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For
The Record Chris Brune, Editor; Barrie Reightler, Designer Summer 1999 |
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"I work with a 19-year-old student who is my mentor in many ways and I urge you to encourage young people that this is an industry that is growing and worthwhile to pursue a career in." Mary Hathaway Phelps Corporate Member "Once again I leave the AHP seminar with my mind filled with ideas that have either saved me money or made me money or made my life or my employees lives more effective or efficient." Rob Banner "We are the communicators of the industry and the more communicators we have as members, the stronger the industry will be." Pat Doennig "I belong to other press organizations, but this is the conference I come to because I get the most out of it." Laurie Cerny "AHP has an amazing program for students. It is not often that you are able to have all your mentors and role models captive in one room and get to meet the expertise in the industry. Twenty days out of college and this was the best graduation gift my parents could have given me to meet with you all again." Stephanie Lynn Church, 1998 Student Award Winner "To put together a really valuable program requires everyone in the organization's input and involvement." Susan Harding "I always feel that I'm taking home something that benefits me and the seminar costs about 1/10th of other publishing seminars I attend." Carl Mullins
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Contents:
Rob Banner, newly elected president
of AHP, shown Startled publishing professionals attending the recent AHP Music City Seminar put aside business for an evening, as they were entertained by Wynona, Steppenwolf, Garth, Willie, Shania and - say hallelujah - Elvis. But, more about this miracle later. First, let's get down to business. AWARD PRESENTATIONS HIGHLIGHT BANQUET Winners in American Horse Publications annual awards competition were announced at the banquet on May 22, 1999. A record audience of over 125 attendees were on hand to recognize excellence in editorial content, design, photography, illustration, specialty publications, new media and general excellence. The coveted General Excellence Award is presented to publications who fulfill their statement of purpose and show excellence in editorial content and design. In recognition of this achievement in equine publishing, the awards were presented by an individual who has achieved her own brand of excellence in the equine industry. 1999 Miss Rodeo America, Shelly Williams. General Excellence in the newsletter category went to TTEAM UP With Your Horse, a bimonthly newsletter for Linda Tellington-Jones enthusiasts published by PRIMEDIA Equine Group. Owner-Breeder and TBH MarketWatch received honorable mention. General Excellence in the Tabloid/Newspaper category went to Thoroughbred Times, a newsweekly magazine of Thoroughbred racing published in Lexington, Kentucky. Quarter Horse News and Steeplechase Times received honorable mention. Winning the General Excellence award for Association Magazine was The Quarter Horse Journal, the official publication of the American Quarter Horse Association, published monthly in Amarillo, Texas. Honorable mention certificates were presented to The Blood-Horse and Paint Horse Journal. A new General Excellence class was offered this year for State or Regional Publications. The winner was Ohio Thoroughbred, a quarterly magazine for Thoroughbred owners and breeders in Ohio. In Gate Magazine and StableViews received honorable mention. In the category for Self-Supported Magazine with circulation under 15,000, the winner was The Gaited Horse, a quarterly magazine about gaited breeds published by 4 Cadence in Elk, Washington. Honorable mention was presented to Arabian Horse Times and Horse World. EQUUS won the General Excellence for Self-Supported Magazine with circulation 15,000 and over. The monthly magazine on horse health care, training and behavior is published by PRIMEDIA Equine Group. Honorable mention was awarded to Horse Journal and The Whole Horse Journal, both published by Belvoir Publications. Member publications achieving multiple honors in a variety of categories included The Blood-Horse with 14 awards, Arabian Horse World, Paint Horse Journal and The Horse with 9 awards each, and Arabian Horse Times, The Chronicle of the Horse and Horse & Rider with 8 awards each. Corporate members placing in this year's competition included Idea Flight, Inc. with a first and second in Advertising Campaign as well as a second in Corporate Advertisement, Pfizer Animal Health with a first in Corporate Advertisement, and Phelps/Hathaway Enterprises with an honorable mention in Equine Website. Click here for complete details on all award winners. STUDENT AWARD WINNERS RECOGNIZED Two college seniors win 1999 AHP Student Award For the first time in the seven-year history of the American Horse Publications Student Award Contest, there were two winners. Summer Ann Best of Wauchula, Florida, and Laura Denissen of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, were named 1999 Student Award Winners. Summer and Laura each received a cash award of $500 plus an all-expense trip to AHP's annual meeting and seminar in Nashville, Tennessee, where they had an opportunity to meet leading equine publishing professionals and discuss career possibilities. College students pursuing a career in equine publishing are eligible to compete for the AHP Student Award. Applicants are scored on the following criteria: academics, relevant experience, skills/abilities, presentation of materials, and career goals/assertiveness. The Student Award Contest is designed to award the student who scores the highest overall. In the case where two students score equally as well and are pursuing two different areas of publishing, the Student Award Chairman can recommend awarding both students. This year, the Student Award Committee approved awarding the honor to Summer, whose career interest is in journalism, and Laura, who is pursuing a career in advertising or marketing. Summer Ann Best attends the University of Florida in Gainesville, where she majors in magazine journalism and minors in English. Horses have kept her busy for more than 15 years. She wrote, "As a child, I used to trot our Shetland Pony all over the farm, yee-hawing and kicking her brown belly with my plastic boots until ol' Pepper finally decided to gallop for me. We pretended to be outlaws. I told everybody I was going to be a cowboy (or an Indian) when I grew up." A few years later, she changed her mind. Horse shows became her passion in junior high and high school, and she worked closely with a trainer on weekends and holidays, schooling horses in return for riding lessons. She competed at the American Quarter Horse Youth Show three times and was honored in the Top Ten each year on horses that had received very little outside professional training. In her pursuit of a career in equine publishing, she has taken steps to reach her goal by freelancing equine stories and by interning last summer at The Way To Go, the magazine for the National Snaffle Bit Association. This summer, she is interning for three months at the Paint Horse Journal. Laura Denissen has graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, where she majored in journalism with a public relations emphasis. She began riding at age five. She says the most valuable lessons she has learned have come from horses. She has jumped, ridden hunt