Wahl Street Journal

$3 per gallon -- Smart Car

2008-01-07T14:57:00.000-08:00

So we're paying more than $3 a gallon for gasoline. Annoying as it is, I'm constantly reminded by my friends in Europe and the UK that it's still a bargain here, compared to their prices.

Personally I hope it stays at $3, or even better, rises to about $5 a gallon and stays there for a year or two. Why? Because maybe that would convince car manufacturers and consumers to purchase more gas-friendly vehicles, which would be a good thing all the way around.

It would also hasten the push to develop alternative fuels. Today, it seems every time we get close to hydrogen or other sources, the price of gas miraculously drops and the idea fades from the minds of everyone involved.

Part of the problem is that, at heart, Americans believe size does matter -- at least where automobiles are concerned.

Later this year, the Smart Car is slated to debut in the United States. If you've traveled in Europe, you've already seen Smarties. They're smaller than the smallest car you've ever seen in the United States, get excellent fuel mileage and generally perform as well as any other vehicle.

Can you carry around five friends in it? No. If you are accustomed to hauling furniture in your vehicle, you'll be disappointed with a Smart car.

But if you want a car that can help end our dependence on foreign oil, this is the car for you.

I hope I live to see the day when the oil companies in the United States go out of business, shut down their refineries, take their names down off the "big board" and fade into the woodwork. That would be a day of celebration, indeed.

Television can kill you

2008-01-02T18:11:00.001-08:00

When I was a child, television was considered bad for you. It corrupted your mind. It ruined your eyes and it gave up radiation that could make you sterile or worse.

Today, with televisions increasing in size, they've become deadline for an entirely different reason. Once again this past week, we read of a youngster who was crushed and killed by a large-screen television falling from an unsuitable television stand. Several similar stories have been in the news over the past couple years.

It's always been amazing to me the role a television plays in the average American home. Remember when they were called television "sets?" That's because at one time you bought a kit (or set, like an erector set) and built your own. My first television set was a five-inch screen attached to a box the size of breadmaker. All during college and for much of my early career years, that tiny black-and-white filled the bill perfectly.

The last television we purchased was about 15 years ago at a department store in Santa Maria, Calif. It was a nifty 24-inch with a great picture and heavy as a refrigerator. We still have it. It's probably the best investment we've ever made.

It's hard to believe that beginning in 2009 our old television will be officially obsolete. We're trying to decide whether we're going to buy a new one or simply get the digital converter kit. Hardly seems right to get rid of something that works so well.

For all of the technological changes, it's fair to say that Newton Minow continues to be correct in his assessment that television is a "vast wasteland," as he declared it in 1960. Oh, there are moments of brilliance. Who can watch the Walton family wishing each other a good night and not be moved?

Today's television content consists of a collection of reality shows, game shows and an odd and absurd retinue of productions most of us can easily live without. But we don't. It's the odd household that doesn't have cable or dish so we can surf for hours and never find anything worth watching.

And now, television is the latest threat to our children, only this time a quick and deadly physical threat, not a slow and mind-rotting threat many of us have always believed it to be.

Maybe the era of digital and high definition television will mean an increase in the quality of programming. Maybe not.

The demise of newspaper v.1395

2008-01-01T18:09:00.000-08:00

The other night on a newscast from one of the Twin Cities television stations, a story was aired on the strides made this past year in Web sites offered by news entities. It was very much check-book journalism for the stations that aired the story. Most of the three minutes or so was devoted to touting how great their Web site was.

One of the individuals interview got so giddy he boldly proclaimed that newspapers as we know them today would perish from the face of the earth in the next few years. I couldn't help but laugh, considering we heard this same verdict from Ted Turner nearly three decades ago (he was wrong), Bill Gates two decades ago (he was wrong) and a host of other empty-headed prognosticators (they were all wrong).

Has the newspaper industry changed fundamentally over the past several decades? Yes it has and that's precisely the reason why I think predictions of its demise are greatly exaggerated. Everyone from market analysts to reporters in the newsroom have been amazed at how quickly most newspaper companies have adapted to the new technologies.

Today's reporter no longer approaches a story with only a notebook and pen in hand. He also shoots images to be published in the printed version as well as online. He records audio for sound bites and video to be edited into moving vignettes of local news. Twenty years ago, no one would have believed the day would ever come when paper and ink would simply be one of a line-up of publishing endeavors for a typical communications company.

And really that's what it's all about. Newspapers that realize they are not in the printing business but in the communication business do best in responding to the high tech challenges as they arise. There will always be those companies out there who, like the dinosaur, refuse to adapt and yes, expect them to become extinct.

But don't count out the williness of publishers to diversify and fight for their place in the communications spectrum. Newspaper people have always been a scrappy bunch and that seems to be the one aspect of the industry Turner, Gates and many other seems to have missed in their calculations.

The Fat of the Land

2007-08-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of hearing how obese Americans are? Get ready for the next round. News reports out today conclude that obesity rates are still on the rise in the United States.

