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Promoting the Best of Our Breed: How to put your best foot forward with local media

Saddle & Bridle by Dallys Malenfant Feb 2016

One of your riders has just won a huge title at a national level show. This rider has been with you from the first up/down lesson all the way to a win on the Green Shavings. You pitch the story to a local newspaper with the intent of promoting not only this rider’s great accomplishment but also the American Saddlebred breed as a whole. The problem is, the reporter you are talking to has never sat on a horse, let alone ridden a beautiful, high powered, elegant American Saddlebred. What now?

While explaining the significance of a Louisville win and presenting the American Saddlebred in a way that will draw others to the sport can seem like a daunting task, it doesn’t have to be. With just a small amount of thought and preparation, a well-done interview can have very big results.saddle

The interview

Preparing for your interview is a crucial first step, not only for yourself, but also for anyone else who will be contributing to the story. Proof reading the story before it goes to print is almost unheard of, so you need to make sure you get it right on the first try. Most stories about horseback riding will include a tremendous amount of quotes so it is essential that you have an idea of what you would like to say and how you plan on saying it. Think of it as preparing a speech to give at the Oscars. Those actors who write their speeches ahead of time are much more able to convey their gratitude and thanks than those who walk up with nothing prepared.

Darla Wright and her family-run stable High Tail Acres have been featured in many news stories over the years. She keeps plenty of ASHA pamphlets on hand to give to reporters, and also creates and prints out her own press release in preparation for the reporter’s visit.

“It gives them something written down, that explains what a Saddlebred is,” Darla said.

Sending the reporter back to the newsroom with these two items will help to reduce inaccuracies in the story and give the reporter something to reference back to as they write. But creating the press release has an added benefit, too – it gives you a chance Read More

 

Enjoy Saddle & Bridle, The oldest name in show horse magazines.

 

 


June 26, 2016

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