Spoga Horse Spring 2019

After three successful trade fair days, spoga horse spring 2019 came to a close on 4 February with a good result. 3,600 trade visitors from 58 countries visited the International Trade Fair for Equestrian Sports so they could be the first to experience the new products and trends of the coming autumn/winter season.

Press release www.spogahorse.com 

“The new schedule of spoga horse went down very well with the trade visitors,” commented Catja Caspary, Vice President Trade Fair Management of Koelnmesse GmbH. The level of internationality of the trade visitors remained stable at 51 percent. “Particularly the interest from abroad offers first-class opportunities for our exhibitors to build up international business contacts in the course of personal dialogues.” Overall, 170 exhibitors from 24 countries presented equestrian sport-related products and services.

After a reserved previous year, the mood among the exhibitors at spoga horse spring was good. “For us spoga horse spring was very important as a starting point for the new autumn/winter collections. Because the long, hot summer and the late beginning to the winter 2018 faced our members with many challenges. The specialised dealers were ultimately very hesitant in ordering, the warehouses are still full,” is how Monique van Dooren-Westerdaal, board member of the German Association of the Sports Goods Industry e.V. (BSI), on behalf of the BSI members, explained the initial position. “We are very happy with the new Saturday. From our point of view the schedule had a positive effect on the trade fair. Together with the excellent quality and level of internationality of the trade visitors, so we are looking very positively ahead to the follow-up orders.”spoga horse spring especially recorded an increase in the number of trade visitors from the countries Sweden, Denmark, France and Great Britain. 

Overall, 170 exhibitors from 24 countries presented equestrian sport-related products and services.

Satisfaction among the trade visitors too 
It wasn’t just a strong start to the New Year for the exhibitors and trade fair organisers. The trade visitors were also satisfied or very satisfied with spoga horse spring. 68 percent of the respondents of an independent survey stated this. In addition to the range of exhibits provides the trade visitors added value primarily through its informative event programme comprising of the spoga horse academy, the spoga horse fashion walk, the Premiere’s Club and the Dogs special event. The concept of spoga horse spring had a sustainably convincing impact: Around 92 percent of the trade visitors would recommend a good business acquaintance to visit the trade fair. 

Outlook for spoga horse autumn 
In the run-up to and during the current trade fair, the trade fair participants often posed questions regarding the half-yearly cycle of the event and sponsorship of the BSI. Koelnmesse underlines once again the success of the current concept of both trade fairs: “As organisers of spoga horse, we always have the entire market as well as the demands and needs of our customers in mind. A sold-out spoga horse autumn and a successful spoga horse spring with a stable number of exhibitors as well as satisfied trade fair guests confirm the fair’s current cycle of two events a year,” stated Catja Caspary. “The BSI has officially confirmed its sponsorship of both events. Hence no changes are currently planned. However, we are in constant dialogue with our customers so that we can react to requirements and ideas. Altering the schedule this spring is just one example of this.” 

The winners of the HIPPO Dealer Award powered by spoga horse 
The HIPPO Dealer Award powered by spoga horse was also conferred this year to Germany’s best specialised dealers on the Sunday of the fair. Reitsport Wohlhorn from Everswinkel won the coveted award in the category “Best Specialised Dealer”. “Best Specialised Dealer” went to Horse & Rider from Salzhausen and Genisys GbR from Hahnbach convinced in the category “Best Shopfitting”. Reitsport Matzen from Handewitt took the victory in the category “Best Opening”. STEFFEN Tierzuchtgeräte & Pferdsportbedarf from Lübeck won the distinction “Best Full-Range Stockist”. kavalio – Reitsport Pfeifer from Haiger was distinguished in the category “Best Online Shop”. 

spoga horse spring 2019 in figures: 
170 companies (spring 2018: 171) from 24 (20) countries, 68% (67%) of whom came from abroad, participated in spoga horse spring. These included 54 (57) exhibitors from Germany and 116 (114) exhibitors from abroad. Including estimates for the last day of the fair, 3,600 visitors from 58 countries attended spoga horse spring 2019. The share of foreign trade visitors was around 51 percent.*