Opinions of exhibitors

Opinions of exhibitors about the EQUITANA 2011

"At EQUITANA, the entire economic power of the horse becomes apparent: the range of goods on offer comprises everything from saddle cloths, trailers and stables to jewellery. Moreover, this fair shows that the horse is an attitude to life and even a lifestyle. For us as the national federation for equestrian sports and horse breeding, EQUITANA is a duty in a positive sense, because it is here that we get in touch with horse people of all kinds. On the one hand we get a lot of ideas for our work, on the other the fair generates a wealth of new contacts."
Sönke Lauterbach, Secretary General of the German National Equestrian Federation (FN)

Breeders and breed societies

"The debut of the joint stand for organisations in Lower Saxony at EQUITANA could be the beginning of a success story. It offered us the chance to demonstrate impressively the equestrian competence of Lower Saxony. A total of 14 exhibitors presented themselves, jointly organized and promoted by the Marketing Association of the Agricultural and Food Sector for Lower Saxony. As well as the Hanoverian Society, the Oldenburg Horse Breeders' Society e.V. was one of the exhibitors. Other partners are Verband der Züchter und Freunde des Arabischen Pferdes e.V., Pferdestammbuch Weser-Ems and Verband der Pony- und Kleinpferdezüchter Hannover e.V. State Stud Celle, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen and both Lower Saxon equestrian sports associations, for Hanover and Weser-Ems, also took part. Another topic presented was riding holidays. We are very satisfied. Our plan to use the stand to attract both specialist visitors and leisure riders has worked out amazingly well. Visitors were very taken with the stand, and colleagues and competitors from other federal states were, without exception, full of praise and even admiration. The presentation at the fair was promoted by the Ministry of Nutrition, Agriculture, Consumer Protection and Land Development for Lower Saxony."
Dr. Enno Hempel, Managing Director, Pferdeland Niedersachsen GmbH

"We had a lot of visitors at our stand and are well satisfied. Of course our main goals at EQUITANA are maintaining our image and our members as well as gaining new members and offering breeding advice. In addition, this year we sold two of the six horses we brought along, and the sale of a third one is being negotiated. We really scored a hit with our merchandising articles! Visitors at our stand were keen to buy everything from ballpoint pens and jackets, shirts and cups to our extremely popular liqueur "Trakehner Blut". Everything has our new logo on it. We are really delighted, as it demonstrates that people are identifying with our Association."
Detlef Thun, Administration Office, Trakehner Association

"After not having attended the fair for several years, our presentation in the horse breeding hall was quite a great success. We performed well and were able to promote our elite auction at the end of April. Five of the best elite horses and ponies in our current collection were in Essen. They met with a great response even among breeders and stallion owners from abroad. The contacts we may have made here reach as far as India."
Frederik Vekens, Press & Sales, Westfälisches Pferdestammbuch e.V.

"For us it was the first time we have exhibited in a joint association of the five warmblood breed societies and two pony societies as "Süddeutsche" from Southern Germany. It was well worth the effort. We conducted excellent sales negotiations and are expecting promising follow-up business."
Thomas Münch, Managing Director, Süddeutsche Pferdezuchtvermarktungs GmbH

"We were very popular, and on some days had up to 1,000 people visiting our Pferde- und Reiterland Schleswig-Holstein stand, which in its current form was initiated and promoted by the Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Areas. We are very satisfied. Our intention to provide an umbrella for presenting Schleswig-Holstein as a region for horses and riders worked out amazingly well."
Daniela Domnick, Pferde- und Reiterland Schleswig-Holstein

"Our decision back in 2007 to exhibit at EQUITANA was absolutely right. Since then we have been here every time, this year with six horses. Here we can reach a big international audience. The Noriker breed, which still is relatively unknown beyond the borders of Austria, is gaining more and more importance, not least due to our appearance here. We have also registered a lot of positive requests from buyers. In autumn 2009 we exported 400 mares to India."
Wilhelm Popatnig, Deputy Managing Director ARGE NORIKER, part of the "Pferdeland Österreich" joint stand

"We are delighted with EQUITANA, because here we can get in direct touch with P.R.E. breeders from Germany and Europe as well as with P.R.E. breeders' associations especially from Italy, Holland, Germany and Belgium, but also from other countries. EQUITANA provides a fantastic supporting and show programme. The HENGSTE breeding show is particularly interesting for us. For ANCCE, EQUITANA is a great platform for advertising the Pura Raza Espanola breed, ANCCE as a Spanish breeders' society and administrator of the P.R.E stud book, and the equestrian fair SICAB in Seville. Germany is and remains a very important market for us. We have been exhibiting here since 1991 and hope to return in 2013."
Manuel Gonzáles López, Executive Director ANCCE, Spain

"This is the first time my company has exhibited at this fair, promoted by Fundacion Exportar de Argentina and in cooperation with the Criollo Breed Society, Asociación Argentina de Criadores de Caballos Criollos. There really are a lot of people visiting EQUITANA from all over the world, and we made a lot of contacts at our stand. Argentina is most likely to exhibit here again in the future."
Sebastian Ucha, owner of UCHA Manufaktur, Export, Import, Argentina

