Rob Hendrickson on Social Media and More

Rob Hendrickson was one of the guest speakers at the AHP 40th Anniversary Seminar in Lexington. He presented two sessions on social media and served as a panelist on making money online in 40 Ideas in 40 Minutes. He also presented a breakout for small publisher on selling integrated media packages.

Rob is sharing his presentations of his three sessions at his web site. To access go to Rob Hendrickson's sessions at AHP Seminar


In 1993, Rob limped out of a beat up Oldsmobile in Texas just having returned from the Frontier Days Rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Nursing a career-ending injury, he hung up his rodeo spurs, picked up his sketchpad of inventions and entered an entirely different arena.

“Cowboys always think there is no life after rodeo - getting a real job is the end. I quickly learned it was the beginning.”

As a rough-and-tumble young man, he would never have dreamed his future would one day slingshot from rodeo cowboy in Caputa, South Dakota, to a marketing, creative and Internet director living in Fort Worth, Texas.

Fortunately for Rob, that beginning was found in the pile of product and design sketches he had amassed over the years and a passion for the Internet and new technology. Hendrickson attended Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, one of only a handful of colleges that provide both design and rodeo programs.

For 15 years, Rob has been responsible for developing and improving brand strategy and using the Internet to improve business and mar­keting for companies that range from start-up to Fortune 500.

Rob is a strategic executive with proven success using strategy, creativity and technology to save money, increase customers and improve innovation. He has worked with executives developing marketing and Internet strategy for Sony, Blockbuster, GameStop, XM Satellite Radio, Western Horseman, Quarter Horse News, Barrel Horse News, HorseCity.com, Alaska Magazine, Horseman’s Yankee Pedlar, Gray’s Sporting Journal, Justin and Texas Industries.

His recent personal business successes include entrance onto the national market for his first patented inventions, SmartMarks - an innovative reading accessory and Coozer - a beverage accessory.

Over the years, Rob has spoken to over a hundred business groups, associations and events.
Rob currently resides on acreage outside of Godley, Texas, with his wife Jodi, publisher of fringecowgirl.com and daughters Ollie and Scout.

Party On with Caribbean Blues in Lexington

AHP members who stayed after the AHP Student Award Party on Friday night were treated to some great music by Ben Brown and Caribbean Blues. AHP member, Jean Abernethy, joined the band with her mandolin.

The audience danced and sang the night away.

Tracy Gantz captured the music on the following two videos to give you a sample of the great fun all who attended had that night.

Jean Abernethy jams with Caribbean Blues

Caribbean Blues at AHP Lexington Seminar

Party On!

Road Trip Adventures of Kim Fisher, Trot Magazine, and her New Horse, Lex

Is there really any explanation required here? Kim Fisher of Trot Magazine, acquired a Breyer model horse in Lexington, Kentucky, during the AHP awards banquet. She named him Lex (obviously). And then, with his help, documented their very long and rather amusing trip home to Canada from winning tons of awards at the 2010 American Horse Publications Conference. Enjoy :)

http://kfisher.smugmug.com/Travel/Adventures-of-Lex/

Karen Shares Video About AHP's 40th

While Karen Tappenden of Holistic Horse was waiting for her interview on Friday morning, she spoke to her engineer about AHP and he put this short video together that she wanted to share with AHP members.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpWkpHFrk84

WEG Warm Up Tour

Horse Part City -- Lexington, KY. From June June 17 to 19 many of the fun-loving members of American Horse Publications, gathered to share ideas and experience some of the delights that the Bluegrass offers its visitors. Here is a video sneak preview of our tour to some of the highlights of the area.

Thanks for the Memories

WOW! I can't believe how fast the week went by. We were all so busy, we didn't have time to blog. From the jam-packed tour on Thursday until the announcement of the awards winners on Saturday night, we were all kept busy running from session to session and event to event.

From my viewpoint, I saw a lot of smiling faces and a lot of interaction. The atmosphere was positive, motivating and happy. All good signs for the future.

We hope everyone had a safe journey home.

Chris and Judy

What to do downtown

Looking for a few things to do while you're in downtown Lexington? For those short breaks or evening festivities, here's a quick note about some places close to AHP Seminar headquarters:

Central Bank Thursday Night Live Concert: Every Thursday night, downtown becomes a live music venue. From 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., everyone can gather for drinks and food from local restaurants and free live music at Cheapside Park. The band for June 17 is Kenny Owens & Fun With Jello. For more details, check out the Thursday Night Live website.

Triangle Park & Fountain/Lexington Center: Seen from the Hilton, this is always a crowd pleaser for the refreshing rushing waters and photo opportunities. The Lexington Center is home to Rupp Arena and a unique shops like Artique (where you can support local artists) and Old Kentucky Chocolates.

Horse Drawn Carriage Tours: What's the heart of Horse Country without a carriage tour? These are available 8 - 11 p.m. Thursday and 8 p.m. - 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Seats up to four people. $35 for a half-hour

For more information on what to do in downtown Lexington, check out VistLex.com.

Safe travels and we'll see you in Lexington!

Last Minutes Hotel Notes

Complimentary airport shuttle to hotel guests. Dial 07 at the Hotel Phone Wall in baggage claim.

Hotel parking is complimentary to overnight guests. Prepaid daily parking passes are available for $4 each at AHP registration desk.

Wireless internet service is complimentary in AHP meeting space using iBAHN Conference code. Internet access in guest rooms is complimentary to AHP seminar attendees and will be credited at checkout.

What to Expect Weather-wise

Hello Fellow AHP Seminar Attendees: Good news! The weather in Lexington is slated to be sunny and spectacular during your visit though I warn you, if you're coming from a more northern clime the predicted low 90's highs might have you digging through that box of tank tops and flip flops. So even though it's just June and not even officially summer yet, it sure feels like the dog days have set upon the bluegrass a bit early this year. Pack accordingly for any outdoor activities.

Headed to Lexington

I'm packed and ready for Lexington.

Lots still to be done, but tomorrow I will have two fantastic assistants, Judy Lincoln and Ellen Kiser, to help me with putting the finishing touches on this very special anniversary seminar.