You're most likely to find a fat person in Mississippi, West Virginia and Alabama, all of whom average about 30 percent of their population in the "obese" category. The skinny folks live in Colorado and Utah.

An interesting conclusion of the latest study from the Trust for America's Health: The poorest states have the greatest numbers of obese folks. Apparently, eating healthy is expensive.

So all of the hype on this topic over the past couple years and we're no closer to a solution. Can that be possible? It would be difficult to find any single medical malady facing Americans that has had more ink and air time devoted to it. What, are people just ignoring the reporting? Do they just discount the statistics that reveal higher rates of just about everything bad for people considered obese?

The solution to this health crisis seems to continue to alude us a society ... probably because obesity is such a personal issue. It would be different if the U.S. Congress or your local city council could pass a law banning obese people. That's not likely to happen, so the solution remains in impacting the personal choices of individuals.

Radio, television and newspaper appear to be doing a poor job in this particular endeavor.

Weclome!

2007-08-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

If you're reading this blog or reading it at this location for the first time, a hearty welcome to you! Some of you are long-time readers, others are just discovering The Wahl Street Journal.

Whichever category you fall into, be sure to stop back often for a bit of entertainment and education on any number of topics that will find their way into this space.

And of course if you have responses to anything published, be sure to leave that as well. My goal is to add to this blog daily, so come back as often as possible.

Wake me when it's over!

2007-08-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

I completed a health assessment form recently and several of the questions dealt with sleeping habits. "Do you fall asleep when you sit down to watch television?" "Do you sleep while riding in the car (when someone else is driving, of course)?"

Heck, these days I can fall asleep almost anywhere, including sitting on the john, in a crowded airport or the kitchen table. I'm assured repeatedly it's a function of age, but I know other people my age who aren't habitual sleepers.

It would be different, I suppose, if I awoke rested and revitalized but unfortunately, all too often I wake up after 20 minutes or eight hours or even 10 hours and feel just about as tired as I did when I nodded off.

Each time I fall asleep and wake up not knowing where I am or what day it is, I hark back to my days in high school and college. Sleep was a minor detail. In college, I could operate on four hours of sleep and not miss a beat.

My first job was working as a generalist with a small newspaper chain. One of my many jobs was to drive newspapers from the printing plants to the various post offices in the small towns along the road in central North Dakota. I was usually on the road by 1 a.m. and my journey ended usually as the sun was rising.

I can't recall ever being tired on that schedule. Today, I would have to a sleeping bag in the truck and stop every 15 minutes for a snooze.

The worst part of needing more sleep these days is that I sometimes feel like I'm missing out on things when I sleep. Who knows, someone might discover a cure for cancer, and I would have been sound asleep. I can' t think of.....................................................

Whoops! Sorry I fell asleep there for a few minutes.

'Local Cowboy' Does Good

2007-06-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

National Day of the American Cowboy is coming up July 28. This year, I decided I would ask the city council where I live (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) to officially declare by mayoral order the day of celebration. I wasn't sure how difficult it was going to be, this being a highly urbanized suburb.

Mayor Phil Young was quite cordial when I emailed him the details. He's a great guy and I think he'd make a heckuva cowboy. Anyway, he pushed the idea into the pipeline and a few weeks back, one of the Eden Prairie city staff called me to let me know it was going to happen.

Oh, and could I come to the council meeting to accept the proclamation dressed in cowboy gear? No problem there, other than finding "gear" clean enough to wear in a public setting. I didn't discover my roping gloves had some sort of green "stuff" on them until I was standing in the foyer of the city council chambers.

The mayor allowed me to give a brief background on National Day of the Cowboy and talk a little about what I was wearing, including my new Ariat Western shirt, complete with underarm ventilation. Yep, a lot of things have changed about cowboying in the last 100 years!

The mayor read the proclamation and handed me a beautifully detailed copy, which hangs prominently in the Tack 'n Togs offices. Photos all around.

Here's the one that ended up in one of our local weekly newspapers, Eden Prairie News. I'm not sure exactly what the reporter meant by the tag line or the reference to me as "local cowboy." I'm sure there are probably a few others in Eden Prairie.

I'm always amazed how intrigued people are with Western apparel. I usually wear a Western hat of one sort or another and I often have people come up to me and ask if they can tough it, where did I get it, is it comfortable? It's a great opportunity to share what our industry is all about and generate business for our retailers.

My thanks to Mayor Young, the council and city manager Scott Neal for making this happen. Scott and I have one other thing in common -- we both blog regularly. His blog can be found here.

If you haven't already had National Day of the Cowboy proclaimed in your city or county, get with the program. It's really painless and quite a bit of fun besides!

Trail Wisdom

2007-06-14T11:00:00.001-07:00

I've come to the conclusion I was born more than 100 years too late. Were this the 1870s or 1880s, I could see myself earning a living driving cattle out on the open range. As it is, I have to be content writing about it.

I learned a great deal during my adventure on the Great American Trail Drive.

