Every little girl’s dream is to have a horse. I was no different. I remember begging my parents to let me go on pony rides at the county fair and dragging them to look at the horses in the barns. I dressed up as a cowgirl at Halloween and asked for horse models at Christmas.

Then, when I was around 10, my parents bought me my first horse. “Freckles” was my dream come true. She wasn’t beautiful, nor was she the ideal horse, but I loved her dearly. This first horse was the gateway to my passion and the beginning of a lifetime surrounded by horses.

With Freckles, and moving on to other horses, I participated in local open shows, 4-H, the All American Youth Horse Show and eventually on to the Quarter Horse shows. I loved every minute I spent doing it, but as my years as a youth participant dwindled, college loomed ahead. Eventually, my biggest fear happened. I was forced to stop showing horses until I could graduate from college. I showed in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association while a student at Ohio University, but it wasn’t the same and I missed showing my own horses.

I finally decided on a major, and aimed at writing for equine publications. My major, Recreation and Sports Writing, was tailored to fit the needs of many types of writing, but equine was where my heart was at. During the spring of my senior year, I began calling random equine magazines, hoping that someone would be able to give me a hint as to how to break down the mile-high wall that stood between my dream and me.

My Big Break
After countless phone calls, one editor told me about American Horse Publications and informed me that this is the best place to start. I called the Executive Director, Christine Brune, to get additional information. The organization, commonly known as AHP, is dedicated to promoting a better understanding and communications within the equine publishing industry. What I really liked was the ability the organization gave its members to network with one another and the opportunities that would be given to me as a student member.

After spending an hour on the phone with Chris, I was hooked and immediately jumped on the AHP bandwagon. The cost to join AHP was $25 for students. While talking with Chris about my career goals, she informed me about the various perks of memberships, such as the e-mail list-serv, the constant networking of professionals and the major event, the annual seminar.

My motivation started climbing. I had found the door to let me into the narrow field of equine publishing. What better way for me to achieve my goal of writing for an equine magazine than through this organization? And the seminar would be a good place to meet people and get my name out. Half of the work was already done. In my membership packet, a list of all the members and their publications were included, along with contact information – everything aspiring writers could possibly need.

The AHP Seminar
The annual AHP seminar, which was held in Lexington, Kentucky, in June, was a great place for me to go so that I could meet people in the business. I immediately packed my bags. The cost for students to attend the seminar was $125; it was probably the best money I have ever spent.

I arrived in Lexington nervous, anxious and incredibly excited. I had no idea what to expect. This was the first seminar I had ever attended, and I was the wide-eyed student amid many professionals. Luckily, I ran into one of only five other student members in attendance and we decided to take on the seminar together. Fellow student member Melissa Dymock and I quickly became good friends.

Approaching editors and journalists from the magazines I had read for years was the scariest aspect, but the most exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to them and picking their brains.

But AHP seminar isn’t a job fair; it’s more of an interactive workshop. Primarily, those who attend are professionals in the equine publishing industry, be it with magazines, books, newspapers, and photography; if it’s a horse in print, they can become a member. Those who attend are there to learn new tips on publishing, writing and photography and to network with their colleagues. The equine publishing industry spans the entire US, so many of these people seldom see each other; it’s a time for business and fun.

What I really noticed about the seminar were two main things: one, the people were amazing and two, the lack of students who attended, which is incredibly sad, considering the awesome time we have and the opportunities that arise from attending.

The People are Great!
Never have I met people who are so encouraging towards one another in such a competitive field. I was amazed. I asked as many questions as I could think of, cramming my head with information and ideas about what steps to take to become a successful writer. When editors and writers learned that you were a student, they really wanted to answer your questions; they really wanted to help us and listened as we spoke of our goals in the equine world.

According to Chris, AHP named its first Student Award winner in 1993 and the AHP Student Membership began in 1998. The student program is one that the executive members of AHP are most proud of, said Chris. The organization is striving to get more students involved and to get the word out about AHP, both in high school and in college. Today, there are 25 student members in AHP. Students who do become involved in the AHP have been very successful. Those students with ambition and dedication have found a career in equine publishing.

Each night of the conference, AHP held events that were sponsored by various businesses and showcased winners in publishing contests. It was a “Who’s Who of the Best.” During the Friday dinner, I met the founders of AHP, Arnold Kirkpatrick and Tony Chamblin. The two long-time friends were two of the six founding members of AHP. At its start in 1970, there were 20 members. They were amazed at the attendance at this year’s seminar, and at the total number of members, which totals 325 now.

The 2005 AHP annual seminar will be held in Seattle, Washington. I’ll be there, with my notebook and pen, ready to meet more great horse enthusiasts and to learn the newest tricks of the trade in the equine publishing industry.

Are you a student interested in becoming an equine journalist, photographer or marketing professional? Join American Horse Publications, and you’ll be well on your way! Visit www.americanhorsepubs.org for more information.