seat, dressage, western, and most recently, saddle seat. She has also successfully shown Quarter Horses, Morgans and Warmbloods. Unable to bring her horse along with her to college, she has tried to keep as involved as possible during the past four years. Whether exchanging work for lessons, assisting trainers, creating brochures for area farms or researching and writing articles for the newspaper, her interest in the equine industry has never faltered, rather it has expanded. She has recently taken a position with Quantum Leap, an Internet Ad Agency in Chicago, where she works on the MSNBC and Microsoft accounts. Her ultimate goal is to acquire an advertising or marketing position in the equine industry and to continue her education by way of seminars, clinics and graduate school. STUDENT AWARD FUND AUCTION RAISES NEARLY $8,000 The 1999 Student Award Auction, which benefits American Horse Publications Student Award Fund, raised $7,866 thanks to the generosity of AHP members who donated and purchased over 50 different items at this year's event. Proceeds from the silent and live auction and raffle benefit the Student Award Fund, which rewards a college student pursuing a career in equine publishing with a cash award and an all-expense-paid trip to the annual AHP meeting. For the first time in the contest's seven-year history, AHP awarded two Student Award Winners, Summer Ann Best of Wachula, Florida, and Laura Denissen of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Items donated included a variety of jackets, gift baskets, books, horse products, and equine gift items. A bronze reproduction of a Han Dynasty horse was donated by the Kentucky Horse Park, where Imperial China, the art of the horse in Chinese history, will be exhibited from May through August, 2000. Another item from China, which was hand-carried from Xian by Susan Harding, was a beautiful painted Chinese fan. The highest-priced item sold was a full page color ad purchased by Jim Williams of J. L. Williams Company, who also won the award as the "Big Spender." The auction wouldn't be possible without the support of the donors, many who sent items even though they didn't attend the seminar: Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort; American Farriers Journal; America's Cutter and America's Barrel Racer; Appaloosa Journal; Mark Miller of Arabian Nights; Susanna Brandon of Beaux Chevaux Soaps; Belvoir Publications; Breyer Animal Creations; NCHA; Pat Doennig and Lua Oas Southard of Equine Resources International; Exhibitor Laboratories, Van V. Brown III and Ron Cooper; Grand Meadows Nutritional Products; Horse & Rider; Horse Illustrated; Horseman's Corral; Morgan Lightfoot; Kentucky Horse Park; Life Data Labs; Lindsay Serrell of Maverick Press; Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred; Paint Horse Journal; Pfizer Animal Health; PRIMEDIA Equine Group; Susan Harding; Riding Instructor; The Blood-Horse; Rob Banner of The Chronicle of the Horse; The Equine Marketer; The Horse, Kim Herbert; The Quarter Horse Journal; The Sentinel; The Whole Horse Journal; Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse; Western Horseman Magazine; Whitman Saddle Manufacturing; Laurie Cerny; and Tracy Gantz. Sponsors deserve our thanks American Horse Publications would like to recognize the following sponsors for their contributions to the success of this year's Music City Seminar. Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
Awards Celebrity Presenter Sponsor
College students, who will be juniors or seniors at the start of the 2000-2001 college year with at least one semester before graduation, and who are actively pursuing a career in equine publishing, will be eligible to compete for American Horse Publications 2000 Student Award. Applications will be available in January. The next AHP Annual Meeting and Seminar is scheduled for May 17-21, 2000, in the Dallas, Texas, area, where the association will celebrate its 30th anniversary. The first-ever Pfizer Star Search attracted a number of AHP member participants. The contestants, who had selected their favorite music personalities, performed live before a rather surprised, but encouraging, audience on Friday night. The audience, dressed in country and western attire, hooted and hollered for their favorite "star." Emcee Steph Stephens introduced each "star" and along with DJ Mad Dog kept up a fast-paced dialogue with the celebrities. Leading off the entertainment was the King himself, Elvis Presley AKA Rob Banner, The Chronicle of the Horse, singing "Heartbreak Hotel" garbed in a resplendent black costume complete with late-in-life paunch and a belt buckle the size of a watermelon. Next, Doug Hayes, The Quarter Horse Journal, with braids, bandanna and beard, wowed the crowd with his rendition of Willie Nelson's "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain." Deborah Taylor, University of Kentucky Equine Research Service & Report, donned a wig of big red hair, strapped on a guitar, and belted out the song, "It's A Girl's Night Out," as the one and only, Wynona Judd. Decked out in black leather, Greg Jay of Greg Jay & Associates, played the role of "bad boy biker" to the hilt as he sang his version of Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild." All that was missing was the Harley. And then sexy Shania took the stage as Kim Herbert, The Horse, reminded the men that "If you're not in it for love, I'm out of here." The second half of the star search continued with Carl Mullins, Quarter Horse News, performing Garth Brooks' rousing sing-along, "Friends in Low Places," followed by California Horsetrader Warren Wilson's wife, Lori, who demonstrated her singing talent with a Bonnie Raitt song, "Thing Called Love." The Grand Prize and a Pfizer commemorative jacket was won by Lisa Kucharski, the daughter of Sandy Kucharski of The Sentinel, who had begged her mom to let her sing her favorite cowboy song. Dressed in a cowgirl outfit and without music, Lisa sang several verses and stole the show. Certificates were presented to Rob Banner for Best Costume; Greg Jay for Best Impersonation; and Doug Hayes, for Best Vocalist. Entertainment was also provided by AHP members not competing in the Pfizer Star Search. Steph Stephens sang a song she wrote especially for the AHP Music City Seminar to the tune of Dolly Parton's "Here You Come Again." Kim Herbert returned to the stage to recite a cowboy poem she wrote. And sponsor, Dan Kramer of Pfizer Animal Health, sang his rendition of "Born To Be Wild," and drew a gathering of groupies to the stage. The Grand Finale included the entire cast of "stars," with lots of audience participation, singing "I'm From The Country." A special thanks goes to Deb Taylor, chairman of the Entertainment Committee and, to all our "Singing Stars"...for providing an entertaining and unforgettable experience. Rumor has it that several AHP members have already begun practicing for a Pfizer Star Search 2. INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS PROBE KEY ISSUES Wrapping it up in Nashville, AHP members spent Saturday afternoon in Nashville participating in four interactive workshops. Since the sessions were held concurrently, with a 5 minute break every half hour, members could choose to switch between groups or elect to focus on one. On Sunday morning following breakfast, the highlights of each workshop were presented. NEWSLETTER WORKSHOP - Laurie Cerny (for G.W. Hall) Tips for mailing your newsletter ·. Keep in contact with local post office. ·. Make sure you leave enough space for