A memorial award has been unveiled in honour of a promising Angus jockey who was killed in a fire last year.

Jan Wilson, 19, and fellow apprentice jockey Jamie Kyne, 18, of Galway, Ireland, died after labourer Peter Brown set fire to their block of flats in Malton, North Yorkshire.

Peter Brown, 37, formerly of Aberdeen, was convicted of the manslaughter of the two jockeys at Leeds Crown Court after a 19-day trial last week.

Jan’s parents, Margaret and Drew, of Greenhead Farm, Rescobie, near Forfar, set up the Jockey Jan Memorial Fund to pay tribute to their daughter and have launched an award with the Pony Racing Authority to coincide with what would have been her 20th birthday.

The points based award is for riders participating in Northern and Scottish fixtures of the 2010 Charles Owen pony racing series and aims to encourage young riders to compete more often on the Northern circuit, which is where Jan enjoyed her career, and to help prepare them for a career in racing.

“The PRA board is proud and honoured to introduce the Jan Wilson Memorial Award, at a particularly poignant time for Jan’s family and friends,” said Rebecca Morgan, chief executive of the PRA.

“Her untimely death was a tragedy felt by all in racing and I hope pony racing can do her memory proud in offering this new award in her name.”

The rider accumulating the most points and winning the inaugural Jan Wilson Memorial Award will receive a perpetual trophy and personalised racing breeches, boots and saddle supplied by Gibsons Saddlers and P H Kingsley Ltd, and a placement at a trainer’s yard of choice and tuition at the Northern Racing College.

Margaret Wilson added: “Jan loved racing and I am delighted to offer our support to young riders like Jan starting out on their careers. If you want good jockeys we have to help them on the road. It was important to me that the award is something Jan would have wanted to win herself and I am sure she will be watching down on these young riders following their dream like Jan did.”

The Jockey Jan Memorial Fund has raised over £10,000 and supports projects including clubs the former Forfar Academy pupil was involved in.