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Covertside editor Norman Fine collected multiple awards at the annual Awards Dinner of the American Horse Publications in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Saturday, June 23. The MFHA magazine took first and third places for two stories and was runner-up to the winning magazine, Hoof Beats, in a General Excellence category. Covertside is proud to post these award-winning articles for the benefit of our readers and to honor our contributing authors.

R. Moses Thompson’s story, “Cantering Downhill at Cromwell’s Run,” was judged the winning entry in the Personal Column category for all magazines with circulations under 15,000. The judge wrote, “This column was a joy to read. The writer makes wonderful use of metaphors and perfectly timed moments of humor. The piece is full of excellent, fresh description and zips along at a compelling narrative pace, paralleling the excitement and danger of the hunt itself. The piece is often laugh-out-loud funny --- with descriptions such as the 90-year-old’s voice from the back seat of the car --- and keeps the reader engaged. The writer pulls broader, introspective meaning into the column in its conclusion, and ends with a fitting quip that the audience will both recognize and embrace.”

Third place in the Personal Column category was awarded to Matthew Klein’s story, “How I came to be a Foxhunter.” The judge commented, “Stylistically, this writer is far above average, demonstrating a well-crafted, intuitive sense for good storytelling and narrative structure and a knack for turning a fresh phrase. He handles testicle-pounding humor and philosophical depth with equal skill and maturity, and weaves a story that is full of life and detail. The writing is eloquent, seamless and fresh. This column was a delight to read and never lost my interest.”

In the General Excellence category for Association Magazines with circulation under 15,000, the judge wrote, “Writing in this magazine is top notch. Many stories ‘take you there.’ Few publications capture the experience so well. Regular breakfast feature is not only enjoyable but includes recipes. Profiles draw you in and really let you know the person. Layout for Centennial very effective.”

History
The first issue of Covertside made its appearance in June, 1994. It was mailed to about four thousand recipients (the total combined lists of the Virginia Foxhound Club, the Museum of Hounds and Hunting, and the MFHA!).
Recalling this first issue, Jimmy Young wrote in the Fifth Anniversary issue of Covertside, July, 1999:

“The arrival of this formative issue was greeted with overwhelming praise and congratulation. It obviously filled a void in the continent’s foxhunting appetite. The paper was slick, the production values excellent, the pictures befitting....

“This still-fledgling journal continues to provide more foxhunting substance per column inch than any other continental sporting publication. By dint of its success and demands for even more information, Covertside doubled its size to sixteen pages. It is quoted by individuals and institutions around the world and is a respected voice for a way of life under attack. For that success, a foxhunting engineer named Norman Fine, a foxhunting leader named Marty Wood, and the foxhunting leadership named the Board of Directors of the Masters of Foxhounds Association should take great pride. I know I do.”

The Mission
In the first column on the first page of the first issue (Covertside, May, 1994) we said:

“Covertside is a newsletter for foxhunters published by the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America in the belief that improved communication cannot but help to strengthen the unity of our foxhunting community. Through these pages the MFHA wishes to reach all who love foxhunting – Masters, staff and field members alike. We will bring you NEWS of Recognized and Registered hunts; INFORMATION about foxhunting – practice, management, tradition, history, literature, art – that we hope will delight both newcomers and old-timers; and important ISSUES that bear upon the well-being of our sport.”

To the extent we have fulfilled these objectives over the course of our first ten years, we are gratified. If we have brought you closer and involved you more personally in the conduct and happenings of our sport, foxhunting has benefited. Whether you are a new enthusiast or an experienced foxhunter, if we have deepened your enjoyment of hunting by providing useful information about hounds, hunting, sporting literature or art, we are exceedingly gratified. And if we have encouraged one individual to help in the preservation of our precious open space, or given you reason to be proud to count yourself in the fraternity of foxhunters – conservationists, protectors of wildlife, good citizens – foxhunting has greatly benefited.

The New Covertside
You will notice a change in Covertside, starting with the March 2005 issue. It has been converted from its former newsletter format to a magazine format. The redesign has resulted in a more attractive and reader-friendly publication and a better vehicle for advertisers. By printing advertisements in the magazine instead of being inserted as loose pages as before, Covertside is more affordable to the advertiser and, consequently, we are able to sell more advertising space. Our intention in increasing advertising revenues is to help defray the cost of producing Covertside, thus freeing up more of the MFHA’s funds to protect our sport for future generations of sportsmen and women.

Covertside has a lot to offer advertisers. With a current circulation of about fifteen thousand, Covertside reaches foxhunting members and supporters of MFHA-Registered and Recognized hunt clubs across the United States and Canada. Readership demographics, as determined by a survey conducted by the University of Maryland, are impressive (see below).

Your letters and comments are important to us. We relish your kind words, but we cherish your reactions, your thoughtful comments, your ideas and suggestions. If Covertside makes a worthwhile contribution to your foxhunting experience, please help us do better for foxhunting by sharing your wisdom with our readers. If you have suggestions, ideas, or articles for publication, contact the editor through the MFHA office or by e-mail to nmfine@millwoodhouse.com.