return address and mailing label area. Crowding type may cause your newsletter to get pitched. ·. Check on new guidelines for tabbing. Tabbing has been switched from one in the middle to two at both ends. Advice for your online newsletter ·. Since your newsletter is subscriber-based, do not put your entire newsletter online. ·. Use e-mail messages to pull people into the topics. ·. Use your website to list your newsletter's table of contents or for ordering back issues. Common newsletter design mistakes ·. Poor writing ·. Over design using excessive artwork (subscriber doesn't want to pay for a page filled with a photograph, they want information) ·. Too much type ·. Cutsy stories which can wipe out your credibility ·. Sloppy layout and/or printing (even small things like not paying attention to margins) The top five things that will pull your readers in ·. Headlines ·. Photo captions (4 out of 5 readers skim the headlines and captions, but fewer than 5% read the body copy all the way through till the end) ·. Pull quotes ·. Bold type ·. Standard body copy (the part you spend the most time is last) Essential elements of good newsletter copy ·. Clarity and brevity (keep it short) ·. Rhythm - choose the version that sounds best read out loud ·. Avoid clichés and too much humor ·. Add a person to make readers feel that they can relate to the story (for example, use a quote). Contact G.W. Hall at nlf@mindspring.com. CIRCULATION WORKSHOP - Gene Sittenfeld The circulation workshop was interesting. As the sessions progressed, different people entering and exiting changed both the subject relevance and the atmosphere. The topics were straightforward. The discussions were not. The importance of testing different things: prices, mailing times, the promotional materials, and the offer were discussed. Also important was the idea that publishers look at some circulation reports to see the trends in their circulation file. As the Internet grows and changes, circulation so far has been simply a vehicle to take orders. Now it is becoming a great way to get subscribers some "added value" by having a preferred subscriber section featuring early access to the current issue, back issue text or something that the casual web surfer does not get. A free subscriber must be informed at the very beginning of any subscription how long they are going to be getting a free copy...then you must use a type of renewal series to convert the reader to paid status. As newsstand and single copy sales lag industry-wide, it becomes more important to contain expenses and use research to find out where the competition sells well. While the single copy source used to be a profit center, this area is at best marginal for profits, but still can be used for publicity and as a vehicle to pick up new subscribers. The audit discussion uncovered some members that were considering joining an audit bureau to pressure their competition into having to reveal their true readership, along with other members who were just looking to learn the basics. Summarizing the circulation duties, I stressed that customer service and list prospecting are the two most important duties for a circulation director. I'll share with you my secret for the successful publication: A vital or unique editorial product that fills a unique need that you effectively communicate to the right people. As someone who sees and works with many trade publishing groups, yours is a special mix of people and publications. Contact Gene at gsdm@prodigy.net. PUBLISHING IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM - Stacy V. Bearse Publishing in the new millennium is really publishing in the new economy. We divided the workshop into three areas. 1. Understanding the new economy, agreeing that there is a new economy, and looking at the electronic invasion that is the catalyst for this new economy. 2. Sales and marketing in the new economy 3. Advancing our careers in the new economy. We agreed that we can't avoid changes and that if the economy is changing it is changing for all of us. It is the ocean in which we swim. Just as the fish swimming in the ocean can't change the temperature of the ocean, or the salinity of the ocean, or the currents in the ocean; if those things change, the fish has to change or it dies. We as businesses swim in our economy and if we don't change while the economy is changing, we will die. Understanding the new economy. What characterizes the new economy? Yesterday's economy cherished the status quo. Tomorrow's economy cherishes change. Yesterday's economy honored standardization. The new economy rewards customization. Decisions in the old economy were made top down. Decisions in the new economy are distributed throughout the organization. The old economy was regional or national. The new economy is global. In the old economy we looked for people with skills -- a carpenter, a plumber, a mechanic. In the new economy, that's not good enough, you have to be a lifelong learner. Basically the old economy rewarded security...you worked for a company for 40 years, you got your gold watch. The new economy is not going to reward that. The new economy is not what have you done for me yesterday, but what are you doing for me today and it rewards risk taking. Sales and marketing in the new economy. We tried to relate some of these changes to publishing. In discussing sales and marketing, we talked about an audience versus a community. Publications have audiences...it's one way communication and our audience is pretty static. We send a print communicator that audience and we get some letters to the editor back and run a small portion of those, but that is the extent of the feedback. A community, on the other hand, is dynamic and interactive. In sales and marketing, we bid the pros and cons of making the multimedia sale. Everyone seemed to agree that print will remain our core business for the foreseeable future. So we concentrated on how the synergy between traditional and new media could bring powerful new marketing opportunities for our clients. We got off on a bit of a dangerous tangent in that we began to look at new media for the good of our companies. Really, everything we do must be approached from the perspective of our clients. How will this new media increase our clients opportunity? By doing this, we will strengthen our companies. We took a look at reasons for advertising. You know the 50 classical reasons why people advertise. Then we tried to develop a multimedia strategy for several of the marketing rationales. We touched on the importance of retraining our staff. Can old dogs learn new tricks? Our conclusion was they better. We talked about the importance of a consultant's sale, a missionary sale. We really need to retrain our clients. We heard Morgan Lightfoot say that 80% of his business will be computer-to-plate in two years. How in the world are your advertisers going to cope with that if you don't train them? It's our responsibility. Printers are driving us in this direction. This opportunity gives us a reason to talk to every one of our clients. You know how difficult it is to make a sales call. Here is a master global reason to talk to every one of your clients about how the economy and the printing processes are changing. Let's find our clients new solutions for the new millennium and new ways to fit our books into their lives. Advancing our careers in the new economy. Relative to our careers, we talked about global change equaling personal opportunity. In a static environment, you have to make your own