This week, I am happy to bring you all an awesome interview from one of my childhood heros– Holly Caccamise, editor of Horse Illustrated and Young Rider magazines, which I posted reviews for HERE.
I am so thankful that Holly was able to do the interview, and I hope that you all enjoy this special treat.
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Q1: What inspired you to become an editor/writer?
I have always loved horses and reading, and even made my own horse magazines, based off Horse Illustrated if you can believe it, when I was a kid! I majored in Biology at UCLA, not thinking magazines were a viable career path. After grad school at the University Kentucky, I ended up working through a temp agency in Lexington and was randomly assigned to do administrative work at a horse racing magazine. I was there for five years writing ads for horse products and Thoroughbred stallions before an editorial opening for their sister magazine, Horse Illustrated, became available.
Q2: You’ve been with Young Rider for a very long time. When you first started working with the publication, did you ever imagine that it would become what it is today?
I wish I could take credit for that, but I didn’t start the magazine or build it into the brand it has become! There have been great editors before me that did all of that. But I will say that Young Rider is my favorite magazine to work on—the readers are so interactive and write to me all the time to tell me what they like and what they want more of. It literally brings tears to my eyes to see how happy they are reading the magazine. Every minute of work I put into it is pure joy!
Q3: How have your varied experiences within the horse industry contributed to your writing journey?
My first “horse job” was as a horse camp counselor for ages 5-17 for eight weeks every summer in college. I got to do lots of fun things, like teach vaulting, take the kids riding on the beach, compete in a rodeo (carried the flag for the National Anthem and won an all-around buckle!), and went on a week-long pack and trail trip.
In grad school, I studied equine nutrition and exercise physiology and worked on horse feeding/exercise regimens to maximize performance, as well as doing tons of lab work. On the side, I exercised fox hunters for fitness all winter during their hunt season.
After that, I was a full-time eventing show groom for almost a year and learned the fine points of horse care and management for top-level performance.
All of these experiences taught me SO much about the horse world and different parts of it—including how to create a balanced magazine with all types of different content, plus what makes an article interesting to horse-crazy readers.
Q4: What is your favorite part about being the Editor in Chief of Horse Illustrated and
Young Rider?
My very favorite part is hearing from the readers! Especially when something they read had an impact on them and they just can’t wait to tell me about it. It makes all of the long hours, deadlines and hard work so worthwhile.
Q5: What have been some unexpected challenges that come with being the Editor in
Chief?
Having a very small staff means I have to do almost everything myself, which is a challenge when juggling family life, raising a young child, and my own riding and hobbies. But I don’t mind giving up some free time in order to have my dream job!
Q6: What advice would you give to a young writer who is looking to become a
freelance editor or writer in the magazine industry?
Study the style of writing and the flow of content in the magazines you like the best. Come up with some ideas for stories that would fit in your favorite magazines, interview experts, and write an article! You can submit it to a magazine no matter your age. Whether or not they publish it, they will probably be happy to offer you constructive advice if you ask for it. Each magazine has its own style, and they are always looking for enthusiastic and talented freelancers. If you want to be an editor, those jobs are much more scarce, so build your resume as a freelancer and
learn all you can so you’re ready to apply when one opens up!
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Holly Caccamise has been with Horse Illustrated and Young Rider since 2007, and in August 2019, she was promoted to Editor in Chief. She contributed to Horse Illustrated winning 1st place in the General Excellence category for a self-supported publication (circulation 15,000 and over) at the American Horse Publications Equine Media Awards in 2019, as well as an Honorable Mention in the same awards category in 2021.
Before getting involved in the editorial side of print media, she worked as an award-winning ad copywriter for Thoroughbred Times magazine. Caccamise has an M.S. in Animal Science from the University of Kentucky, where she studied equine nutrition and exercise physiology, and a B.S.in Biology from UCLA. Caccamise has also worked as a research assistant, horse camp counselor, vaulting instructor, and as a top-level show groom in the three-day eventing world.
You can read her articles here: Holly Caccamise, Editor of Horse Illustrated and Young Rider