H&H WON'T PUT PARA TEAM ON FRONT COVER...

[armchair_rider]

H&H SHOULD have more on the paras than any other printed media given that it is an equestrian publication, published weekly and probably still the premier equestrian news outlet in the UK. Boasting about fulfilling your remit is pretty pathetic

 

[Lucy-Gizmo]

Actually I've been reading the Telegraph online reports as they seem to have done pretty well in terms of in depth coverage - considering how little information there has been out there they've done pretty well. The H&H online reports haven't been so hot so I haven't been clicking on them. Don't judge too much on the clicks, H&H - H&H is pretty much the sole source of info on Burghley so it's the only place people can go, whereas if somewhere else is doing better online reports on the paras readers will go there instead. T'interweb is a fickle place.

I have bought the other olympic issues of H&H and would have bought a celebration para issue. As all the results weren't in maybe the way to do it would have been to have a newsflash on the cover/in the mag this week with the headline results so far and the full report with a celebration cover next week. The problem is that if they make a big thing of next week's cover now after this fuss it will look like they are trying too hard.

This is very true - H&H say that they've done 8 pages, but some of the other equestrian titles have done more than that - in fact, one in particular I know has done two five-page features and I suspect they are planning to do more now the results are out because they did lots on the Olympics, too.

I think it's a huge shame that H&H made the decision to put Burghley on the cover, but more than that, I think it was disrespectful to then say that the Paralympics had less interest for people - look at the huge numbers of tickets bought for equestrian paralympic events - Burghley happens every year!

 

[dee378]

Personally, I've always found H&H to be a very eventing biased magazine (there's nothing wrong with eventing by the way!) but it always seems to give more coverage to the eventers (usually)... so to be honest, is there really any surprise that they'd give the cover to eventing over the Olympics? Not really.

Seriously H&H you might want to start looking after the readers that buy your magazine. Incorrect, biased reporting and not giving the readers what they want to see is going to cost you one of these days. Putting your price up to more than what some monthly magazines cost isn't going to do you many favours either...

Rant over!

 

[starsky]

Another who will be voting with their cash and not buying H&H this week. Disgusting that our fab paralympic team are not on the cover. I bet you also do not have the balls to list this thread as one of the 'top 5 forum discussions this week'.

 

[smiggy]

well I did check out the cover in the supermarket today, didnt like it, didnt buy it

 

[cruiseline]

My order was cancelled yesterday!

 

[LizzieJ]

well I did check out the cover in the supermarket today, didnt like it, didnt buy it

Yup, me too!

The Telegraph has had some fantastic articles, it's not a paper I would normally read but fair shout to them for more understanding of para dressage than our national horse magazine!

 

[Slightly Foxed]

I cancelled my subscription some time ago, there's very little of interest in H&H for me now. There are very many interesting issues in the equine world that the mag could be reporting on (eg dodgy dealers, but let's not go there!). Some years ago a friend of mine won leading lady at a pretigious show jumping event, her name was mentioned, but no pic as she was an 'unknown' and perhaps not as photogenic as the leading man who was a name and did have his photo emblazoned over the page.

Oh, and search for Horse box regs - were you aware? In New Lounge (sorry can't do links on this iPad) for an example of incredibly lazy journalism. Oops, no, it was in Latest News.

 

[Maesfen]

Bump.

 

[armchair_rider]

Has anyone counted how many pages Burghley has vs the vaunted 8 pages on para dressage?

 

[LittleP]

Oh my goodness!!
Well I for one am a bit bored with the equestrian paralympic team. I've enjoyed the other sports much more than the dressage, at times I find it quite uncomfortable to watch.
Burghley was far more exciting and I don't think there is anything wrong with the front page or coverage inside.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Has anyone counted how many pages Burghley has vs the vaunted 8 pages on para dressage?

Nup, to look through the copy, would have meant I would feel obliged to buy it, and no way I would buy, to buy it would suggest I approved of the cover.