change, but when the change is all around you, it presents incredible opportunities if you can find the right area. The faster the change, the greater the opportunity. We thought about what Phyllis Pennington taught us about taking action photos. She said to look at the lay of land, watch the horse you want to photograph and how it jumps, and then plan what kind of shot you want take. Have a shot in your mind before you take it. Based on your examination and planning, be in the right place at the right time. Don't be in front of the horse. Whether you stand one foot to the left or one foot to the right, you're going to get the precise angle you want to get the shot that you planned. Then, it's a matter of timing and action. You listen, you time your shot, you push the shutter. It may be the same with our careers. We look at the industry, the way it's going. We plan our role and where we want to participate. We position ourselves in the right place and then it's a matter of timing and action. We thought about an analogy of paddling a canoe down the river where we're always looking for the ripples in the water that tell us this is the fast part of the river and we're trying to align our boat with that part of the river unless we're not interested in going quickly. Several participants shared personal examples that illustrated that career advancement is seldom in a straight line and given the change and the uncertainty of the future our careers will never be straight lines. The path to a more satisfying career is often very indirect with plenty of detours and diversions. But interestingly, the people who embraced life-long learning skills and were able to find the elements of the detours that taught them something, were the people who were doing very well. Contact Stacy at sbearse@bloodhorse.com. FREELANCER WORKSHOP - Jennifer Bryant The workshop was a continuance of many of the issues discussed during the freelancer panel, which preceded the workshop. In preparing for both the general session and the workshop, Jennifer surveyed many freelancers and editors on their feelings about the freelancer and editor relationship. The sidebars, which are included, list their responses to provide you with the concerns each side brought to the table in the workshop discussions that followed. Getting the most from your freelancers. Editors commented on the importance of developing and maintaining good ongoing relationships with their freelancers. Freelancers were surprised to discover how valued a good freelancer was to the editor. Regarding assigning articles, it was recommended to select a freelancer who has knowledge of the subject, discipline or breed. Several editors suggested that when working with a new person, spell out the assignment in writing, request an outline from the freelancer, and develop checkpoints to make sure the story is on track. Long standing relationships would make some of these formal steps unnecessary. Care and feeding of freelancers. Small publishers, who have little or no budget for freelance work, asked what they could offer. Target people who are trying to break into the business, who will value a photo credit or byline and the published clips for their portfolio. To keep freelancers happy, thank them by phone or email for a good job. Since many freelancers work in isolation, positive feedback can really make someone's day. Recognize the freelancer's accomplishments with a letter or certificate. AHP provides a certificate of achievement to the publication to give to the winning author or photographer. Be sure to send clips of their published work. Refer a good writer to another publication. Breaking into new markets. It's easier to break into smaller publications such as regionals, newsletters or local newspapers. Be willing to take a small assignment. Deliver your assignment on time, accurately, and in an easy-to-process format. Make yourself accommodating. How to deal with editors. Editors said they welcomed queries, but because editorial calendars are sometimes planned once a year, they suggested that freelancers send a email to ask the best time to submit their story ideas. They also emphasized that the freelancer should be familiar with the publication before contacting them to make sure that the story idea is appropriate for their readership. Most editors were willing to send a sample issue and writers guidelines on request. If you're good, you're valuable. Freelancers with a proven track record for delivering great work on time and needing little or no editing may have the ammunition for asking for a rate increase. Most editors felt that within their budgetary constraints, they would try to do what they could for freelancers who fell into this category. For some reason, good freelancers don't seem to ask. Contracts and rights. This was the most controversial discussion because of the Internet. Surprisingly, the majority of editors represented in the session said they only buy first North American serial rights and they weren't trying to buy all rights, which most freelancers don't want to sell. Some editors expressed willingness to do some negotiating even if their publication's standard contracts stated they buy all rights. Some freelancers had issues with their material being put on the Internet or reprints being sold without their knowledge. Freelancers need to let people know when they see this happening to make them aware that they did not have permission to do so. All parties need to be knowledgeable of copyright laws and should have a written contract to protect both parties. Editors said they would have no objection to the freelancer sending then a short letter recapping what the assignment was, what the focus is to be, word length, subject matter, deadline, the rights that are being sold, terms of payment, on acceptance or on publication, and whether any expenses are to be covered. A couple freelancers mentioned that they had received requests from editors not to write for competing publications. A valid case for exclusivity might be a column that a freelancer was writing for your magazine that you wouldn't want to see a similar column in a competitor. Several editors mentioned that it didn't bother them to see their freelancers writing feature articles for other publications, but one said they had requested that a writer they really valued not write for a competing magazine and was willing to compensate the freelancer for their request. Another said that if they publish a freelancer on the masthead as a contributing writer, they did not want that freelancer writing for a competitor. Maximizing those story dollars. Several tips for editors -- especially useful for small publications and start-ups -- on finding inexpensive or free stories or photos were suggested. Cooperative extensions often put out press releases on horse health and horse care that can be used for free. Green Grass Syndicated Features offers reprints of features and horse health care articles for only $15 each. These reprints, usually by well-known writers, have been previously published, many in large national magazines. Freelancers can maximize their story dollars by selling reprints, such as through a syndicate, or by reslanting a story with a regional or local focus and reselling it to a regional publication or local newspaper, even one that is not horse-related, but the subject is of local interest. Contact Jennifer at flynride@snip.net. AHP TAKES A MAJOR STEP Note: The following is a recap of the minutes of the General Membership meeting held on May 21, 