The seminar program is posted to the AHP web site at:
www.americanhorsepubs.org/programs/seminars/index.asp.

I look forward to seeing everyone.

Smile!

Chris

Old Friends is an Oasis for Horses and Horse Lovers Alike

If you love horses, and if you love horse racing, the one place you will definitely want to add to your "must see" list of places to see while you are in Lexington for the AHP Seminar is Old Friends.

Old Friends, which is located in Georgetown, Ky., just a short drive north of Lexington, is a retirement farm for thoroughbred horses, champions and non-champions alike. What makes Old Friends different is that it takes in stallions. In fact, to date, Old Friends is the only thoroughbred retirement farm that takes in stallions in the United States.

The farm was started by Michael Blowen, a former Boston Globe movie critic who learned the ropes of the horse racing business at Suffolk Downs near Boston. Along with his wife, Diane, another former Boston Globe columnist, they moved to Lexington when Blowen accepted a job with the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation.

While working there, he noticed that the thoroughbred stallions were not getting the same retirement chances as geldings and mares, and after the news about 1986 Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand's death in Japan, he decided to try and do something about it.

In the same article that he read about Ferdinand's demise, he also spotted the names of another horse in Japan, Sunshine Forever, which also happened to be one of his favorite all-time horses, as well as Criminal Type. He decided to work on bringing those two horses home from Japan.

After a lot of hard work, and the help of many people, he got the agreement from the folks in Japan to bring them home. Unfortunately, Criminal Type died before he could make the trip home. In his place came Creator, another great champion race horse.

In late 2004, the two of them arrived at Old Friends to become the first two thoroughbred champions to be returned home to the United States from Japan.

At the time, Old Friends was located at Afton Farms in Midway, Ky. Soon after, they moved to Hurstland Farm, also in Midway, before moving to their current permanent location at Dream Chase Farm in Georgetown.

Originally, just 52 acres, today Old Friends consists of 92 acres, and has an annex next door with another 40+ acres. In addition, Blowen also houses a few horses on three other farms in the Central Kentucky area and, on July 22, 2010, the farm will host a grand opening of a new satellite farm in New York near Saratoga Race Track. It is called Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, in honor of the former trainer who passed away last year and who was a big supporter of Old Friends. There are already 10 horses retired on that farm, including one former horse of Frankel's, New Export.

In total, Old Friends is home to 100 thoroughbred horses. This includes over 40 stallions and five former Eclipse award winners: Sunshine Forever (middle photo), Gulch, Hidden Lake, Black Tie Affair (top photo) and The Wicked North.

There are also a few rescues, including Clever Allemont, a favorite for the 1985 Kentucky Derby who got injured and somehow ended up on a kill farm in Kansas where he was rescued two Christmas' Eve ago by Kristin Chambers of Winding Road Equine Rescue & Retirement in Waverly, Kan.; Williamstown, a son of Seattle Slew, who was almost euthanized because he had reached the end of his stud career, but was saved by a call to Blowen three Thanksgiving's ago; and EscapedfromNewYork, one of the horses that was rescued off of the Ernie Paragello farm in New York two summers ago.

In addition, there is a mix of other great champions and not-so-great champions, all of them beautiful and happy to be enjoying their retirement munching on the sweet bluegrass of Kentucky. Some are champions, like Awad, winner of, among other races, the 1995 Arlington Million, and Kiri's Clown, winner of, among other races, the 1995 Sword Dance Handicap at Saratoga, where he set the Saratoga track record for the 1 1/2 mile race. According to the Old Friends website, "One of the many exciting highlights of Kiri's career was his rivalry with Old Friends fellow resident, Awad. Today, there are times that visitors can see these two former on-track rivals race each other along their fence line, as they share adjoining paddocks.

Some of the horse at Old Friends are just regular race horses, like Swan's Way, a sweetheart of a stallion who won eight times in his 81 races, and Academy Award, a son of Secretariat, who won five times in 19 starts and is the spitting image of his great sire, just a lot smaller.

There's a movie star in Popcorn Deelites, one of the horses that played Seabiscuit in the 2003 movie based on the book by Laura Hillenbrand and starring Tobey Maguire and Jeff Bridges, while another thinks he is the star of the farm, a mini named Little Silver Charm. Of course, getting his photo published in People magazine two years ago did not help reduce his ego any.

Those are just a few of the wonderful horses you will get to see when you come to Old Friends.

Tours of the farm are given three times a day, seven days a week at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. While a tour guide takes visitors around and tells the story of each of the horses, visitors – if they want – will also get the chance to feed the horses carrots and pet them.

Note: Old Friends has just added a twilight tour for the summer. The tour begins at 7 p.m. for those folks that cannot make it during the day.

All of this is why, if you love horses, this is the one place you will want to visit while you are in Lexington for the AHP seminar.

For info, call 502-863-1775. Tours are free, however, the farm is a 501(c)3 and is run almost entirely by volunteers, so donations are accepted to help in the care and feeding of the horses.

For more information, go to: www.oldfriendsequine.org

Photos by Rick Capone

Countdown to Lexington!

Lexington is right around corner and departure day for me is June 14.

To assist you with your final plans and to make sure I'm prepared for your arrival, here are a few answers to some of the questions you may have.

Ship

Shipping publications or auction items to the hotel:

PLEASE SHIP PACKAGES, not to arrive any earlier than Monday, June 14, 2010, to:
Attn: Brad Barbour, Conventions Services Director
American Horse Publications, Chris Brune
Hilton Lexington/Downtown
369 West Vine Street
Lexington, KY 40507
Phone: 859-281-3709


Give

Friday, June 11 is the deadline date for sending your auction donation pledge to Ellen Kiser ekiser@bloodhorse.com

Don’t Miss the Bus

Taking the 40 Ideas on Tour? You must be in the hotel lobby at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday so we can board the buses at 7:45 a.m. Coffee will be available.

Network

The seminar will offer lots of opportunities to network and share ideas with fellow equine professionals.

