What date is the last Journal mailed out

[Charlotte]

I just checked and my most recent Journal is the June/July one.

I do have a question about the Journal.....I thought I had heard some years ago that the magzine was owned by someone other than the ASPC. Like, owned by the publisher or something? I can't imagine this or why it would be so, but does anyone know?

And I may have missed this, but what is the reason(s) for the poor performance this year?

Charlotte

 

[~Lisa~]

I do not think that is true as we have been told it is not a magazine but our offical newsletter??

It really started out late last year and sort of never got caught up and in fact got later and later if I remember right early in 2009 it was due to an accident someone got in and some issues with Nationals results and it just got more and more behind

Hoping with the new year we can get it all caught up now

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Didn't we recently changed publishers like a couple of years ago?

It also had to do with pulling out of the WEG. Their was suppose to be coverage concerning WEG but last minute decision AMHR pulled out and the Journal had to be redone. And also like Lisa said their was some controversy about Nationals last year I believe, but after receiving that Journal I did not see any reason for it being late.

 

[stormy]

I guess the thing that kind of bothers me is here they are consistently late but even though issues are taking more time to get to us there are STILL no informative articles....seems a breed publication would like to keep us informed on training techniques, health issues, maybe special events or unique programs with minis...how about the ever more popular CDE option, training teams, harness types...something, ANYTHING!!! Sure isn't much of a news letter when all of the news is outdated!!

 

[JMS Miniatures]

What bothers me is yes there were a couple of reasons why the Journal was late, and probably unavoidable reasons. However, even before all that the Journal has been slowly coming out later and later these past couple of years and now its just a mess. Thats why they extended when the Journal was going to be sent out, and allowed a month later especiall for the National coverage. And if you also notice fewer and fewer advertisers once it started coming out late.

Thing is if they follow the actual deadlines on when articles need to be sent in they should have plenty of time to get everything done in a timely manner. For our Dec./Jan. issue which is the National issue everything must be turned in by Oct. 15.

They almost needed to skip a edition just to get back on scheudle. Like someone said before just combine the Congress and Nationals issue.

 

[Tony]

I got my Aug/September issue Nov 2. I agree that probably an issue should be skipped to get back in sync.

 

[LindaL]

I *still* have not gotten my latest issue, so that makes 2 issues I am behind....guess I will be calling the office today...

(read the issue before that at Nationals as someone had a copy there and just read the latest one online...both pretty disappointing issues...

)

 

[wildoak]

My Aug/Sept came a few days ago, probably the 2nd, and yes it is pretty thin. Skipping an issue to get back on track might be the logical way to handle it at this point. Seems to me that with the demise of Betty's "Showcase" magazine and the dwindling amount of advertising, now would be a great time for the Journal to add some articles and personal interest stories. I'm not sure why this has been resisted for so long - other than the standard reply, it's a "newsletter". They have to work harder for the advertising dollar than ever apparently, and beefing out the issues with training & health articles, or member written stories, might truly make it something to look forward to as well as bringing in more advertising $. I know if I'm going to spend the money to advertise nationally, I want it to be in something folks are going to spend some time reading! For what it must to cost to publish and mail, I don't feel there is much bang for the buck right now. Just my two cents worth...

Jan

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I received mine a couple of days ago and yeah no joke its awfully thin. I wonder what talks the Journal committee are going to have.

 

[Loess Hills]

Seems to me that with the demise of Betty's "Showcase" magazine and the dwindling amount of advertising, now would be a great time for the Journal to add some articles and personal interest stories. I'm not sure why this has been resisted for so long - other than the standard reply, it's a "newsletter". They have to work harder for the advertising dollar than ever apparently, and beefing out the issues with training & health articles, or member written stories, might truly make it something to look forward to as well as bringing in more advertising $. I know if I'm going to spend the money to advertise nationally, I want it to be in something folks are going to spend some time reading! For what it must to cost to publish and mail, I don't feel there is much bang for the buck right now. Just my two cents worth...

Jan - you are right on target! Those are my feelings exactly. I hope the "Journal problem" is brought to the attention of the Board members and officers at the AMHR Convention.

 

[HGFarm]

Ok it is now November 5th and I STILL have not recieved my Aug/Sept Journal and neither has my neighbor!! I dont like to complain, but this is getting ridiculous! I thought it was mentioned that by that issue things would be back in order and on time again. NOT.

 

[Minimor]

I haven't received my Aug/Sept issue yet either, but I know that is the mailing system to Canada, not the fault of the editor/registry/publisher. It always takes an extra 2-3 weeks for us to get our Journals here in Manitoba.

For those that want more articles in the Journal--that requires more advertising. More advertising means more room for "content".

Quite frankly, though, I am happy to receive the Journal as a magazine. Some really good, informative articles would be okay...articles of a calibre of those that we used to see in Equus or Practical Horseman years ago when I was subscribing to those magazines. Fluff articles, be they member-written stories about their horses or basic skim-over-the-surface-of-the-topic training/feeding/care articles simply don't interest me all that much. If they're in the magazine, fine, I will read them or not, but I'm sure not going to complain because they aren't in the magazine. I enjoy the Area columns and like having the registry news updates. Even if those arrive later than they should they are still valid and useful to read--there have been several items in the registry news that I hadn't heard/read anywhere else....even though it is in magazine format the Journal is first & foremost a newsletter, and that is what I value it as. It's quite obvious that a good number of people don't bother to read the news and registry updates in it. Perhaps many think now that it arrives so late there is nothing worth reading in it and so don't bother?

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I agree I like to read the registry news and my Area's news as you can't find any info like that anywhere else. You have to read that stuff or you'll miss out. Thats why alot of the new rules that passed at Convention last year didn't know about til it was too late for like shows. However this issue there just wasn't much to read. Talks about Congress has just ended, yeah how many months ago. Nationals is soon upon us, back in Sept. Sign up for Convention, thats going on now. I mean there just wasn't much too it and its sad.

I like to read different articles, but the registry news is very important to me and that should always come first.

 

[Reble]

Just got my August / September here in Ontario Canada today November 8th...

 

[~Lisa~]

The Journal will be looking for a new editor they do expect the next issue to be much closer to on time

 

[disneyhorse]

I haven't gotten my Aug/Sept issue either... my mom gets other magazine subscriptions and the issues are always sent out BEFORE the month that is on the cover so that the news/articles inside are relevant to the time it reaches subscribers.

I work at a horse-oriented job. I would LOVE if the Journal had lots of articles and such in it... right now the Journal that I get isn't really something I could leave on the break room table that my coworkers would be interested in reading. Wouldn't it be great to spark the interest of those who don't get the Journal, or have minis/Shetlands?

Andrea