1999 in Nashville, TN. President Lua Oas Southard called the meeting to order and expressed how proud she is to represent this organization of 242 members which serves almost three million readers. "We have so much opportunity to make changes that can really effect our horse industry and to be able to represent this group is quite an honor," she said. "A quick look at AHP's growth pattern shows that in 1993, we had 101 members, in 1995, we had grown to 160, in 1997, we were up to 199, and today, we have 242 members. It's pretty phenomenal and we appreciate everybody's input." A motion was made by Carolyn Capone to accept the minutes from the June 26, 1998, general membership meeting in San Diego, California, as published in the September/October 1998 issue of AHP For the record. A.J. Mangum seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Executive Director's Report. Executive Director, Chris Brune, reported that Nashville is the largest attended seminar, the awards contest had the largest number of entries, AHP membership is at an all-time high, and the association is very sound financially. She mentioned that our fiscal year ends on June 30 and a year-end report will be published in the next newsletter. She noted, "AHP is in better shape than we have ever been and we are ready to go forward into the new millennium with some very exciting proposals." Chris announced that the Membership Directory was delayed in order to include recent new members and will be mailed by June 30. She reminded everyone that the website is updated monthly to keep new members and address changes current throughout the year. She urged members to use this tool to provide continual access to what's going on with the association. Elections. Nominating Committee Chairman and Immediate Past President, Darrell Dodds, presented his committee's recommendations for the 1999-2000 Officers and Board of Directors. Committee members included past presidents, Susan Harding, PRIMEDIA Equine Group; Nancy Lee Comer, The Chronicle of the Horse; Jim Jennings, The Quarter Horse Journal; and Kathy Mezick, Horseman's Corral. The Nominating Committee's recommendations were as follows: President: Robert L. Banner, The Chronicle of the Horse First Vice-President: Warren Wilson, California Horsetrader Second Vice-President: Barrie Reightler, Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Executive Members: Frank Lessiter, American Farriers Journal Doug Hayes, The Quarter Horse Journal/The Quarter Racing Journal Immediate Past President: Lua Oas Southard, EquiSource (non-voting) Directors: Sue Copeland, Horse & Rider; Carl Mullins, Cowboy Publishing Group; Carolyn Capone, NSBA's The Way To Go; Deborah Taylor, Equine Research & Service Report; Stacy Bearse, Blood-Horse Publications; Dean Hoffman, Hoof Beats. Since there were no further nominations from the floor, Lua asked for a motion to accept the Nominating Committee's recommendations. A.J. Mangum made the motion, Deb Taylor seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. Bylaw Revisions. Stacy Bearse, chairman of the New Media Committee presented a series of proposed amendments to the Association Bylaws. "Our friendly little club is really a legal corporation," began Stacy, "and we have bylaws and bylaws have to be voted upon whenever they're changed. At a meeting yesterday, the Board of Directors agreed to make several changes to the bylaws. You have a copy of the long and grueling language, but let me tell you what it means. "First of all, the Board would like you to vote to let Affiliate members serve on the Board of Directors and serve as Officers of this Association. This recognizes the importance of the freelance community, of the writers, photographers, and consultants who are members of our Association. "Secondly, the Board would like you to encourage the participation of aspiring publishing professionals by creating a Student membership category. "Next, we'd like you to help us recognize the globalization of publishing by creating an International membership category. International members could not serve on the Board, nor could they be Officers, but they could participate in all our activities. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we had 10 or 20 colleagues from Asia, Europe, or the Middle East join us at our meetings. I think we could learn a lot from them. "To recognize the growing influence of the new media, we are recommending to you that you vote to open up an Electronic Publications membership category. I want to note that this category is very carefully crafted. Just as not all publications are the same, not every web site is the same. Paper publications are relatively easy to judge. You can hold them in your hand; you can look at a circulation statement. But as they say in web land, web sites are virtual. You really have to be there and look at it to see what it is. So if you read the amendment, you'll see that application for this type of membership would be referred to a committee. The committee would examine the web site and see if it met the criteria set forth in the Bylaws. If it did, we would extend Electronic Publication membership. "Finally, there is a small change to clear up an area of confusion between Affiliate members and Corporate members. Corporate members no longer have to be incorporated." Since there was no further discussion from the membership, a motion to accept the proposed Bylaws Amendments was made by Warren Wilson and seconded by Barrie Reightler. The motion passed unanimously. Lua announced that officially AHP now has six categories of membership: Publication members, Affiliate members, Corporate members, Student members, International members and Electronic Publication members. 2000 Seminar. Chris reported that she is currently looking into the Dallas/Ft. Worth area to find a hotel property that can accommodate our group for the Texas 2000 seminar. Dates selected were May 10-14, 2000. Note: These dates have since been changed to May 17-21 to avoid a conflict with Mother's Day. Chris reported, "Because this will be AHP's 30th anniversary, plans are being considered to hold a four-day seminar, which would include possible tours of nearby equine facilities. Warren Wilson is the Chairman for the Texas 2000 Seminar and other members in the Texas area are going to help, but it is very important throughout the year that members let us know the sessions that you would like to see on the program. If members have any suggestions for speakers or activities, please contact Chris or Warren. A lot of the things that are on the Nashville program were the result of member input." Committees. Lua asked anyone who wanted to volunteer for any of the following committees to see the chairperson of that committee. Membership Review: Frank Lessiter ·. Newsletter: Chris Brune and Barrie Reightler ·. Budget: Rob Banner (Board Members only) ·. Promotions: Dean Hoffman ·. Student Award: Barrie Reightler ·. Internship: Lua Oas Southard ·. Sponsorship: Carl Mullins ·. Texas 2000 Seminar: Warren Wilson ·. Awards Contest: Lua Oas Southard ·. Nomination Committee: Lua Oas Southard (Past Presidents only) ·. New Media: Stacy V. Bearse ·. Trade Show: Doug Hayes ·. Benefits: Stacy V. Bearse The Benefits Committee is a new committee which will review additional member benefits such as 401K, health insurance plans, or any other benefits that can help members. As there was no further business, a motion was made, seconded and passed to adjourn the meeting. EDITORS MEET FREELANCERS: Note: At the Nashville