• Networking Luncheon
• Sharing Ideas Forum
• Speed-Dating for Freelancers
• Wednesday’s Night’s Meet and Greet at the hotel between 6 and 8 p.m. (location to be announced.)

New to AHP or Your First Seminar

First Time Attendees and New Members are invited to drop by on Friday morning between 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. to ask questions about member benefits, AHP history, seminar activities or anything AHP. Long-time AHP members, Chris Brune and Tracy Gantz, will be on hand to make you feel welcome and answer your questions. Stay for a little while, stay the entire time. We’re here to help you make the most of your seminar experience and membership.

Random Stuff

• Make sure I have your completed registration forms
• Dress comfortably
• Support students at the World Games on Friday night
• Bring notepads, cameras, business cards, media kits
• Discounted parking passes will be available to local attendees at registration desk
• In-room wireless will be complimentary for AHP hotel guests so make sure you are not charged at check-out.
• Be sure you completed the Saturday meals selection survey which was e-mailed to attendees

Need more

www.americanhorsepubs.org/programs/seminars/index.asp

Celebrate 40 Years

Christine W. Brune
Executive Director
American Horse Publications
http://www.americanhorsepubs.org/
Phone: 386-760-7743
Fax: 386-760-7728
E-mail: ahorsepubs@aol.com

AHP LEXINGTON SEMINAR - JUNE 17-19, 2010

Darley America is Rich in History and Tradition

Photos by John Reardon

For those of you coming to Lexington for the AHP seminar, there will be many things to see and do as you know. One of the more interesting and entertaining things will be the AHP’s 40 Ideas on Tour, which will take visitors to Keeneland Race Track, Woodford Reserve and the Kentucky Horse Park.

According to the itinerary, the first stop of the tour will be Darley America, one of the areas great farms, which is currently owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, one of the leading thoroughbred owners in the world.

However, Darley America wasn't the original name of the farm. The original name was Jonabell Farm, and it has a long and rich history.


Well known breeder, John A. Bell III, and Jessica Bell, founded Jonabell Farm in 1954. Over the years, many horses were born, raised or stood at stud on the farm, with some of them very famous.

Since you will get to hear much more about the farm and its history during the tour, this blog entry will focus on three of the most well known horses associated with Jonabell Farm: Damascus, Affirmed and Holy Bull.

Damascus was born and raised on Jonabell Farm, until he was purchased by Mrs. Thomas Bancroft. Damascus would go on to become the No. 16th ranked horse in Blood-Horse's "Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century."

Damascus raced 32 times in his career, winning 21 times and capturing $1,176,781 in prize money. Some of his top wins included the Preakness Stakes, Belmont Sakes, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Wood Memorial, Woodward Stakes and Travers Stakes to name just a few. He would be named Horse of the Year, Champion Handicap Horse and Champion 3-Year Old Colt in 1967. He would also be elected to the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame in 1974.

Damascus would stand his entire stud career at Claiborne Farm, where he passed away on August 8, 1995. He is buried on that farm in Paris, Ky.

Affirmed is famous for his thrilling victories over Alydar in the 1978 Triple Crown races. Their side-by-side duel down the stretch in the Belmont Stakes is still considered one of the great races of all time.

In 1991, Affirmed, who is also the last Triple Crown winner, was moved from Calumet Farm to Jonabell Farm, where he stood at stud for the 1992 season. He would stay on the farm for the final 10 years of his life.

Affirmed, a winner of 22 of his 29 starts and $2,393,818 in prize money, won Eclipse awards multiple years. He was 1977 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt and 1978 Champion 3-Year-Old Male Horse, as well as Horse of the Year in 1978 and 1979. He was also a Champion Sire during his stud career.

Affirmed was ranked No. 12 in Blood-Horse's "Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century" and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1980.

On Jan. 12, 2001, Affirmed was euthanized and buried on Jonabell farm.

Holy Bull, the 1994 Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old Male Horse, came to Jonabell Farm to stand at stud in 1995. Jimmy Croll, Holy Bull's owner and trainer sold a 25 percent interest in the thoroughbred champion to Jonabell Farm earlier that year.

Holy Bull won 13 times in 16 career starts and took home $2,481,760 in prize money. His career ended during the running of the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park in Feb. 1995, when he injured a tendon in his leg.

Ranked No. 24 in the "Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century" and elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001, Holy Bull recovered from his injury and was sent to Jonabell Farm, where he stood one paddock over from Affirmed. Holy Bull still stands at the farm today.

In 2001, Bell sold the farm to Sheikh Mohammed. According to an article on ESPN.com, on Aug. 22, 2001, Bell sold the farm to the Sheikh because he did not want to burden his children with financial problems that the farm might cause them in the future. Bell passed away on Feb. 1, 2007 at 88.

Today, Sheikh Mohammed continues the winning traditions of Jonabell Farm under its new name, Darley America. The horses standing at stud on the farm today are a virtual who's who of current great sires in the thoroughbred industry, including Any Given Saturday, Discreet Cat (shown being walked on the farm in photo at top of article), Elusive Quality, Henny Hughes, Medaglia d'Oro (photo above), Quiet American, Street Boss, Street Sense, Berardini, E Dubai, hard Spun, Holy Bull, Offlee Wild, Rockport Harbor and Street Cry.

Sheikh Mohammed loves his horses. He also loves the history of thoroughbred racing, and understands the rich tradition of the farm he now owns in Lexington. It is a tradition he will continue to add to in the years to come.

Note: While all of the horses listed stand at stud at Darley America today, there is no guarantee which ones you might get to see on the tour. That will depend on which ones are available on the farm that day and are brought out by your tour guide.

For more information, go to the Darley America website.

Things to Know Before You Go (to Lexington)

Shipping Instructions to Hotel
for sending publications, promotional material or silent auction items

PLEASE SHIP PACKAGES, not to arrive earlier than Monday, June 14, 2010, to:
Attn: Brad Barbour, Conventions Services Director
American Horse Publications, Chris Brune
Hilton Lexington/Downtown
369 West Vine Street
Lexington, KY 40507
Phone: 859-281-3709

INCLUDE COMPLETE RETURN ADDRESS.
MARK NUMBER OF BOXES
i.e., Box 1 of 1, Box 1 of 2, etc.)
* TIP: You may also use this address for shipping to yourself by addressing the package(s) to your name, as a guest arriving (date).

