Gutted... Finally in H&H mag....but...................

[wildriding1]

Ok, I'm over the moon, finally got in H&H magazine this week after great success at Petplan area festival at Myerscough and after a big picture and write up, they have made a massive booboo, they called Vincent a gelding when infact he is entire!
Asked them if they could put a correction in next weeks publication and was told they don't do corrections?????????
This is quite important to me as we have a stud and he is a big part of our business, I know all publicity is good publicity but I can't help feeling very bitter sweet!!!!

 

[Spellbound13]

Thats a bit unfair when theyve made a mistake, and it might effect your buisness

 

[TheoryX1]

First of all congrats on being in H&H, but yes, bitter sweet. If its any consolation my daughter was on the winning Open Dressage Team at the PC National Championships last year. Had a lovely photo and a colum of write up about her personally. Her very pretty and obviously very femine looking mare was described as 'Fine Feathers, ridden by **, a very attractive, GELDING .......'. The journalist is a forum member, who did apologise me via pm profusely, but it wasnt the point.

At least you had a lovely photo, and he is a gorgeous boy by the way. My daughter got another mention last week in Starting Box for winning her section at Larkhill horse trials, and didnt even have a pic!

I guess we are all human at the end of the day and make mistakes.

 

[wildriding1]

Oh no how insulting for you!
I wouldn't be too bothered about it but it is damaging to our business, how many people might have considered using him next season if the word stallion was in the article instead of gelding, but now that thought will never enter their heads!
I even told the journalist that interviewed me that he combines stud duties along with competing and that he was bought to replace the Appaloosa stallion we lost!
Would happily pay a reduced rate advert for the stud if they offered that, but doesn't look very promising!

 

[TheoryX1]

I can totally see your frustration, as another business owner. Why dont you write to the Editor, or see if you can get your letter printed on the letters page. At least I dont make my living with horses, but that win was precious for her and our PC branch, and the cutting is something we will keep for her, plus I do remember telling the journalist at prize giving it was a MARE.

 

[maxie]

I would second the suggestion of writing a letter for the letters page. Maybe say something like you were delighted to be featured in the mag and would like to point out that your horse is a stallion and is at stud at XXX stud.

 

[maestro]

The mistakes in Horse and Hound are becoming legendary and shows how sloppy the magazine has become. The fact they wont correct their mistakes just shows how unprofessional they now are shame on them!

 

[jesterfaerie]

I have seen them make corrections in the mag before, most recently when they were coving the passing of John Whitaker's Randi they placed the wrong picture, I believe it was of one of his progeny (possibly Randi's Gold?) and the following week they had pointed out their mistake and apologised.
I do stand to be corrected if I have just imagined reading the correction, however if they are prepared to make one correction then surely they should honour all others, after all it is their mistake. Not to mention a mistake such as yours could possible affect your business!
Very unprofessional!

Well done for being in H&H

 

[TarrSteps]

First, well done.

Second, if I were you, I wouldn't leave it there. As above, they do correct information on occasion and I think you do have a better point than most. I can see why they don't want to get into corrections for reports - they'd do nothing but! - but in your case there is a significant business aspect. Perhaps you could make the point that their mandated is to support the UK horse industry and interfering in the promotion of a standing stallion is not particularly helpful . . .

A letter is a good idea. It might be worth writing a letter expressing your concern and what you'd like them to do about it, and then including a shorter "letter to the editor" without the complaining bit, setting out the information you'd like them to put in. Perhaps it's also worth asking if they'd do you a free ad. I can't imagine H&H would do that but sometimes if you ask for something big they're more likely to give you something small.

 

[Thistle]

You should def stand your ground asking for a correction.

I looked at the photo and thought oh no Vincents has been gelded, why?

 

[wildriding1]

That's a good idea Tarrsteps re promoting British breeding and a letter to the letters page aswell as the editor.
I will crack on with writing a letter this afternoon.
Thistle, that is exactly what I was scared would happen! Tell everyone you know that he hasn't been gelded, he is still available in all his glory!
Thanks for all your comments guys, Im glad it isn't just me that thinks this is out of order, I won't give up but please tell everyone you know of the mistake!!!

 

[amage]

i would say def write a letter to the editor but make it fairly lighthearted and not too critical of the mistake as there is a far greater chance of it being published! Also do not post letter on here before sending as then they will prob not post!

 

[meandmyself]

Who did you speak to? I'd keep ring back and ask to speak to the editor, explaining that it needs to be fixed because it's damaging your business. Good luck!

 

[xspiralx]

The mistakes in Horse and Hound are becoming legendary and shows how sloppy the magazine has become. The fact they wont correct their mistakes just shows how unprofessional they now are shame on them!

It is completely ridiculous! I had an advert put in twice in the wrong section, on two consecutive weeks - and every week I see countless mistakes of horses put in the wrong sections and typos all over the place.

There has surely got to be a job opening there for a decent proof reader - it is not rocket science after all!

 

[Vickijay]

I saw and wondered why he had been gelded too. Glad to hear he hasn't been!!

 

[rotters13]

I admit that must be quite annoying when he is part of a stud!

But re TheoryXI obviously that can't put a photo of everybody who wins anything in the magazine so really don't quite understand your point there?!

 

[wildriding1]

Success!!
Got the correction!!

 

[tigers_eye]

Excellent outcome, well done all!

 

[Tinks81]

your lucky you got a photo!! I wont he B&C Qualifier and Grade C qualifier within 5 days of each other last year and got nothing!! Then i even won the final and got a whole 5 lines and no pic

By the way the more you complain i then find that you dont get anything !!!!

 

[xspiralx]

your lucky you got a photo!! I wont he B&C Qualifier and Grade C qualifier within 5 days of each other last year and got nothing!! Then i even won the final and got a whole 5 lines and no pic

By the way the more you complain i then find that you dont get anything !!!!

There's a bit of a difference between complaining because of a potentially damaging factual inaccuracy, and complaining because you've got sour grapes that you didn't get a picture!

There are a lot of horses winning a lot of things and they can't have pictures of everyone - I can well understand them getting fed up if someone continually moans at them about it!

 

[Orangehorse]

Congrats on being in Horse and Hound.

Journalists don't seem to care much. I used to work in a PR department and if I sent any pictures I carefully labelled them with the appropriate name on the back - but mostly they got them wrong anyway! Papers are today's news and tomorrow's chip papers, but people do remember if you appear in print.

 

[Tinks81]

There's a bit of a difference between complaining because of a potentially damaging factual inaccuracy, and complaining because you've got sour grapes that you didn't get a picture!

There are a lot of horses winning a lot of things and they can't have pictures of everyone - I can well understand them getting fed up if someone continually moans at them about it!

So out of 6 MAJOR things i won i never got anything - oh and most of the details they put in the right up were wrong too! Should i just shut up then and not say anything? Its fine because i now refuse to do interviews with them as 99% of information they write is wrong so what is the point in me wasting my time - they will just put in what they want

Lets just say they wouldnt get details of certain other people wrong would they and i bet these are the people that dont even buy the magazine!