seminar, Jennifer Bryant organized and moderated a spirited panel session on the relationship between publishers and freelance contributors. Comments submitted during this workshop follow, and are unedited for the sake of objectivity and world peace. - SVB What Freelancers Wish Editors Understood . . . "We can't drop everything to do an article that requires extensive research on a moment's notice. Quality takes time." "That when it comes to interviewing experts who are widely known and/or in demand, the more lead time, the better." "Since this is my livelihood and a full-time job, I have a number of clients and am usually booked six months ahead. When an editor calls with an assignment two weeks before the proposed due date, I have to say no, even when I'd love to do the piece." "To realize that the money they pay us has to cover not only a salary but overhead expenses and extra taxes. Also, I think it's incredibly important for editors to realize that, as independent writers, we must work for numerous magazines to make a living. And when we have a special niche as small as the horse industry, it's inevitable that we will end up working for competing magazines. Requesting exclusivity or that we not work for competing magazines severely limits our client base and, in the end, many of us opt to use pseudonyms to get around these political sensitivities. If editors realized that integrity and ethics are just as important to a professional, independent writer as to a staff editor, perhaps they would understand that we can easily work for competing magazines without giving up secrets and that, as professional writers, we are certainly capable of creating articles suited to each individual magazine, to help them preserve their unique tones and styles." "Lack of planning on your part does not justify an emergency on my part." "Never mind editors. They're not the problem; it's the publishers I'd like to address. They want their profits to stay the same or go up, so the squeeze gets put on the editorial side. Editorial staffs are stretched thin. Most magazines (I've been at this long enough to make this claim very confidently) have not raised their freelance pay rates for ten years or more, while advertising rates and subscription rates have risen. What does that mean? Freelance writers are subsidizing a high percentage of really marginal publications. I have almost 400 publications on my equine database. We would all be better off if there were only half that many so that freelance writers could be paid more and there was not as much competition for advertising dollars (or reader attention)." "Rewrites of articles are a hardship and should be compensated. I'm not referring to situations in which the writer screwed up and needs to fix the piece. I'm talking about additional topics being added to an article that has already been written." "When a story is submitted, it's hard to wait weeks to hear back about changes that need to be made quickly to make deadline. Once you've moved on to something else, the story gets a little cold and you have to clear your schedule and your mind to get back into it." "Images that they will not be using that are sitting around in their offices for months are lost income for me. I could be selling them elsewhere." "Speculative work is not good business; a guaranteed fee should be paid for assignments. Travel expenses, equipment, office management, and networking costs are all very real expenses. That 'emergency' request to meet a deadline requires a disruption of the daily schedule and increases expenses, which must be compensated. Editors and freelancers should be able to develop stories together, allowing the best effort to be put into them, for the best results." "It would be lovely if editors were better able to approach us as business associates rather than as hobbyists. . . . [W]e're an integral part of the partnership, yet sometimes we're treated very casually, as if there were always someone else willing to do our work for less money, in less time, for no more recognition than a free copy of the magazine. It can be very discouraging." . "Phone, mail, etc., expenses can wipe out small payments - -especially those by newspapers." "We need to retain the rights to our material and photos after they have been used once in the publication." What Editors Wish Freelancers Understood . . . "I'm a one-person staff; I do all the editing and copy editing and track down all the photographs, plus write several columns and a feature, so I am really busy and it's very hard for me to respond promptly. Also, I have little time to 'fix' articles that come in with parts (quotes, anecdotes, important points) missing." "That they should query us first before starting on a story. And that they should know our editorial policy and needs." "The importance of deadlines, the importance and scope of special considerations to horsekeeping." "Deadlines, and the fact that we are accountable for what they write if we publish." "Freelancers don't understand the long 'lag time' between when our copy deadline is and when the magazine actually hits the newsstands. They tend to know very little about the production process and the time involved in all those steps." "Freelancers in this market tend to be very, very good. No complaints." "The deadline drives all! If a freelancer has committed to a project, we depend on them." "That respecting word counts/copy length when submitting an article means that I'll have to edit it less!" The Freelancers' Vision Of The Ideal Editor . . . "She has a clear idea of what she wants in a story, is able to articulate that idea clearly, and shares whatever applicable information and leads she has on hand. Her requests for revisions are also clearly stated, and because we've developed a clear understanding up front, those revisions are nearly always minor. After she receives the piece, she doesn't change her mind about what it should be and then bounce it back for a (free) rewrite. She puts through invoices promptly." "No nonsense, fast, fair. Gives very detailed assignments and provides contacts with phone numbers." "Someone who is clear about the assignment: topic, deadlines, any special considerations and/or instructions. Someone who treats me as a valued part of the 'team' and recognizes the worth of my contributions. Someone who gives constructive criticism and positive feedback, who returns materials (photos, etc.) promptly, especially when they are historical photos that are borrowed for a specific article., and who is clear about the fee structure and payment methods." "Good editors willingly answer questions regarding preferred contacts (or even provide a list), other aspects of researching the story and slant/content, all to ensure that the finished piece is what they want and will not need excessive changes by either the editor or the freelancer. They treat you like a valuable part of the magazine's editorial team, not like a tool or a necessary evil." "Knows in advance what length they want and how many sidebars, etc. I like editors who are fair, who don't play games, who don't mistake ego for editorial savvy, who try to create win-win situations." "She is clear in her direction and encouraging when she knows she is taking you out of your comfort zone. She also respects the work in her editing, making it better without losing the writer's voice." "Is open to trying creative images. Returns work in a timely manner." "My favorite editor has been a freelancer herself, so she understands the issues that are important to me and my