Don't Forget to Pack
Camera
Business cards
Media kits
Copies of your publication or promotional pieces(or ship to hotel)
Extra room in your suitcase for sponsor giveaway items, purchases, promotional material and publications you will be bringing home.

Attire
Seminar:
Casual Comfort

Awards Banquet:
Casual Cocktail

AHP Student Party:
Casual or support your favorite WEG discipline or country.
Dressage/Para Dressage
Driving
Endurance
Eventing
Jumping
Reining
Vaulting
Stockholm, Sweden – 1990
The Hague, Netherlands – 1994
Rome, Italy – 1998
Jerez, Spain – 2002
Aachen, Germany – 2006
Lexington, Kentucky USA – 2010\
Normandy, France – 2014

Seminar Schedule, Forms and Activities
www.americanhorsepubs.org/programs/seminars/index.asp

Seminar Contact
Chris Brune
American Horse Publications
49 Spinnaker Circle
South Daytona, FL 32119
Main Phone (386) 760-7743
Alt. Phone (386) 788-6291
Fax: (386) 760-7728
Cell: (386) 290-3253
E-mail: ahorsepubs@aol.com

Horse Racing History Surrounds Keeneland Race Track

Two times a year – April and October – people pass through the gates of Keeneland Race Track to watch some of the best horse racing in the country. The days are filled with socializing, wagering and, of course, some great races.

Fans that attend the races also have a chance of potentially seeing a future Thoroughbred star run down the track on the way to becoming part of history as well. The reason? Of the 20-plus stakes races held during the two meets, two in particular stand out. In the spring meet, the winner of the Toyota Blue Grass stakes earns a ticket directly into the Kentucky Derby, while in the fall, the Breeders' Futurity Stakes showcases an up-and-coming two-year old who might be headed onto the Triple Crown trail the following year.

This was true again for this year's Derby, Stately Victor, the winner of the Blue Grass Stakes, and Noble's Promise, winner of last falls Breeders' Futurity Stakes, both ran in this year's Derby. Stately Victor finished eighth, while Noble's Promise finished fifth.

That is just one of the reasons visitors to Lexington always make Keeneland a stop on their trip to the area. The history of horse racing that surrounds this track is a who's who of the great horses and names in the sport. Arts and Letters, Dust Commander, Riva Ridge, Alydar , Charismatic, Spectacular Bid, Sea Hero and Whirlaway are just a few of the great horses who have raced on Keeneland's track over the years.

In addition, a few famous horses made appearances at the track over the years as well. Nashua, the 1955 Horse of the Year, made his final public appearance at Keeneland in Oct. 1956. Then in 1965, Kelso, the five-time Horse of the Year (1960-1964), made an appearance the day before the Blue Grass Stakes as part of his tour of American tracks.

So, how did it all get started?

When Lexington was in its early days, horse racing would take place on the streets of downtown. However, in time, people realized that a change was needed.

In April 1935, the Keeneland Association was formed and in August of that same year, 147 acres of land in Fayette County along Versailles Rd. was purchased next to Calumet Farm from Jack Keene for $130,000 and some stock. Soon, a race track was built and on Oct. 15, 1936, Keeneland held its first races with 25,337 in attendance.

Over the years, Keeneland has done many renovation projects to the property, including expanding the grandstands and apron area, adding new restaurants and facilities for patrons to enjoy, adding more barns to increase the number of horses that train at the track, expanding their sales pavilion and more.

One of the biggest projects came in 2006, when Keeneland became only the third race track in North America (along with Turfway in Florence, Ky., and Woodbine in Toronto, Canada), to install a Polytrack racing surface on its main track. At the same time, they widened the turns and lengthened the stretch.

One of the other things Keeneland is known for are the Thoroughbred sales it holds each year. These include yearling sales, two-year olds in training sales, November breeding stock sales and more.

The first Thoroughbred sales occurred on April 25, 1932, where a total of 31 horses were sold for $24,885. The first two-year olds in training sale took place in 1993, when a total of 108 horses were sold for $6,817,500. The highest price for a horse was $8 million for a Storm Cat colt in a 2004 sale. With the current recession, last year's sale's were down. However, things are beginning to pick up, so hopes are rising for this year's sales.

Here are some other fun facts about the track you might find interesting – and might want to take time to see.

* In 1986, Keeneland was designated as a national Historic Landmark, a designation that is richly deserved.

* Jockey's statues: Located right next to the paddock area are a series of jockey statues painted in the colors of the silks worn by the winners of the major stakes races each year at Keeneland. It's colorful and a great tradition.

* Keeneland Library: Started in 1939, the Keeneland Library holds the largest collection of horse racing records, publications, periodicals, racing memorabilia, horse racing artwork, photo collections and so much more. If you are writing an article or just want to read about horse racing, the Keenleand Library is a must stop for your research. One of the biggest collections ever received came in April 2000, when the daily Racing Form donated its entire archival library to the Keeneland Library. It consisted of more than 4,000 volumes and featuring newspapers from as far back as 1880. The library also has some beautiful artwork – paintings and statues – displayed for visitors to see.

* Keeneland Kitchen: Located next to the black water tower – a landmark in itself on the property– the kitchen is open every morning for breakfast, and during meets and sales in the afternoon for lunch. It is a fun place to go for a meal, with good food and good prices.

* Barns: Keeneland allows visitors to walk around and look at the barn area. If you go very early, you can see what life is like on the backside of the track, as the workers feed, groom, hotwalk, bathe and take the horses to the track for a workout. You just have to be very careful. Remember, the horses have the right of way.

* Simulcasting: Keeneland offers simulcasting at the track during the year. However, in 1997, they offered something very unique – drive-through wagering for the simulcast. Yes, you can head over to Keeneland at lunch time, head for the drive-through wagering windows, make a few bets, and still have time to stop for a bite to eat on the way back to the office.

