The American Beagler Forum

The following will appear in the May 2006 Editorial page:

I’ve never been one to beat around the bush, so I need to tell you that The American Beagler is under new ownership as of April 1, 2006. Mike and Janie Ridenhour of Belle, Missouri purchased the magazine and are looking forward to being your new publisher as a family operation. They have graciously kept me on as your editor, so you will still see me at events, read my write-ups, and I will still visit with you each month from this page. Please note their new contact and mailing information in this May issue. I have retained ownership of the Stud Book, and I will be devoting more time to making that bigger and better for you.

I promised you all that I would “fix things”, and improve the magazine by bringing you the type of articles you want to see, and this will allow me to do so. I cannot fix the postal situation in Indianapolis; I can’t make them hire their people back, so with the magazine mailing from Missouri (probably St. Louis hub) I expect you will see your magazine much earlier in the month. The Ridenhours are the owners of Top-Notch Kennels, and they are certainly top-notch folks. I hope you give them the same courtesy you’ve always given me. This is a win-win for us all.

I started The American Beagler from scratch almost 5 years ago with the September 2001 issue. It was only suppose to be a newsletter, but it quickly evolved into an 80-page publication before the first copy ever went to print. I started with 243 subscribers that issue and within 5 months, the subscribership had surpassed 2 of the other beagle magazines at the time. Considering The American Beagler now mails to 46 of the 50 States, 8 of the 10 Canadian Provinces, and Puerto Rico, I feel it is the best beagling magazine in circulation today. It will continue to be so. It’s been a labor of love, but doing 100% of the layout, building ads, answering the phones, mailing out samples and replacements, attending events, recruiting advertisers, dealing with the post office and printers, moderating 2 websites... basically the entire operation, is just too much for one individual. I’m wondering how I did it for so long. Your kind letters to me over the years must have been the fuel. That, and God's loving hand.

It’s time I give myself a break and contribute in a more effective manner - by bringing you some beagling news and articles in a photo-journalist capacity. I may even get to run my own dogs again! I want to thank each and every one of you for being loyal readers and contributors, and for the love and patience you’ve shown me as a publisher since 2001. You are the salt of the earth, the most big-hearted people on the planet, and I have been proud - so proud to serve you in this sport, in whatever way I could. I will continue to serve you the best way I can in my new position with The American Beagler.

Until next month, God bless and keep ‘em runnin’! - Bev

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I will also still be moderating and maintaining the message boards.

Bev, you dont know me but I always made it a point to stop and say Hi to you at the UKC Natinals and World Hunt and to tell you thanks for your contribution to the sport of Beagling. How you have managed to put up with the crying ,whining and bickering over the years is amazing. I have always enjoyed your Magazine and website and am always anxious to see it arrive in the mail. Thanks for all you have done and will do for the sport of beagling.

Mike

congrats on your change in life . maybe now you can enjoy your time (and dogs) more and wont have people whining about the mail system . i bet you feel like the weight of the world is off your shoulders.

It makes me wonder what TAB will be without you, Bev! As you have said, you have put your heart and soul into this publication. Tab has always been Bev Saunders and that says enough in itself. The accomplishments you have made to the world of beagling and providing an outstanding magazine for beaglers cannot be measured.

I wish you all the best in your next venture for I am sure there will be one.

Thanks for providing us with a great magazine for so many years.
Sally

We to Wonder what the mag will be like without Your personal Touch Bev, But we wish you all the best and look forward to meeting you at some of the trials, you and your Mag along with the website have had more of an influance on our lives than you may think! We wish you all the best and look forward to your Articles and stories Done in the way that only you can do them. We hope this will give you the time you need to persue those thing that are truley important in your life! Have fun and see ya around!
Maybe now you could actually make a HEN run LOL
TC, JC
Crewse-N-Beagles Calhoun Ky

I have always enjoyed your Magazine and website and am always anxious to see it arrive in the mail. Thanks for all you have done and will do for the sport of beagling.

Mike, thank you so much. I so appreciate hearing that. Hopefully now you won’t have to wait so long. See you at another trial - hopefully soon.

i bet you feel like the weight of the world is off your shoulders.

Yes sir. Now I get to do the fun part of the magazine… and get another regular job of some kind, lol. Anybody got an opening for a part-time control freak?

Tab has always been Bev Saunders and that says enough in itself.