colleagues. She has consistently worked for better pay rates and conditions for the freelancers she uses." "If she has changed anything, she always sends author's proofs before going to press." The Editors' Vision Of The Ideal Freelancer . . . "She gets everything in on or before deadline and does a great job nailing down the specifics and getting great quotes and anecdotes. She hits all the important points I expected her to cover and she uncovers new information that is valuable to the piece and to our readers." "A person who knows our magazine and our editorial needs and who can contribute story ideas as well as accept assignments. A person who needs little direction in completing a story. A person who can take photos as well as write copy. A person who respects deadlines and who has no objections to editing." "A person who stands behind their work (can answer any questions raised), is flexible (without bending just to please the editor), and provides copy on disk or e-mail in a timely manner." "She's great with deadlines, writes her own heads and subheads, copy comes in very clean, and she helps with photo connections." Photographer: "Always sending in material from the most recent [events], sends in file photos . . . without requests. Looks for creative shots . . . that might be used for cover consideration. Has a great filing/archiving system for easy retrieval of previous work." "Well connected. Well respected. Our best freelancer is always on top of industry change, and reports developments to us accurately, immediately, and exclusively." "My best freelancer has a dual degree in journalism and equine science, so she knows how to write and she knows horses!" "An accomplished writer with plenty of interest to say to our readers." "On top of the news, prolific, always asks for and supplies photos, stories require minimum of editing, submits articles on time." "She's prompt and reliable. She gets me the whole package--manuscript, photos, sources." Affiliate member, Don Blazer’s, three books on horses, horse care, horsemanship and horse business are headed to college. Findlay College in Ohio, will be using Make Money With Horses in marketing discussions with equine business classes. Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix, Arizona, presented two courses based on Make Money With Horses and a course on Don’s newest book, Healthy Horses Seldom Burp! Nine Secrets of Perfect Horsemanship will be the text for a new community outreach program offered in the fall by the Equine Science Department of Scottsdale Community College in Arizona. All three books are available at tack and book stores or from Success Is Easy, 29025 N. 42nd St. Cave Creek, AZ 85331. Virginia Horse Journal received the 1999 Client of the Year Award presented by the Service Corps of Retired Executives Association (SCORE). Dean and Darlene Jacobson, owners as well as publisher and editor, were chosen over 300 SCORE cases in the last year. A new book written by Affiliate member, Audrey Pavia, entitled Horses For Dummies, was released in June. Published by IDG Books Worldwide, creators of the infamous For Dummies...series, Horses For Dummies is aimed at new horse owners and those who simply want to learn more about their favorite animal. The book has been endorsed by the Horse Industry Alliance and the ASPCA. For review copies, please contact Stacy Collins, IDG Books Worldwide, 312-482-8510, scollins@idgbooks.com; or Audrey Pavia at 714-695-1946, AudPav@aol.com. Kreitler Media Services has won first place in the marketing program/campaign category of the Connecticut Press Club’s 1998 Communications Contest for its editorial campaign on behalf of Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre. Kreitler Media Services provides writing and marketing services for small businesses and publishers. Bonnie Kreitler is also author of the award-winning 50 Careers With Horses! published by Breakthrough Publications. Jim Bret Campbell, former Senior Manager of Membership Services, has been named Editor of The Quarter Horse Journal. A graduate of Texas Tech University, Jim Bret has been with AQHA since 1997. Horse Illustrated has been named the "1998 Equestrian Publication of the Year by the American Horse Show Association. "We are extremely proud of our publication’s accomplishments over its 23 year history," said Moira C. Harris, editor of Horse Illustrated and editorial director of Fancy Publication’s equine division. "It is an honor to receive acknowledgment from such a prestigious organization, and we will continue to strive to bring the best information on horsemanship and sportsmanship to our readers." Fancy Publications’ equine division offers several titles for horse enthusiasts, including Young Rider, The Western Horse, Horses USA, Quarter Horses USA, Equine Athlete and Thoroughbred Times, in addition to its flagship publication, Horse Illustrated. The Arabian Horse Newspaper, a long time AHP member, announced their new web-site, www.arabianhorsenewspaper.com. The regional newspaper serves the South Central States and is the Region IX official newsletter. Stephanie Lynn Church, AHP’s 1998 Student Award Winner, and recent graduate, was hired as Assistant Editor of The Horse, in July. Congratulations, Stephanie! The American Quarter Horse Association claimed first and second place in one of the categories at the first-ever All-Industry Marketing (AIM) Awards created by the Western and English Marketing Association. AQHA earned the top prize in Events -- More Than One Day category with AQHA’s Ride ‘98 campaign created in-house by AQHA Marketing Services. Finishing second in the same category was the 25th Anniversary of the AQHA World Championship Show. Horse Directory, Long Island's Equine Newspaper, won the Society of Professional Journalists Award for Best Feature Story in a Specialized Publication. Horse Directory reporter Paula Rodenas was honored for her comprehensive article, "The History of Long Island Horse Racing" and was presented a plaque at the SPJ Awards Dinner on June 12. Among attendees at the annual awards ceremonies were journalists from The New York Times, Newsday, and other major media outlets. "We're thrilled to get the SPJ award and to receive the organization's recognition of our fine publication," said Horse Directory Publisher Lorraine LaFemina. "The award honors not only Paula Rodenas and our terrific editorial staff, but also the horse industry on Long Island." EquiSource, a monthly business newsletter for equine industry professionals published by Equine Resources International, LLC, was awarded first place for its achievements during the All Industry Marketing Awards (AIM Awards) ceremony held as part of the All Industry Conference in Colorado Springs, CO, June 6, 1999. The newsletter, which recently celebrated its one-year anniversary, is intended to bring up-to-date business information to professionals active in the manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing areas of the horse industry. "Winning first place in such a prestigious competition as the AIM Awards is a great honor," said EquiSource Publisher Lua Oas Southard. "With every issue we strive to provide useful business information for our subscribers. It's very exciting to be recognized for excellence in our field." The AIM Awards, which debuted this year and will be given annually, recognize outstanding achievements in publishing, marketing, advertising and promotion throughout the Western and English industries. The AIM Awards are sponsored by the Western and English