* Movies: Two major movies used Keeneland for filming some of its race scenes. In 2002, film crews were at Keeneland to do some scenes for the movie Seabiscuit, which was released in 2003 and starred Tobey McGuire and Jeff Bridges and was based on the book by Laura Hillenbrand.

Then, last fall, Walt Disney came to Keeneland to film scenes for their upcoming movie about Secretariat. The film will start Diane Lane as Penny Chenery, John Malkovich as trainer, Lucien Laurin and OttoThorwarth as jockey, Ron Turcotte. It is scheduled for release this coming October.

If you take a tour of Lexington, Keeneland will be one of the stops during the tour for sure. However, there is so much to see – even if there are no races going on – that it is worth returning on your own if you have the time to walk around and enjoy the history of the place.

Photos by Rick Capone

40 Reasons to Register for the AHP Seminar

Lexington, Kentucky ~ June 17-19, 2010

1. Complimentary bus tour on Thursday

2. Visit Darley America owned by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoun

3. Take a historical tour of Keeneland Racetrack

4. Sample Kentucky Ale at Alltech Brewery and Kentucky Bourbon at Woodford Reserve Distillery

5. Enjoy “Picnic on the Porch” lunch buffet at Woodford Reserve

6. See the new “A Gift from the Desert” exhibit at The International Museum of the Horse

7. View the exciting new venues for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park

8. Attend sessions on copyright issues

9. Listen to presentation on the results of the AHP Horse Industry Survey

10. Network with your professional peers

11. Learn the results of the 2010 AHP Awards Contest

12. Shop the Student Fund Silent Auction

13. Share ideas in forums and roundtable discussions

14. Learn how the games have changed in media buying from a panel of experts

15. Explore the world of social media

16. Get a “backpack” full of articles on AHP’s 40 Ideas on Tour

17. Listen to the keynote speech on the final leg to WEG.

18. Gather promotional material and publications in the Resource Center

19. Speed-Date for freelancers

20. Attend the Student Party to see who becomes the 2010 Student Award Winner

21. Discover the winner of the 2010 Equine Industry Vision Award

22. Receive a commemorative AHP 40th Anniversary lapel pin

23. Make new contacts

24. Visit with old friends

25. Chance to win a special Breyer model

26. Attend sessions on marketing and branding

27. Get recharged for the year ahead

28. Learn 40 Ideas in 40 Minutes

29. Eat well and often

30. Explore renovated downtown Lexington

31. Attend a Photography Workshop presented by Equine Photographers Network

32. Meet the three AHP Student Award Travel Award winners

33. Discover who will be named the 2010 AHP Spirit Award winner

34. Socialize with fellow AHP members

35. Affordable room rates at Hilton Lexington Downtown

36. Complimentary airport shuttle for Hilton guests

37. It’s a can’t-be-missed-event

38. Build awareness for your publication, service or business

39. Catch up on news in the equine publishing industry

40. Best Reason: Celebrate AHP’s 40th Anniversary
To register: http://www.americanhorsepubs.org/programs/seminars/index.asp

To make hotel reservations:

http://www.americanhorsepubs.org/programs/seminars/files/2010/Hotel_2010.asp

For questions, contact Chris Brune at ahorsepubs@aol.com

AHP’s 40 Ideas on Tour

Join fellow AHP members on Thursday, June 17, 2010 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for a bus tour that will provide attendees with an opportunity to visit some of the best experiences that Lexington area has to offer.

AHP’s 40 Ideas on Tour on Thursday will feature lots of article/blog/Facebook/Twitter/video/podcast ideas with contact information provided. If you don’t get a “backpack” full of articles from tour day, you’ll be asleep on the bus! This is definitely a “learning tour” as well as being fun! Bring your camera, notebook, iPhone, tape recorder (podcasts), video camera, or whatever you need to do your job!

The cost of the tour is complimentary for AHP members registered for the Lexington seminar thanks to the sponsors and hosts who have rolled out the welcome rug to AHP. Lunch at Woodford Reserve is sponsored by Publishers Press, admission fees are compliments of Kentucky Horse Park and Woodford Reserve, and bus transportation is sponsored by Equine Land Conservation Resource, FarmLines Inc.-Equine and Pet Products Distributor, and Friends of AHP.
Non-registered AHP members and/or friends and family of registered attendees are welcome to take the tour for $25 fee.

The tour begins at Darley America based at the historic Jonabell Farm, located in Lexington and owned by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, whose global breeding operation currently stands stallions in six countries around the world.

Hosted by Kentucky Horse Park, the tour continues at The International Museum of the Horse with a coffee break and an opportunity to view the new exhibit, “A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse,” the first major exhibition to explore the dynamic impact of the horse on Near Eastern civilization. Tour includes stops at the new indoor arena and stadium plus other venues at the Kentucky Horse Park ready for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (www.kyhorsepark.com)

Next stop is Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, where we will be treated to the Picnic on the Porch lunch buffet sponsored by Publishers Press. After lunch, attendees will take the Woodford Reserve Bourbon Discovery Tour compliments of Woodford Reserve. (www.woodfordreserve.com)

The final stop on the bus tour will be Keeneland Racetrack for a historic tour of the racetrack, visit to the gift shop, and demonstration by the Lexington Mounted Police in the saddling paddock. (www.keeneland.com)

The AHP Welcome Reception at the Alltech Brewery hosted by Alltech starts at 5:30 p.m. The brewery is located downtown Lexington, Kentucky, at 401 Cross St.

The bus will depart the Hilton Lexington Downtown hotel at 8:00 a.m. Every one taking the tour must take the bus, since we need to keep an accurate count especially for admissions and lunch.

For reservation form, go to: http://www.americanhorsepubs.org/programs/seminars/files/2010/40-Ideas-On-Tour.asp or contact Chris at ahorsepubs@aol.com

For more information about the AHP 40th Anniversary Seminar held on June 17-19, 2010 in Lexington, contact Chris Brune at ahorsepubs@aol.com, or 386-760-7743 or visit www.americanhorsepubs.org/programs/seminars/index.asp.