 

[Maesfen]

Oh my goodness!!
Well I for one am a bit bored with the equestrian paralympic team. I've enjoyed the other sports much more than the dressage, at times I find it quite uncomfortable to watch.

Oh dear, what a sad attitude.

 

[juventino]

Yup - and what's sadder is that H&H have started banning people who are complaining from their Facebook page.

 

[CoachinaCar]

Think H n H have got it really wrong this time, I am very disappointed in them for not putting para's on front cover, all our gold medallists should have been on there, shame on you H n H

 

[kiritiger]

Has anyone counted how many pages Burghley has vs the vaunted 8 pages on para dressage?

I have H&H on subscription (which I will be cancelling) so Burghley had 13 pages (12 page report and 1 article in the news section) and the Paralympics had 8 pages (6 page report and 2 pages in the news section).

FWIW, I also think they were totally wrong on this occasion. I haven't often criticised H&H and I am a huge eventing fan. However, eventing is not the be all and end all of equestrian sport and on this occasion our fantastic, talented and amazing paralympic dressage team deserved the maximum coverage including the majority of the front page. What more can the Para-equestrian team really have done!?

ETA : They also annoyed me this week for moaning about the empty seats whilst making absolutely no attempt to find out why this was the case. If they'd spoken the LOCOG representitives, they would have realised why it was not possible to fill the entire stadium.

 

[fateddy]

Apparantly te editorial team are quoted in The Guardian as saying it is reader preference to ignore the paralympians if you are a reader that they asked to back up their quote I would like to know as I do know lots of people who read horse and hound none of whom have been canvassed on the matter so where did they draw this conclusion from?

 

[Maesfen]

Perhaps we better show them we did have a preference and it wasn't for the Burghley winner.

I wonder what IPC would make of it and our displeasure, it is their paper after all.

 

[merrymeasure]

Apparantly te editorial team are quoted in The Guardian as saying it is reader preference to ignore the paralympians if you are a reader that they asked to back up their quote I would like to know as I do know lots of people who read horse and hound none of whom have been canvassed on the matter so where did they draw this conclusion from?

Well, I wasn't canvassed on what preference I had, and if I had it wouldn't have been AN. No offence meant to him, but I think our Para Team were far more deserving!

 

[Sit_Up]

Bad form H&H

And you seem to be suffering from foot in mouth

Never overly impressed by dressage coverage, can't even get the regions correct in their weekly reporting.

 

[Queenbee]

I think it more like timings etc etc not any personal ' slight'.

no, of course it must be down to timings

 

[Queenbee]

Agree. There was more indepth reporting on the Paralympians elsewhere, so the number of hits H&H got is not representative of public interest.

which again shows how sorely lacking H&H have been in supporting and reporting on the team.

Honestly, I have to say that on the odd occasions that H&H does fall short (LIKE NOW) it even makes me embarrased to be a member of their forum

 

[Lucy-Gizmo]

Definitely lacking in pages about the Paralympians - you're a weekly mag - you should have tonnes more than the monthlies.

 

[gracemoran]

I am prepared to get shot down in flames as I know I am outnumbered on my view. But here goes! I personally think the front cover of H&H was fine this week. Yes it would have been nice to have the paralympic gold medal winners on the front cover all by themselves but I think it is only right that Avebury and Andrew Nicholson were there too and we can't have everything we always want. I have read various threads and facebook posts so apologies if I get confused between the two!

Two major areas I think require a bit of a stand. I have slight issues with the argument that out GB riders should take precedence over a "foreign rider" on the front page. Andrew may well ride for NZ but he has been a UK resident for 30 years, has a home here and is a major draw at all our big events as well as being a UK tax payer.

