Eiðfaxi through the years

Eiðfaxi was established in the year 1977 and the first magazine was published in July, that same year. The director was Gísli B. Björnsson, editor and guarantor was Sigurjón Valdimarsson and Pétur Behrens was responsible for the design and layout. In the editorial board were Sigurður Haraldsson, Pétur Behrens, Árni Þórðarson, Sigurbjörn Bárðarson and Þorvaldur Árnason. Photos were taken by Gísli and Sigurjón and Sigurveig Stefánsdóttir took care of the typewriting.

Following is the history of Eiðfaxi and how it happened that a publishing magazine bears that name.
„Eiðfaxi was his name, the son of Fluga and Sinir, the first horse  mentioned in history which is both conceived and born on Icelandic soil. He received great fame, both in Iceland and abroad and he was unique, his extraordinary accomplishments when he was grown up, but not least the background to his conception and birth. That particular event happened in the early period of settlement, when a ship carrying livestock arriving in Iceland, as was not unusual in those days, and took land in Skagafjörður. Unfortunately, when the horses were being discharged from the ship, one young mare managed to brake loose from the hands of the workers at the port and disappeared  in the Brimnes woods. One young farmer from Skagafjörður, named Þórir dúfunef, who was a freedman of Öxna-Þórir, felt that the mare had potential, found her and named her Fluga. Fluga is the only horse mentioned by name which the saga says was transported to Iceland.”

A few summers later, it so happened that Þórir was travelling south Kjölur along with other men from Skagafjörður. On this trail, they met a traveller, who was called Örn, they recognized him and knew that this man was the so called Örn the great traveller. This man was riding quite good horses, although one horse which  was outstanding from the heard, he was said to be named Sinir. Þórir and Örn observed each others horses, as horse people often do and whether their debate lasted for a short or long period, the conclusion was that they decided to have a contest between Fluga and Sinir, to see which one of them was a faster pace horse. This race concluded in such a manner, that the difference between Fluga and Sinis was such, that when Örn had completed half of the length of sprint, he met Þórir and Fluga on their way back. Nobody quesitons that both horses were great pacers.

This sprint was not to become the only transaction between these two horses, because the story tells that from this spring play, the mare Fluga did not part alone; for the next summer she gave birth to a male foal which was out of Sinir and received the name Eiðfaxi.

Later on, Eiðfaxi was given away to Norway as a treasure for the king where he earned an immortal fame, which will not be told further here.

The owners of this magazine, which now starts its journey, think it is appropriate that it bears the name of that very horse, which both wide and far carried out the words of fame on behalf of the Icelandic gæðingar.

The story of his parents reminds us, in a dear manner, that in Iceland it has never been a question of status symbol or the bulkiness of the purse how a riding horse carries himself or performs under a rider.”

Eiðfaxi, 1st edition July 1977.