Back Roads Showcase Beauty of the Bluegrass

This is of a personal post of sorts, but it is about something you might enjoy doing yourself while you are here in Lexington for the AHP seminar if you have some free time. Here's the story…

Every once in a while, I'm reminded of why I love it here in the Lexington area so much, and last Friday (Mar. 26) as I drove around the back roads of Kentucky, I was reminded of the biggest reason of all.

A short back story.... My dad and I used to enjoy taking summer road trips in the 1970s, and Lexington was one of our regular stops almost every time. On each trip here, we would spend at least one day driving around the back roads early in the morning and later in the day to enjoy looking at the farms and the horses. The beauty was amazing.

When I had the chance to move to Lexington a few years ago, I remembered those drives with my dad and jumped at the chance to be able to live here. Once I got settled in, I would take many drives on my own. Soon, work and other things took precedence, and I didn't take as many of those drives as I would have liked. Then I lost my job, and the drives stopped all together.

Now after almost a year of unemployment, I have started to think that, sadly, I might have to start looking for work outside the state and move away. That is until last week, when I went out to take a couple photos for the AHP blog post I made about Woodford Reserve.

On the way over to Woodford, I came across a pasture of about a dozen mares and foals. They were all running around and playing and having a grand old time. It made me smile as I watched them enjoying their day. I made note of the field so I could stop and take some photos on the way home.

A little less than an hour later, I did stop at that pasture to take some photos as planned. But, nature interrupted my plans. Or, more accurately, nap time interrupted my plans, as every foal, and almost every mare was stretched out sleeping all over that pasture. Since it was one of the first really nice days of spring, I decided to stay and wait them out. I mean, how long could all those mares and 12 foals nap, right? Well, the wait was almost an hour… and what a wait it was.

It was a cool, sunny spring day. The grass was "fresh" green, and the sky was bright blue without a cloud in the sky as far as the eye could see. A light breeze was blowing and it was very quiet. I mean really quiet. The pasture was on a road that was not heavily travelled – maybe three cars passed the entire time I was there – plus it was far enough away from any main road so you didn't hear any traffic at all. So, the only things I heard for the hour I waited for them to wake up was the wind blowing, the birds chirping, and the occasional swish of the tail of the mare lying closest to me. Talk about a step back in time…

After an hour, some of the mares started to get up and graze, and their foals would get up and go visit mom to get some milk. Soon, almost all of them were up and walking around.

Then, after an hour of shooting photos, something remarkable happened. One of the mares just turned and started walking up the hill towards the barn. Right behind her a few yards, her little one followed. Soon, one by one, all of the other mares and foals followed behind them. It was as if that first mare had given some unheard signal that the day was ending and it was time to head in for the night.

It was a beautiful sight to watch as they all headed up that hill, slowly walking, occasionally stopping to munch on a few blades of grass, and then continuing onward up the hill to wherever they would go to spend the night.

Soon the field was empty and all that was left were the sounds of the wind blowing and the birds chirping. It only lasted a short time, but it is something I'll remember for the rest of my life.

It reminded me of those times long ago with my dad when we would drive around and look at the farms and all the beautiful horses. It also reminded me of why I love it here in the Lexington area so much, and why I'm going to try very hard to find work in this area so that I can stay and continue to enjoy times like I did on this day.

Driving around the back roads of this area is, without question, one of the top things to do when visiting Lexington. So, if you plan to arrive a few days before the seminar, or stay a few days after, if you get the chance, I highly recommend taking a drive either on your own or on one of the bus tours. The beauty of the farms, the miles of green pasture, plus all the wonderful horses you will see, are memories that will last a lifetime.

Photos by Rick Capone

Woodford Reserve Offers a Taste of Bourbon's History

While thoroughbred horses might be the trademark of the Kentucky Bluegrass region, the making of bourbon is definitely a close second.


Originally, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, which is the name given to the area where the state's distilleries are all situated, consisted of seven distilleries. At one time, it grew to eight distilleries, but a couple dropped out and the total currently stands at six.

The six distilleries currently on the Bourbon Trail include: Four Roses Distillery (Lawrenceburg, Ky.), Heaven Hill Distillery (Bardstown, Ky.), Jim Beam Distillery (Clermont, Ky.), Maker's Mark Distillery (Loretto, Ky.), Wild Turkey Distillery (Lawrenceburg, Ky.) and Woodford Reserve Distillery (Versailles, Ky.).

According to wikipedia, the members who were on the Trail, but dropped out were: Tom Moore Distillery and Buffalo Trace Distillery.

Woodford Reserve is one of the closest distilleries to downtown Lexington, where the AHP Seminar will be held, and if you are interested in the history and making of bourbon, it is worth a road trip out to the facility.

Nestled along the quiet back roads of Kentucky behind a Thoroughbred horse farm and with a small, scenic river rolling next to it, Woodford Reserve is one of the top tourist destinations of the area.

All of Woodford Reserve's stone buildings, except for the tourist center, are over 100 years old. The main distillery building is the oldest, having been erected in 1828. Since then, it has gone through some major and minor expansions, keeping its original look and resulting in the building sitting on the site today.

Woodford Reserve provides visitors with a number of things to do on a visit. First and foremost, you will want to take a tour of the facility and learn about the process that takes place to create bourbon. It is a process that starts with corn, rye, barley and limestone water and results in one of the sweetest tasting bourbons in the world.

You will get to see the fermenting tanks, the giant copper pots used to separate the alcohol from the water and the barrels, made from white oak and crafted by a "cooper" at the Bluegrass Cooperage in Louisville, Ky., which are used to age the bourbon to perfection. Without question, it is a fascinating process.

After your tour, you can then head to the restaurant to enjoy a nice, leisurely meal either inside or outside on the deck, weather permitting.

Then to end your tour, you can head to the gift shop and purchase some Woodford Reserve to enjoy when you get home.

The Woodford Reserve is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday from 12: 30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can get directions at the front desk at the hotel.