Sally, I love ya to death – you know that, don’t you? Only another woman who puts her heart and soul into this sport – into smelly beagles and beagling, one who doesn’t cringe at the thought of dirt and dog poop under her fingernails would understand where I am right now. I’ll see you this weekend.

We to Wonder what the mag will be like without Your personal Touch Bev, But we wish you all the best and look forward to meeting you at some of the trials, you and your Mag along with the website have had more of an influance on our lives than you may think!

This part leaves me (almost) speechless. It’s what anyone could hope she's done during her life. (besides hearing it from ungrateful teenagers, of course...)

Maybe now you could actually make a HEN run LOL

That’s the idea. Can't wait to meet you both!

its funny these folks that bought the mag are in my hometown and i have never met them....?....good luck bev and thanks for all the fun and info you have brought to the board and the mag....

Bev: I, for one, will not forget you (nor all the folks with the saws?) going out on a limb for the beagling community. Nor will I forget how you hung in there until the magazine made it without ARHA. I also will never forget the fair and honest way your approach everything you do. Not to mention YOUR SOFT SPOT FOR KIDS and your understanding of the connection between them and the future. Not only did you reserve a FREE page for the Kid's Corner but sent FREE magazines to the kids who were pictured there as well. Bless you heart too for sending me another copy of the first issue of TAB (FIRST CLASS!) when you heard I had not received mine on time. Thanks most of all for sponsoring these websites that so many people use FREE and still find things to gripe about! By the way, if you could afford all the FREE stuff and keep the magazine solvent, you are a heck of a business woman to boot - LOL! I could go on but everyone already knows what kind of person you are. I was really disappointed that you were out of town the ONE time I made it to Indy (I did get to meet Ralph, Aaron, and both Todds and have a GREAT time with them, Terry, Cork, and Matt so the trip was not a total wash!). Glad you will get more time to do other things but I am really glad that you are still editor! You need to make the HEN RUN! When I think of women AND beagles (at the same time LOL!), you, Katrina, and Sally are always at the TOP of my list!!!!!!!!!! Take care and keep us posted about your new adventures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're killin' me, Chuck. *sniffs*

You and I have been knowing each other since "The Judge's" message board - long before TAB, and I hope I get to meet you in person (maybe at a HenRun) and give you a BevHug. Thanks for your honesty during our few phone talks, and your moral support over the years. I'll always remember your "How to Pick a Puppy" story, LMAO!

I for one think if there is any bevhugs i want to be towards the top , i remember when you had this great ideal , well it worked for ya , you and ol ralph have been friends of me for years .I still have all my drawings from you ,i can still see ralph waiting for me at mickie dees , YOUR BOTH GOOD PEOPLE best of luck

Jimmy, I remember doing that portrait of Jackson, and him walking around in my kitchen like he owned the place, lol. Here's a pic of your Gracie bitch on the kitchen counter practicing for the bench (actually, we were trying to get a good pic of her for her portrait). She wasn't cooperating. If memory serves, she was about 11 months old at the time and scalding rabbits like no tomorrow. I've been fortunate to have made so many friends over the years. I hope to make some more!



If I see or talk to Ralph this week, I'll pass along your kind words.

Bev, thank you for allowing my pal Butsy to contribute to the mag with his one-of-a-kind insight on the life of a beagler. I hope that his articles brought a chuckle here or there. He may be ready to relate some of his antics in the near future, as he has the summer off. Best wishes to you, Ralph and of course all the hounds. Thank you for many hours of entertainment and information! May you be successful in all that you endeavor to do.

David, thanks for the kind words. I'm sure the new publishers would enjoy a story from Butsy from time to time. You can still have him submit articles to me.

Bev,
Good luck. Congrads. May meet you in person some day...lol

I have that same picture of Gracie. Thats the mother to Jimmys Junee dog. Jimmy has told me that he has a picture of her that you drew one day I hope to see it.

Mason, believe it or not, I used to do a few portrait/sketches of dogs for people. This was right before ARHA was sold without The Rabbit Hunter, the beaglers had no home for their results, and I decided to do the "newsletter" (lol). All the portraits came to a screeching halt after that. Who knows? Perhaps if I find myself with the time again, I'll pick it back up.

If you wanna see one though, click here (it's too large to load in the thread):

http://americanbeagler.net/portraitsuzie.jpg