates back to August 2007,” he said. “We were contacted by the lady’s partner who told us that she was a Russian national and didn’t speak very good English.

“We explained to him that Delta Airlines were providing the flights and they only departed out of airports at Manchester and London.

“We decided to extend the time limit to accommodate the couple.

“Delta Airlines began a new service to New York from Edinburgh Airport and it was thought that would be more convenient for the couple, so we decided to extend the time limit again for them.

“Our records show that the partner was unhappy that they were not being provided with spending money as part of the prize. But the prize stated clearly that it was flights and accommodation only.

“Delta Airlines were providing the flights and Stewart Travel were providing the accommodation – the money was up to the couple.

“We were then later told that there were problems with the winner getting a visa to America.

“The couple then wanted an alternative prize like a holiday in Europe or the UK.

“We weren’t obliged to offer them that as the tickets were supplied by the airline, and Delta Airlines don’t fly to Europe and the UK so it wasn’t possible.

“The prize had a time limit and we tried to be as accommodating as possible.

“It wasn’t our fault that the lady couldn’t get a visa and wasn’t able to take the prize.

“The prize was a genuine offer and we didn’t force anyone to enter it.

“If the woman didn’t qualify for the prize draw then she should not have entered the competition in the first place.”

A spokesman for Hamilton Park said: “Back in 2007 at Ladies Night our best dressed lady competition was won by Anna Borisenko and the first prize was a trip for two to New York, courtesy of our then sponsor Stewart Travel.

“Some two years later, shortly before the judging of our 2009 competition, Ms Borisenko’s husband informed us that there was a mix-up with his wife’s prize and we subsequently promised to look into it.

“That she is Russian and requires a visa to enter the United States is not the responsibility of the racecourse and the matter was referred to the travel company involved.

“As a gesture of goodwill however, our chief executive Vivien Kyles invited the couple and their friends to another racecourse event at the end of last season.”