Photos by Rick Capone

Don't miss AHP's 40 Ideas on Tour

The AHP 40th Anniversary Seminar in Lexington, Kentucky will kick off at 8:00 a.m. with a full day bus tour on Thursday, June 17.

With visits to a horse farm, Kentucky Horse Park, Woodford Reserve and Keeneland, this tour will be a fun day with lots of ideas and networking opportunities. Plus the day is topped off with the Welcome Reception at the Alltech Brewery that evening. Stay tuned to the AHP web site at http://www.americanhorsepubs.org/ for complete details.

Book your Hotel Reservations for the AHP Lexington Seminar Online

June 17-19 ~ Hilton Lexington / Downtown ~ Lexington, Kentucky

The AHP "40th Anniversary" Seminar will be held on June 17-19, 2010 at the Hilton Lexington / Downtown. Overlooking Triangle Park, the Hilton’s stylish accommodations reflect the rich history of the Bluegrass and feature comfortable furniture, inviting décor and modern lifestyle amenities, including executive desks, cable TV with premium channels, wireless high - speed internet, dual-line telephones with voicemail, data ports, refrigerators, bottled water, room service, and plush Sleep Number Beds. The landmark hotel is central to scores of exciting Lexington attractions, restaurants, shopping, museums, and entertainment venues. AHP attendees will enjoy an extraordinary hotel experience with distinctive service, inviting ambiance and deluxe lifestyle amenities, including indoor heated pool and spa, business center, fitness club, WiFi, meeting and event space, airport shuttle, a jewelry store, and Lexington’s hottest dining and nightlife.

The AHP Hotel Group Rate offers AHP attendees two levels of accommodations.

• Standard Room: $119 Single or Double 2pp, $10 additional person
• Executive Club Floor Room: $144 Single or Double 2pp, $10 additional person.

(Applicable local and state taxes not included in above rates)

Cutoff date for reservations is May 28, 2010.
Rates are good from June 12, 2010 - June 23, 2010 based on availability.

Online room reservations: AHP members can click on the link below to make reservations. You will be directed to the property's home page with the code already entered in the appropriate field. All you need to do to begin the reservation is enter your arrival and departure dates and your Hilton Honors account number if you have one.

http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/LEXDTHF-HORSEP-20100612/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG

Phone room reservations: Call 859-231-9000 and use the American Horse Publications group code (HORSEP).

Hotel address:

Hilton Lexington / Downtown

369 West Line Street

Lexington, KY 40507

Phone: 859-231-9000

http://www.lexingtondowntownhotel.com/

Step Back in Time at the Mary Todd Lincoln House

One of the more popular tourist destinations in Lexington is the Mary Todd Lincoln House, which was the home for seven years of the future wife of President Abraham Lincoln when she was a child.

Todd Lincoln moved into the house in downtown Lexington when she was 14 years old. She lived there between 1832 and 1839 before moving to live with her sister, Mrs. Ninian Edwards, in Springfield, Ill. It was in Springfield where she ended up marrying the future 16th president of the United States.

The house itself was built around 1803-1806 and was originally "The Sign of the Green Tree" inn. It was then purchased by Robert S. Todd, who was involved in the grocery business and a cotton manufacturing firm in the city. In his time, Todd was also the president of the Lexington Branch of the Bank of Kentucky and a 24-year member of the Kentucky General Assembly.

In the 1830s, during the time when Mrs. Lincoln lived in Lexington, the city had less than 7,000 residents. However, it was considered one of the "big" cities of the (at that time) western United States and comparable to "Philadelphia and Boston because of its wealth and sophistication," according to the National Register of Historic Places.

Being one of the wealthier men in town, Mr. Todd had many important guests at the house, including one of the great U.S. Senators, Henry Clay, the leader of the Whig Party and a three-time presidential candidate. Clay also has an estate in Lexington, which people can visit and, time permitting, will be another blog entry here.

The Mary Todd Lincoln House is the first historic site restored in honor of a First Lady. It is operated by the Kentucky Mansions Preservation Foundation, Inc., and was opened to the public on June 9, 1977. According to the National Register of Historic Places, "After Robert S. Todd's death, the home was auctioned. An inventory from this auction became the guide to furnish the house museum, and some family pieces have been returned to the home through donations by the Todd and Lincoln families." Here's a photo gallery, which offers a glimpse into the house and what you can see there.

The Mary Todd Lincoln House is located within walking distance – a short block away – from the Lexington Hilton, where the AHP seminar will be held. The street address is 578 West Main St. Just ask at the hotel desk for the location and they will point you in the right direction. The house is open Monday through Saturday (Mar. 15-Nov. 30), with guided tours available between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is a fee for admission. For more information, call 859-233-9999 or go to www.Mtlhouse.org.

Photo Credits: Photo of Mary Todd Lincoln House courtesy of Mary Todd Lincoln House Museum. Photo of Mary Todd Lincoln courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints and Photo Division.

More than Horses at the Kentucky Horse Park

In just a few short months, many of you will be coming to Lexington, Ky. for the 2010 AHP 40th Anniversary Seminar. There will be much to do at the event itself, but there will also be some down time for exploring the countryside surrounding the city.

While driving around the area, you will get to see some beautiful sights, including historic buildings, large thoroughbred farms that seem to go on forever and, of course, lots of horses grazing on the sweet Kentucky bluegrass.

One of the places you will most likely want to see is the Kentucky Horse Park, which showcases the beauty and grace of horses from around the world. There are many exhibits to see in the Horse Park, such as the Parade of Breeds and the Hall of Champions. In addition, you will also get to see some of the new buildings created for the upcoming 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, which will be taking place in the park this autumn. And, of course, you will get to see the many horses that call the Horse Park home.

While horses are the main attraction at the Horse Park, there are some other things to look out for as you walk around, especially the beautiful horse statues.

There are currently 15 horse statues standing throughout the park. Some are life size, while others are smaller in stature. Three of the top fan favorites are located right at the entry of the park – Man O'War, Secretariat and Promise and Frisky.

