Zara and this weeks H&H

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I was so disappointed with H&H this week....I was a little shocked that Zara's massive achievement, not only for herself but for the whole of equestrianism, got a tiny corner of the front cover, an article that basically just points out all the bad parts of the press surrounding this and then to top it off the only letters printed about it were negative (surely there must have been some good ones too).
The day after she won I was a little miffed because most of the papers covered the story only in the sports pages where as in previous years the winner often makes the front cover. But now I think how can we blame the national press for not making that big a thing of it if even the equestrian press doesn't (not to mention being so negative).

The people that wrote the letters must understand that she is just a horse rider - I doubt any of them would do themselves justice if they were put on stage in the NEC and told to make a speech in front thousands of people. They need to stop and think how nerve-racking this must be for someone not used to public speaking - it is hard.

And to the press, it is their fault that she didn't have any speech what so ever planned as they made it out that it would be almost impossible for her to win and then when she doesn't have one planned they dub her inarticulate??????????

I would have expected better support from H&H and it's readers!!

 

[Maesfen]

I haven't even read it yet and if that is the case (absolutely no reason not to believe you which I do if that makes sense!) then I am appalled at the bad way this has all been handled.
If our own equestrian press can't fly the flags and hoot the horns for her when they know how much hard work she put in to even have a chance then just what is their point; why are they so begrudging?
She deserves better, it was a brilliant result for one so young and should have been a lift-me-up for equestrian publicity too; a golden opportunity lost; such a shame and they should be ashamed of themselves IMO.

 

[eahotson]

If she had had a good speach ready the press would have said Well obviously it was Mummys speach writer who had prepared it for her and secondly that What a big headed young woman she must be to assume that because she is the Queens grandaughter she would win! She was on a hiding to nothing.

 

[Maesfen]

Appreciate your points and agree!

Interesting isn't it, the different attitudes now? I remember when HRH Princess Anne won it although can't remember the year, but what was remarkable was it was the general public that had voted by their thousands and (this was long before the internet or telephone votes were taken,) not just horsey folk and the press were almost to a man, pleased for her and proud of her achievement.
So, why have attitudes changed so much, it's sad?

 

[weevil]

I think it is very sad. OK, so her speech wasn't the most eloquent but to me, she came across as being genuinely shocked to have won and TBH I find many sports people are not generally very good at public speaking.
I also do not think she won just because she is royal. Maybe being young and royal gets her a bit more press attention but what some people seem to have lost sight of is the fact that you DO NOT win European/World championships just by being royal. She has obviously worked very hard to achieve her success and she deserves recognition for this regardless of who her Grandparents are

 

[Gingernags]

Is it just me or are we getting more and more disappointing articles in the nag and dog?

There have been a couple of towing and horsebox ones that have been a bit badly done too - haven't there? Advising cars that really aren't suitable and then bringing up this about winnings from shows being "hire and rewards" which apparently is just a jobswirth over-reaction from someone and not a serious issue.

And I'm sure there was something else.

Oh and there was a showing one where they wouldn't let someone have right of reply and published a really one sided story.

Come on H&H - what are you playing at? Cannot believe you've done this to the best thing thats happened to British Equestrianism for tens of years! You should be right behind her and shouting it from the rooftops!

Very disappointing.

 

[xspiralx]

TBH though, she should have had at least some sort of speech prepared, and I think it was very bad form not to mention Toytown in it. Surely that would be obvious?

 

[Maesfen]

I've been reading H & H since the early fifties when it would be jam packed with news, hunting reports (pages of them, very detailed, you could follow a run on a map type!), showing reports and so on, it was brilliant. We've also had H & H ordered from our local newsagent for years, have always read it; OH for hunting reports, me for the rest of it! He has complained long and hard that it is all adverts now with very little proper reading at all. Steadily, it has been eroded and now it is virtually taken over by adverts and it has been at the expense of the reporting I think everyone will agree. We know the advertising brings in the revenue, can't argue with that, but surely it should still be the solid backbone of our press and be reporting far better than it does. It's gone to pot as far as I am concerned and sadly, I will be cancelling my order with the shop and will just buy if there is something in it I want to know about. Almost feel a traitor but I'm not paying £2 10p for a load of adverts every week anymore.

