Time for EuroHorse. The horse fest of the year in Gothenburg

The 23 February will once more see the opening of the big annual horse fest in Gothenburg – EuroHorse and the Gothenburg Horse Show. With 220 exhibitors, no less than 60 demonstrations in the Paddock, more horses than ever before, some 60 of 32 different of breeds, EuroHorse will consolidate its position as one of the world’s biggest horse fairs.

The fair features just about everything for horses and horse buffs – from exciting horse shows to shopping opportunities for all kinds of equipment and items for horses and riding. Visitors can also learn more about breeding, breed associations and the horse “industry” – horse-related activities, products and services – in Sweden.

This year’s EuroHorse also includes a number of innovations and a wider programme, in both the Paddock and the Lecture Hall. The first day of EuroHorse will get off to a flying start with an inspiring talk by the famous rider Johanna Lassnack. The panel of well-known experts will include the hot blogger Nellie Berntsson.

The Paddock will see two exciting, new features this year. The first, TiH (Tölt in Harmony), is a training programme for horse sport judges who wish to qualify to judge Tölt, the lateral ambling gait of the Icelandic horse. The programme is based on traditional, sport judge qualification levels. The second new feature, Barrel Racing, is a fast ’n’ furious rodeo event, with riders speeding in a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels.

Other new Paddock highlights include Icelandic horses, Western Riding, Shetland ponies, a Falabella – the world’s smallest breed of horse, and a police rider with a Shire horse – the world’s largest breed of horse.

Media phenomenon Vinnie, the little Shetland pony in the ATG (Swedish bookmaker) TV advert, is a long-awaited favourite of many EuroHorse visitors. He will be in the paddock on Friday, 24 February (08:30 - 09:00) and Saturday, 25 February (15:40 - 16:00). At other times he will be nextdoor at the ATG stand in the Scandinavium Arena.

Also new: Sweden’s Västra Götaland Regional Authority Department of Natural Resources will be making a first appearance at EuroHorse this year with a solid programme at the stand (B07: 06) and at clinics in the Paddock focusing on its education schemes and natural resource schools. In addition, one of the world’s most advanced horseback riding simulators will have its Swedish premier at the stand.

Dogs, too, will have their place at EuroHorse. After all, 50% of the fair's visitors have a dog. Our joint promotion with the Swedish Working Dog Club (Svenska Brukshundklubben) will enable visitors to see demonstrations of everyday obedience, rally obedience, games, circus tricks and nosework. The Swedish National Obedience Team will also be on the spot.

So apart from wanting to see the horses, why do 80,000 people come to EuroHorse? The answer is simple – shopping, shopping and more shopping. And they spend an average close on SEK 2,500 (EUR 263), making a total of SEK 200 million – more than EUR 21 million, during the four-day event.

“A lot of people save all year to make their purchases at EuroHorse,” says Klas Pettersson, EuroHorse Business Manager for the past 19 years.
“The horse ‘industry’ is huge and just keeps on growing – from the number of riders, stakeholders and businesses to products and services ­– everything, in fact, to do with horses. EuroHorse is the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre’s next largest fair, second only to our Book Fair in terms of visitor totals. Our aim is twofold – to present as wide a spectrum as possible of the horse ‘industry’ and to offer the best shopping opportunities in the whole of Scandinavia for everyone who has anything to do with horses. So it comes as no surprise to note that more and more people are choosing to devote a whole day, or even two days, just to EuroHorse,” says Klas.

For more information on the Paddock programmes, lectures and clinics, please visit www.eurohorse.se

Please apply for your Press Accreditation for EuroHorse at press@svenskamassan.se. Your accreditation will be available for collection at the Information Desk at the main entrance of the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre. Please note that our Press Centre is not open during EuroHorse.

EuroHorse and the Gothenburg Horse Show provide an excellent example of the “All Under One Roof” concept, in which the joint resources of the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and the Scandinavium Arena provide a facility that is one of the few in Europe able to handle an equestrian event of this size. And when EuroHorse is on, Gothenburg is filled with horse lovers from near and far.

This ability, which is even more unusual outside Europe, provides the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre with a distinct competitive advantage as an organiser. It also makes Gothenburg a very competitive host city for meetings and events.