Secondly the owner of Avebury is Rosemary Barlow. Rosemary has put in an immense amount of hardwork and commitment to our equestrian community not least her major contribution to the success of our GB teams raising millions of pounds towards sending British teams to championship events etc and correct me if I am wrong but I would think the paras would have benefitted from this money too? I think it would have been a major mistake for H&H not to feature her horse on the cover when she has been such a great supporter of team GB over the years at what I would imagine would be one of her proudest moments.

 

[micki]

Agree. There was more indepth reporting on the Paralympians elsewhere, so the number of hits H&H got is not representative of public interest.

They missed out on a magazine cover that might have appealed to a larger section of the public with a picture of the once in a lifetime London paralympics.
Instead they chose the more exclusive and elitist in comparison, Burghley.

I don't buy H&H magazine but if i had seen a front cover with a photo of the para equestrian team gold medal winners i would have bought it for a change. Instead i shall carry on with not bothering with it as it certainly hasn't made me want to buy it in the future.
A big mistake on H&H's part as i am sure there are plenty of other people out there that are like me and would have bought it if they had been featured on the front cover and i have no doubt that it would have encouraged some to start buying it regularly.

 

[oldvic]

I am prepared to get shot down in flames as I know I am outnumbered on my view. But here goes! I personally think the front cover of H&H was fine this week. Yes it would have been nice to have the paralympic gold medal winners on the front cover all by themselves but I think it is only right that Avebury and Andrew Nicholson were there too and we can't have everything we always want. I have read various threads and facebook posts so apologies if I get confused between the two!

Two major areas I think require a bit of a stand. I have slight issues with the argument that out GB riders should take precedence over a "foreign rider" on the front page. Andrew may well ride for NZ but he has been a UK resident for 30 years, has a home here and is a major draw at all our big events as well as being a UK tax payer.

Secondly the owner of Avebury is Rosemary Barlow. Rosemary has put in an immense amount of hardwork and commitment to our equestrian community not least her major contribution to the success of our GB teams raising millions of pounds towards sending British teams to championship events etc and correct me if I am wrong but I would think the paras would have benefitted from this money too? I think it would have been a major mistake for H&H not to feature her horse on the cover when she has been such a great supporter of team GB over the years at what I would imagine would be one of her proudest moments.

Very, very well said gracemoran. It is Rosemary Barlow's biggest win and 1st 4* in 35 years of supporting and fundraising our NATIONAL teams which she continued even when she was fighting serious illness. She has organised supporters marquees throughout the world at major Championships and thoroughly deserves her moment of glory.
Equally equestrian sport is all the richer for the international flavour at shows and events at all levels. Andrew has lived here since he was a teenager and has spent more of his life in this country than in his native New Zealand. His immense knowledge and talent is of great value to anyone in this country that cares to appreciate it. I'm all for nationalistic pride but our foreign friends shouldn't be so readily dismissed - and, after all, New Zealand is part of the Commonwealth!!

 

[Capriole]

Got to say, I havent watched any or the Paralympics or Burghley but it makes no difference to me whats on a magazine cover, I only buy it if theres something in it I want to read not for whats on the front. I rarely buy H&H.

 

[cruiseline]

Got to say, I havent watched any or the Paralympics or Burghley but it makes no difference to me whats on a magazine cover, I only buy it if theres something in it I want to read not for whats on the front. I rarely buy H&H.

Well let me tell you Capriole GB Paralympic Dressage Team WON GOLD, and a foreigner won Burghley, as it looks like you might have missed that.

 

[Capriole]

Well let me tell you Capriole GB Paralympic Dressage Team WON GOLD, and a foreigner won Burghley, as it looks like you might have missed that.

Whoever won or didnt win what doesnt make me buy or not buy a magazine based on a cover.

 

[cruiseline]

I would agree with you, however, it does show our British Paralympic riders that the blood, sweat and tears they have experienced over the past 4 years has not been in vain. The British public are very proud of their achievements, it would have been one way of showing them this and thank them for their dedication, not only to their sport, but also to their country.