"I have been at EQUITANA for eight days - and I have hardly had time to go anywhere. Everyone comes to our stand, asking for the Criollo horses, it is simply unbelievable how much interest there is in the horses and our country! Not only we as the breed society but also the tourism association of Uruguay and the corresponding ministry are glad to have been here for the first time. Even our ambassador in Germany, who came to visit us, was impressed by the fair. Personally, I would like to thank the whole team for the fantastic organisation and assistance - never before have I experienced such a cordial welcome as at EQUITANA."
Dr. Martin Gurméndez, Sociedad de Criadores de Caballos Criollos del Uruguay

"EQUITANA is really impressive. The interest in our horses was enormous. It was a good start. Now we have to do our job and seize the opportunities EQUITANA has presented us with. We are very confident."
Magdi Shaat, President of ABCCM Mangalarga Marchador

"I am very pleased that after the Old Kladruby we could present further Czech horse breeds such as the Kinsky Horse and the Czech Warmblood at EQUITANA. The fair is always a pleasurable event."
Lenka Gotthardová, President, Equus Kinsky Breed Association

"A delegation from India, potential buyers from Iran and even from Uzbekistan - we sold four horses during EQUITANA and are very satisfied. As in previous years we are expecting brisk follow-up business. Exhibiting at EQUITANA was certainly worthwhile.
Thomas Blass, Gestüt Rahmannshof, Essen-Überruhr

Associations

"EQUITANA was perfect. We gained a lot of new members here. The Western Day was absolutely brilliant."
Robert Georg, Marketing Coordinator, National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA)

"We are very satisfied with EQUITANA. We are delighted that the Reining Cup took place again this year. For us, the Western Day remains the EQUITANA highlight."
Gerda Kneisel, Head of the administrative office, National Reining Horse Association Germany e.V. (NRHA)

Capital goods

"We are very satisfied with the way the fair went, especially in regard to the receipt of order. We were surprised at the significantly increased number of international visitors at our stand. This is especially true for visitors from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. We look forward to 2013!"
Thorsten Wessels, Head of Sales, Laake GmbH

"Against the backdrop of the German market, EQUITANA exceeded expectations, as in the equestrian sports market too we are emerging from a crisis. As far as foreign trade is concerned, especially with Europe, we registered significantly reduced activity. Considering the economic situation of these countries this is hardly surprising, though."
Klaus Böckmann, Managing Director of Böckmann Fahrzeugwerke GmbH

"EQUITANA 2011 left us in no doubt that the crisis in Germany has been overcome. People feel like making investments again. Visitors from other European countries - particularly from Spain and Great Britain - continue to be rather reluctant, though."
Elfert Rüb, Managing Director of Röwer & Rüb GmbH

"As a growing, expanding company, our particular aim is to get more well-known at an international level. We were able to achieve this at EQUITANA. We recorded a high proportion of international visitors at our stand, above all from Scandinavia, the Benelux countries and France."
Roland Hau, Management, Hau GmbH & Co. KG

"EQUITANA presents us, a company in the interior installation sector, with the opportunity to gain riders and horse breeders as a new target group. The first time we attended was in 2009 and since then we have extended our portfolio, for example in the range of equestrian centres. In 2011, we are very satisfied with the fair once more and will be back for sure."
Klaus Hünerkopf, owner and Managing Director, Klaus Hünerkopf Neukirchen

"EQUITANA remains the most important fair in the equestrian sports market. We registered a large number of valuable contacts with tangible purchasing intentions for complete fencing systems, even though visitor numbers were down a bit, compared to EQUITANA 2009."
Michael Drewes, Head of Sales, Gallagher Europe B.V.

"On the whole we met with a good response at the fair, although there were fewer visitors from abroad. This is particularly true for Spain, Great Britain and France. We sold the water horse walker we presented in action at EQUITANA, as well as many other installations.
We are also very pleased with the great interest from the media in our stand, which can be attributed in part to our participation in the EQUITANA Innovation Award. The award has gained further importance in the industry. EQUITANA is the right platform to present new products."
Uwe Kraft, Uwe Kraft Reitsportgeräte & Metallbau GmbH

Riding equipment

"EQUITANA is in a positive sense an obligatory event if you want to market your product at an international level. We registered a significant increase in experienced buyers going for high-quality products."
Eva Sandriesser, Sandriesser Reitstiefel

"Anyone looking for Stübben will come here. We have registered strong demand. People made a lot of purchases."
Wolf Zimmermann, Deputy Managing Director, Joh's Stübben KG

"EQUITANA continues to be the industry's leading fair. With regard to its size and programme it has many advantages over the numerous regional equestrian sports fairs. Although to me it felt as if visitor numbers went down a bit in 2011, EQUITANA for us remains Fair Number One."
Jürgen Loesdau, Managing Director, Pferdesporthaus Loesdau

"This is our first time at EQUITANA. We are very satisfied with our business performance and sales at the fair. It is clear that there is a trend towards high-quality products."
Peter Rudolph, Head of Sales, CASCO Schutzhelme GmbH

Feed stuffs

"For us, 2011 was one of the best EQUITANAs we have ever had. Our stand was very busy. We had useful discussions with both trade partners and end-users. We are very satisfied."
Udo Steinbock, Head of Marketing and Sales, Höveler Spezialfutterwerke GmbH & Co. KG