Manufacturers Association (WAEMA) and the Western and English Retailers Association (WERA). Kent Hollingsworth, a lawyer, teacher, writer and former editor of The Blood-Horse, died May 26 at the age of 69. Kent served as editor and then publisher of The Blood-Horse from 1963-86 and was a regular attendee at AHP meetings during the association’s formative years. In recent years, he returned to the practice of law and served as a Distinguished Lecturer in equine law in the Equine Industry Program at the University of Louisville. A prolific writer, he authored five books, in addition to 25 years of articles, essays, and editorials. Christy West, a 1999 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Masters Degree in ag journalism, recently joined the staff of American Farriers Journal as Associate Editor. Christy has been an AHP Student Member since 1998. Congratulations! Do you have news you wish to share with AHP members? Send news releases and updates to AHP For the record, Chris Brune, Editor, 49 Spinnaker Circle, South Daytona, FL 32119; or fax (904) 760-7728 or e-mail AHorsePubs@aol.com. Industry News Horse Industry Alliance announces "SaddleUp America" In an effort to promote horseback riding and other horse-related activities, Horse Industry Alliance (HIA) has announced that it will host a unique event titled "SaddleUp America" slated for May of 2000. All activities during SaddleUp America will be hands-on experience for people with little or no horse experience, coupled with those who are very involved within the horse industry. SaddleUp America will be a multi-week celebration of horse-related events held in various locations throughout the United States. The event’s final day will be designated as National Horse Day. A grand celebration and closing ceremonies will be hosted by HIA in Fort Worth, Texas, to commemorate the day and wrap-up the month’s festivities. For more information, contact Larry Anton or Stacy Burnett, HIA, 817-246-7433. Equitana USA brings thousands to Louisville The consensus among performers, speakers, commercial exhibitors and visitors was that the 1999 Equitana USA was hands-down the best show yet. More than 600 horses and 49,262 visitors descended on Louisville for the fourth annual North American "World’s Fair of Equestrian Sports." Kevin Carlon named AHSA Executive Director Kevin T, Carlon, who was appointed acting Executive Director of American Horse Shows Association on February 19, has been confirmed as Executive Director of AHSA. Directors unanimously voted to confirm Carlon at one of the largest mid-year meetings of the AHSA Board of Directors in history held June 8, 1999, in the new Main Offices of the association at the Kentucky Horse Park’s National Horse Center. Regional Expo launched in California Equitana USA announced that EqWest, a regional show, will be launched in Del Mar, California, on November 19-21, 1999, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds near San Diego. EqWest is a regional event that will give West Coast horse lovers a taste of Equitana USA. EqWest will feature educational presentations, equine products and services exhibits, and an evening theatrical performance similar to The Mane Event. For more information, call 1-(888) HORSES-1. Nominate veterinarians for the class of 2000 Nominations are being accepted through January 31, 2000, for the 2000 class of the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame, which will be announced in the May/June, 2000, issue of American Farriers Journal. Submit nominations along with any supporting evidence of the nominees’ contributions to equine foot care to: American Farriers Journal, International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame, P. O. Box 624, Brookfield, WI 53008-0624; Fax: 414-782-1252; email: info@lesspub.com. New Member Profiles
Photo request If anyone has photos from the Nashville seminar or other past AHP events which they would like to share with other AHP members, please forward them to Chris. Warren and I are working on a creative multimedia project to celebrate AHP’s 30th anniversary. A decade late You've heard of things like this before -- but never dreamed it would happen to you. Well guess what, it happened to us. On May 19, 1999, we received in the mail from the U.S. Postal Service a copy of the 1989 Horseman's Connection of Oregon, published by Equine Connection, Inc. It was still in its original packaging, but was bent and torn -- and the envelope that the directory was in was covered in black stuff. It looked like it had been "through the wringer" so to speak. Yes, you are reading this right -- it took the directory a full decade to get to us. I think we might have gotten faster service with the Pony Express! Lua Oas Southard, Equine Resources International/EquiSource Handouts available Handouts on Negotiation Printing Costs, which were distributed during the session on "Production Challenges and Opportunities" at the Music City Seminar, are available. The session was given by Nick Elsener, Vice President, Production, PRIMEDIA Enthusiast Publications. To request a copy, contact: Chris Brune, American Horse Publications, at 904-760-7743 or AHorsePubs@aol.com. Staff Editor/Reporter: Leading international trade magazine for equine industry seeks editorial candidate with proven writing and editing skills in magazines/newspapers. Strong photography skills required; prefer candidates with Journalism degree and retail/business writing experience. Some travel. Forward resume with salary requirements to: Bill Poehler, editor; Tack 'n Togs Merchandising, P.O. Box 2400, Minnetonka, MN 55343. Fax (612) 930-4362. E-mail: bmcguinn@farmprogress.com. Seeks position related to the equine world. Currently holding the position as Marketing Manager for Pella Windows & Doors in West Caldwell, NJ. However, her ultimate goal is to combine her work with knowledge and love of the equine world. Willing to relocate along the East Coast. Involved with the equine world for 17 years and has learned everything from equine health to barn management. Currently owns a 7 year old who she’s training in Dressage and Hunters. Throughout college career she was Captain and President of the William Paterson College Equestrian Team, learning not only about the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, but also about recruiting and marketing of the team to the WPC students. Interned with Horse Show Magazine, gaining experience in many areas, but focused on the editorial and production end of the publication. Her marketing and organizational skills combined with knowledge of the equine world would truly make her an asset to any equine related establishment.Contact: Jennifer Naef, 124 Mountainside Drive, Randolph, NJ 07869; Phone: 973-328-0760. Outside sales representative for over 25 years who owns and trains horses wishes to represent the company in a positive way by showing and selling the products and services they are offering. For resume, contact: Ted Hanson, 13746 South Buckboard Cir., Riverton, Utah 84065; Phone: 801-254-7493; Fax: 801-446-0922; E-mail: tedhanson@uswest.net. 1998 Graduate of University of Kansas with Bachelor of General Studies. Computer skills in Windows 98, Word, Word Perfect, Access 97, Excel 97. Showed horses in hunter/jumper and competed nationally. For resume, contact: Lauren Bunting, 8900 West 124th St., #74, Overland Park, KS 66213; E-mail: lbunting@kc-primary.net. For more information on AHP or any of its programs, contact: [top of page] |
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