The Man O'War statue first stood over the great stallion's grave on the grounds of Sam Riddle's Faraway Farm where he died in 1948. Arguably the greatest thoroughbred in horse racing history, "Big Red" won 20 of 21 races before retiring to stud at that farm, which is only a few miles away from the park. In 1997, both the statue, which was created by Herbert Haseltine, and Man O'War's grave were moved to the Horse Park where they now stand. Buried along with Man O'War are a few of his offspring, including his Triple Crown winning son, War Admiral.

Standing a short distance away from Man O'War is the statue of Secretariat, the other horse some consider the greatest thoroughbred in history. Secretariat captured the hearts of America when he won the Triple Crown in 1973, clinching his championship run with an incredible 31-length victory in the Belmont Stakes. The statue was created by Edwin Boguki, and shows the other "Big Red" entering a winner's circle with his jockey, Ron Turcotte, riding him, while his groom Eddie Sweat leads the way.

Promise and Frisky is one of the "fun" statues in the Horse Park. It stands between Man O'War and Secretariat, and is actually two separate statues that were showcased together. Created by Gwen Reardon, the two playful young horses are located in the flower garden in front of the Visitor's Information Center at the park's entrance.

So, as you walk around the Kentucky Horse Park and admire the horses, the beautiful landscape and all the other exhibits, keep your eye out for the horse statues. They are some of the park's hidden gems that you won't want to miss.

Photos by Rick Capone

Old Friends Sanctuary and B&B!

While you're in Lexington for the AHP June Conference you can hardly visit a more heart-warming and welcoming equine facility. You will be inspired. I guarantee it. Matter of fact - for a REAL treat why not book yourself into Michael and Diane Blowen's Old Friend's B+B right there on the Dream Chase farm and live with champion thoroughbred stallions during your stay in the Lexington area for the conference! Below is some background:

Michael Blowen: Optimist

Michael Blowen is an optimist. Here’s how I can tell — he started up a sanctuary for some of the most difficult of all horses to house: thoroughbred stallions. Seasoned thoroughbred stallions, if you know what I mean.

Here’s a fun fact, when he got going on this Old Friends project of his, he wouldn’t have called himself a horseman. And horsemen were calling him crazy. But here’s the thing, those details didn’t figure into his plan to re-home these tricky dudes.

I guess he reckoned there was a need. It wasn’t being directly addressed compassionately by anyone else so, being an optimist he weighed his odds and must have decided he had just as good a chance as anyone else to make it work. Help, he knew he could hire. Resources too — because I think a personal mantra for Michael may well be “Why not?”.

As a newspaperman (film critic for the Boston Globe) Michael and his wife Diane (also a gifted writer) were happy to exit their eastern urban life when an attractive retirement package floated their way. They hopped aboard and with a personal appreciation for just how unretired the recently retired can feel jumped — head first — into this dream to help these horses.

They moved to Kentucky. Horse country, Kentucky. Through his connections from within flat racing’s inner sanctum — did I forget to tell you Michael, the office-bound newsguy, developed a taste for the ponies? Yes, apparently sticking his neck out with periodic opinions on perceived public property (movies and the like) within notoriously crazy newspaper deadlines wasn’t a big enough rush for him. Well, he did. And like all good players be bought-in lock stock and two smoking barrels, eventually owning and running some of his own. I told you, optimist.

Unlike so many in the game, though, Michael started to really love his horses. Not just when they pranced into the winner’s circle — but even when they were gobbling up pricey hay and grain in their stalls he was footing the bills on under the stewardship of trainers and grooms his money helped support. Then he began wondering what their futures were like.

It’s usually somewhere around now in these love affairs that delusion gives way to reason. The sharp outlines of what is overwrite the glowing expansiveness of what could be. When he began making inquiries into where these horses went after they were played out on the track the answers started to weigh on him. When he learned that 1986 Kentucky Derby winner and 1987 Breeder’s Cup Classic winner Ferdinand ended up butchered in a slaughter house for meat, like so many other spent equine athletes – something inside him snapped.

Call it his sanity.

Then again, say it was just the sound of his cussidness hopping into the director’s chair. Go ahead, tell him he’s:

• nuts
• unqualified
• underfunded
• ignorant
• doomed

and anything else that bubbles up from the depth of the naysaying pessimist. Because to a guy like Michael Blowen negativity apparently has a positive effect.

He and Diane started Old Friends in 2003 on a dream. Eight years and many life-in-the-balance, future jeopardizing, white knuckle financing moments later here they are:

Dream Chase Farm, Georgetown, Kentucky

On the gently rolling acres, where wooden fences partition the space into paddocks that each hold exactly one full functioning gorgeous old and even not so old thoroughbred stud. Some of thoroughbred racing’s fastest, famous and above all luckiest. The staff at Old Friends (volunteer “ambassadors” mostly) and Michael himself conduct tours of the farm 7 days a week. They host visiting dignitaries, horse crazy girls, some of the steeds’ former jockeys and the rest of us.

The place, the horses and their people garner national and international attention. Best of all owners who once shunned the effort are stepping up to help.

How come? Because Michael Blowen is starkers. Insane. He’s a retiree who’s off his rocker. I told you. He’s an optimist!

Old Friends, Inc.
1841 Paynes Depot Rd.
Georgetown, KY 40324
Phone: 502-863-1775
www.oldfriendsequine.org

Celebrate in Lexington

It's hard for me to comprehend that AHP is 40, because then I have to admit that I've been part of the association for over 35 years. I can't even say I began as a student member.

I began my involvement as staff of an equine publication. Back in the day, the association consisted only of equine publication members. We were a group of a few close friends. Today, there are only a handful of us active members who remember those early seminars in Washington, DC.

I am so proud of our association and the journey we've traveled through the ups and downs of equine publishing. I love the diversity of our current membership and the constant need to step up our game.

In the next few months, AHP will begin posting information to help you prepare to attend the 40th Anniversary Seminar. Announcements and news will be posted to this blog, FaceBook, Twitter and the AHP web site at www.americanhorsepubs.org.

Come celebrate with us in Lexington. I look forward to seeing you there!

Chris Brune, Executive Director