Meant to say in post before but forgot; Yes, I was very disappointed in Zara'a acceptance speech. I can understand - the shock of it would wipe anything from my small brain! - but, especially the fact she did not thank anyone at all, least of all the horse - but our catch phrase all week has been - 'pretty amazing'!!

 

[HHO admin]

I have been interested to note your comments on Zara Phillips's Sports Personality of the Year award win, and should perhaps respond to some criticisms of our coverage this week.

Since she appeared prominently on the news and sports pages of most national papers the day after her win, as well as on our own website, we knew our own coverage of her success (on the Thursday) would be rather late - far too late to put her on the cover (she has already been on the cover three times in the past 12 months). It was partly for this reason - and largely because we wished to remind people to support her in the voting - that we ran a very large piece on her being shortlisted for the award the PREVIOUS week. She has therefore been our lead story two weeks running: a very exceptional circumstance.

When choosing which reader letters to print, we always try to print them in ratios that reflect the numbers of letters we have received on certain topics. We also allow and encourage free speech from our readers even when we may not agree with their views; it is not our job to gag opinion. Thus readers are perfectly entitled to express disassatisfaction with Zara's speech if they wish. It is our job to reflect what is being said in the horseworld.

Additionally, it may interest forum users to note that an editorial comment I wrote a few weeks before the SPOTY award night, urging people to vote for Zara, was quoted in numerous national papers, and I have spoken in glowing terms on national radio, before and after the awards, about her considerable achievements.

Regarding other news stories, we always endeavour to include comment from every party concerned in a story, and if any party declines to comment or is unavailable for comment – despite several approaches – we say so. We make every effort to ensure our stories fit these criteria, and will continue to do so in future.

Lucy Higginson
Editor, Horse & Hound

 

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[ QUOTE ]
Since she appeared prominently on the news and sports pages of most national papers the day after her win, as well as on our own website, we knew our own coverage of her success (on the Thursday) would be rather late - far too late to put her on the cover (she has already been on the cover three times in the past 12 months). It was partly for this reason - and largely because we wished to remind people to support her in the voting - that we ran a very large piece on her being shortlisted for the award the PREVIOUS week. She has therefore been our lead story two weeks running: a very exceptional circumstance.

[/ QUOTE ]

I understand what you are saying and Yes, the non-equestrian press did run it on Monday and Tuesday but as about 80% of that press was negative, I do not feel that it was too late for H&H to express how the horse world feel about this - even stand up for her a bit.......we are the ones who know what she has to put into eventing to get out of it what she has so isn't it our place to put many of the mislead journalists right? I think it is a shame if 4 days is too long a time for H&H to still deem this story relevant - what a short shelf life this - the biggest boost the horse world has had (outside of it's own community) for quite some time - has seen.
I am delighted that you ran the story beforehand - your plea for votes obviously had some effect and she won despite what all the predictions said. It may be a very exceptional circumstance for you to run the lead story on the same person for two or more consecutive weeks but she has done a very exceptional thing.

[ QUOTE ]
When choosing which reader letters to print, we always try to print them in ratios that reflect the numbers of letters we have received on certain topics. We also allow and encourage free speech from our readers even when we may not agree with their views; it is not our job to gag opinion. Thus readers are perfectly entitled to express disassatisfaction with Zara's speech if they wish. It is our job to reflect what is being said in the horse world.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is why I expressed my disappointment in the readers, I realise that you publish a fair reflection on what you have heard and I’m shocked that of all the people who felt motivated enough to write, this reflects their views. Within our own community, more people felt the need to write in complaining about her speech than those wanting to congratulate her on this phenomenal achievement.