EQUITANA 2001 – Always a horse length ahead.

Guest of honour: the ”Horse Whisperer” Monty Roberts

A new era is dawning for equestrian sports fairs with EQUITANA 200s1, now with an even more attractive appearance, greater space and a better organised layout. When the doors of the Essen fair ground open from the 3rd to 11th of March 2001, the Equestrian Sports World Fair will show a totally new and particularly visitor-friendly face. The ”Horse Whisperer”, Monty Roberts, will be a guest of honour, not only to officially open the EQUITANA 2001 but also to demonstrate his ”Join-Up®” method for four days.

Thanks to the new exhibition hall (hall 3) with 20,000 sq. m (215,278 sq. ft.) of additional area, the EQUITANA could be completely re-organised and theme areas combined. Halls with exhibition focuses, such as capital investment goods, vehicles, plant construction, stable technology, high-powered equipment – medicine, health, keeping and caring for horses, sports and gaited horses, Western and Iberian horse breeds, carriage sport, leisure and tourism and accessories in all versions offer points of contact for everyone who is interested in any aspect of the horse. New worlds will be created and an information forum of a special class at which horse lovers will find answers to all questions. Over 800 exhibitors and more than 500 horses await the visitors. ”Information” will be a priority at EQUITANA 2001. The most recent scientific findings and technical novelties on the market will be presented and tested in the forums, panel discussions and specialist congresses. In addition, selected specialists in focussed projects, such as the instructive veterinarian exhibitions and the instructive forge with attached hoof village, will impart undiluted information. Information will also be provided in the EQUITANA show stable, the trailrider village and the gaited horses hall.

An extensive accompanying programme will offer sports highlights and a top show programme in five small rings and one large ring for nine days. Dressage and showjumping for pony kids and national stars in the saddle, cups and series, carriage sports, western activities with reining-in and cutting, baroque horse demonstrations and a lot more – the programme offers constant diversity to suit the theme focus of the day. The charts are no less varied: all breeds of horses, colours and sizes, presented by organisations, exhibitors and show professionals attract the public to the rings and keep them spellbound. Over the first half of the week (3rd to 6th March 2001) the guest of honour Monty Roberts, the ”Horse Whisperer” from California, will demonstrate his ”Join-Up®” method in the large ring (hall 6) at around midday every day.

The highlight of the show is the special EQUITANA edition of the horse musical ”Le Prince”. As a Hop Top show on four evenings (4th, 7th, 9th and 10th of March, 8 p.m.) the history of Louis Henri, Price of Bourbon from Baroque France will entrance you. Fast pictures, a romantic love story and, in addition, great music from the English composer Mike Turtle. The show promises to be an unforgettable experience.

Wider aisles between the exhibition stands, improved parking and a good shuttle service should help reduce congestion in the halls and on the fairgrounds of Essen. The opening hours were also changed for this reason. Instead of 9 a.m. as in the years up to now, the doors for EQUITANA 2001 will not open until 10 a.m. and not close until 7. p.m. These new opening hours will clearly help improve the traffic situation during the Ruhr area rush hour, shorten arrival and departure times for the visitors and contribute to a stress-free visit to the fair.