Guidelines for AHP Regional Gatherings

AHP Members gather at the EQUUS Film & Art Fest in Lexington, Kentucky in December 2019. Pictured l-r: Candace Rice, author; Sarah Evers Conrad, Horse Illustrated; Liz Moyer, United States Pony Club; Heather Wallace, author; Sabine Schleese, Schleese Saddlery; Carly Kade, author; Stephanie Brown-Beamer, Horse By Horse, Inc.; Carol Aldridge, Equine Office Solutions; Milt Toby, author; Kathleen Haak, Carriage Association of America; and Lisa Diersen, EQUUS Film Festival founder.

Plan a regional gathering of AHP members in your area

AHP Gathering Guidelines  [pdf]

Download AHP Gathering Submission Form  [pdf]

Please review the guidelines and submit the AHP Gathering Submission Form to Judy Lincoln (ahorsepubs2@aol.com).

  • Pick a date and time.

    • Provide date and time a few weeks prior to allow us time to promote the event. AHP will promote the event via the AHP e-list. Members are encouraged to bring staff members and/or a guest who may be a prospective member or an individual who members would be interested in meeting.
    • Time of day depends on what’s going on at the event or where the Gathering is held. Usually, one to two hours is sufficient, but this can be flexible.
  • Pick a location.

    • Gatherings held during an event attract more attendees if they are held during the event hours and on the event grounds. If the event has restricted access to the public, the host must provide instructions for attaining credentials or provide a complimentary press pass for members who live locally or are not attending the event. Several events require exhibitor badges or event sanctioned press passes to be admitted. In this situation, either state the Gathering is for event attendees only or hold the Gathering offsite at a nearby public facility such as a restaurant.
    • Gatherings held at restaurants or other venues need to be at a place that members can easily get to locally or from the event they are attending.
    • Past Gatherings have been held at trade events, horse shows, racetracks, and restaurants. Each location may require a slightly different setup or criteria.
    • There doesn’t need to be a presentation or sponsor.
    • All Gatherings are pay your own unless the host has arranged for a sponsor or provided complimentary food and refreshment.
    • Any free tours, passes, etc. are appreciated, but secondary to the social aspect of the gathering
  • Provide a contact cell phone number and email.

    • Hosts must provide a cell phone number for on-site texting/calls.
    • We’ve found that asking potential attendees to RSVP has worked really well.
  • Email a horizontal image of the event to help us promote your Gathering

  • Let us know how AHP can provide to support you. 

    • We can provide brochures on writing press releases if you would like them; otherwise it’s best to have a board member, past president, or veteran member present to answer questions about the organization and membership. Provide Chris Brune’s contact information for more in-depth inquiries. Please provide any specific requests you have.
    • With the Gatherings that have taken place to date, we’ve found that the social aspect of the meetup is what members enjoy most. Attendees are looking to meet members who live in their area, network with businesses, freelancers, and media members, catch-up with colleagues, and chat about horses and the media business.
  • Take a group photo of the people who attend and email to Judy at ahorsepubs2@aol.com.

    • Snap a few photos of those who attend so we can share it on social media.
    • Include a list of the names of everyone who attended. Identify those in the group photo.
  • Email Judy a brief note on how the Gathering went and any comments on how we can improve future Gatherings.