From 2021 onwards the industry will be meeting up at its leading trade fair in Cologne in the spring. Together with leading representatives from the international equestrian sport industry, Koelnmesse has decided to only stage spoga horse once a year in Cologne in future. After close consultation with the exhibitors, the discussions with the industry that commenced a year ago with the aim of creating the most important, international equestrian sport industry event worldwide led to this decision. The future concentration on a leading trade fair in the spring will clearly increase the benefit for both the exhibitors and the visitors even further. "It is our vision to position spoga horse as the leading trade fair for the entire equestrian sport and equine industry worldwide," explained Oliver Frese, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH. "Together with the industry, we will in future bring all of the relevant players together in Cologne once a year."
In close cooperation with the industry, the next spoga horse will now be organized from Feb. 6 to 8, 2021, in Halls 7 and 8 of Koelnmesse. As of 2020 already, no event will be held in the autumn.
The following companies amongst others have already confirmed their participation for February: Albert Kerbl, Bense & Eicke, Busse, Döbert, Ekkia, Equest, Erreplus Saddlery, Fleck Reit- und Fahrpeitschen, G. Passier & Sohn, Haas-Manufaktur, Herm. Sprenger Metallwarenfabrik, HKM Sports Equipment, Horseware Products, HV Equestrian, Kask, Kavalkade, KEP Italia, Komperdell/Camaro, Leovet, Malefiz - Hobo Shoes, MM-Cosmetic (Zedan), QHP, Pfiff Pfitzner Reitsport, Prestige Italy, Reitstiefel Königs, Roeckl Sporthandschuhe, Schmidt Sporthandschuhe, Schweizer-Effax, Suedwind Equestrian H+P, Theo Sommer Sattlerwarenfabrik, Trust Equestrian, USG United Sportproducts Germany and Waldhausen.
"We invested a lot of time evaluating possible scenarios and are delighted that our exhibitors are supporting the result of our considerations and discussions. Together we will in future create a complete overview of the industry in the spring and will thus lend spoga horse new international appeal," is how Catja Caspary, Vice President of Koelnmesse GmbH reaffirmed the decision.
"This forward-looking decision, which was taken jointly by Koelnmesse and the international equestrian sport trade at eye level, is a cost-effective and intelligent solution both for all of the exhibitors and for the trade visitors," said Klaus Geuecke, International Business Development Kerbl GmbH, welcoming the new cycle. "spoga horse is thus advancing into becoming the leading international trade fair for the equestrian sport and thanks to the new, partly also digital concept, is without doubt going to be a crowd-puller."
"Prestige Italia, which has been collaborating with Koelnmesse for years, supports spoga's decision to have a single edition in 2021. We believe in the innovations that Koelnmesse will bring and with pleasure confirm our presence at Spoga Horse 2021", said Anna Bauce, Marketing Department and Event Manager Prestige.
"We are convinced that focusing on one event offers major advantages for the exhibitors and visitors and that it will be a success for all persons concerned. The attention will be concentrated on this one important event and not be distributed between two dates in the year as in the past. As such, spoga horse will once again become an important and worldwide acclaimed event, which reflects the entire spectrum of the industry," said a delighted Martin Sprenger, Executive Director of Sprenger Metallwarenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG.
New start with new formats and new target groups
In the scope of the new spoga horse, this decision to set a new venue date and cycle will allow the successful exhibition, conference and networking components to be interlinked with each other more strongly in future. The new hall situation in the Northern section that additionally comprises of Hall 7 now offers sufficient growth potential for spoga horse. In future, segments such as stable construction or transport as well as service providers like insurance companies or travel operators are to be more strongly integrated into the event. In terms of visitors, spoga horse is open to all commercial professionals from the equestrian industry, who in this way revive their own business and after informing themselves extensively can optimally advise their customers. Conference and networking offers will ensure an inspiring exchange of knowledge. To this end, existing successful formats will be continued and pepped up and completely new formats will be developed. In the scope of additional, digital offers and Matchmaking365+, we will also enable exhibitors and visitors to contact each other beyond the fair grounds and the exhibition dates.