Like, it is possible to get callouses from riding. I have never ridden that long and hard that many days in a row before. Even the callouses were enjoyable.

The biggest luxury in life is being able to spend three or four days with the cell phone turned off and without a watch. Out on the trail, the sun is your clock. Of course, there were a lot of drive participants who couldn't part with their cell phones. We'd be riding out in an area where was absolutely no sign of civilization and you could transport yourself back 100-plus years ... until someone's cell phone would ring. I'm not convinced cell phones should be considered a societal good.

The backs of my hands suntan very nicely. That was about the only portion of my body that wasn't covered by either a shirtsleeve, hat or other garments. Now I have to figure out a way to let my arms catch up with the backs of my hands.

By the way, if you'd like to have more information about the Great American Cattle Drive or would like to plan to attend with me next year, drop me a note at pwahl@tackntogs.com. I'm going to start an email list to keep everyone up-to-date. I guarantee you, you will remember this trip the rest of your life.

My wife and I will be in Door County, Wisconsin for the next few days. I'll chat with you more when we get back.

Come and Get It!

2007-06-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

Working cattle out on the open range can generate a powerful hunger in a person. Those of us who rode in the Great American Trail Drive in Vici, Okla., feasted like kings and queens on chuckwagon grub of the highest order.

Each day began with the smell of freshly brewing coffee wafting across the campsite, followed by the odor of bacon cooking. Breakfasts generally consisted of pancakes, eggs, biscuits and gravy and even French toast.

Lunch was usually sandwiches or something similar and for dinner, the menu included such delicacies as chicken-fried steak and mashed potatoes as well as a very popular hamburger macaroni hotdish (called goulash in Oklahoma and many other parts of the country).

The cook wagon followed the cattle drovers from location to location each day. Not only was the food delicious, there was plenty of it and it was served with a smile.

There's something about coffee cooked over an open fire that just beats the heck out of even a cup of Starbucks. Same with bacon. I can take or leave it most of the time, but bacon the volunteers on this drive turned out was a must-have.

A number of those who worked in food service were young people from the community of Vici, who benefit from the proceeds of the trail drive. They did a great job and had great attitudes.

In fact, I was very impressed by the quality of the young people who were part of the event. They were respectful and quiet young people. They weren't prone to cussing or fighting. They could ride like the wind.

As a city dweller, I'll have to say it was great to see young people who weren't dressed in gothic black with black lipstick and black hair. Kind of gives you faith in the generation of leaders coming up.

In Praise of the Ranch-Raised Gelding

2007-06-12T08:21:00.001-07:00

Meet "Heck." He was my mount for the Great Western Cattle Drive in Vici, Okla. in early June. He is one heckuva a horse, no doubt.

In the urban equine world, a lot of emphasis is placed on building a bond with your horse, spending tons of time to make yourself a team with your horse. Some of it is part of the Natural Horsemanship Movement, some of it is just misguided advice.

That was in the back of my head when my friend Randy Thompson offered me Heck (who actually belongs to his wife, Dana) to ride for the cattle drive. How would we function together since the horse I ride four times a week or more and I don't always do that great at communicating? Would it be three days of battling with the horse to get him to do what I wanted to do?

All my fears melted when I began working with Heck the first night, saddling, tacking and finally swinging aboard. He is the ultimate in been-there, done-that horses. He didn't fuss or fume because I didn't ride exactly the way the person he was accustomed to rode. He gave me his full attention from the get-go without weeks and weeks of round-penning and join-up.

Perhaps it was just Heck's trusting nature that created an instant bond. I've seen it in other ranch horses, though. The bond is with the land, with the job at hand and not so much with the personality involved.

Heck and I navigated hills and valleys, roads and trails, stoney ground and soft without an argument. He went wherever you pointed him. Through the water. Up the side of the embankment. Down the other side. It didn't matter.

While I would never pooh-pooh anyone's training method, I do believe that every horse should spend some time on a working cattle ranch. Something seems to seep into their souls in that rough and tumble setting that makes them a better horse.

I'll always remember Heck and his partnership on this trail drive. He was an honest a horse as a man could ask for. Everyone should be so lucky.

The Long Dusty Trail

2007-06-11T13:55:00.000-07:00

Yours truly riding the range as part of the Great Western Trail Drive.

The Old West is alive and well and living in Vici, Okla. This past week, I had the opportunity to particiapte in the Great Western Trail Drive, along with about 125 other riders, moving 100 longhorns over 30 miles in three days. It was about as much as you can legally have on horseback! The weather was great, the bugs weren't even too bad and the scenery was spectacular.

I met up with my hosts, Randy and Dana Thompson, on Wednesday afternoon. Randy operates Randy's Leather Shop (http://www.randysleathershop.com) among other pursuits near Vici. For those of you uninitiatied, the name of the city is pronounced VIE-SIGH and yes, it is the last part of the phrase Veni Vidi Vici, is a famous Latin phrase coined by Roman general Julius Caesar in 47 BC. "I came, I saw, I conquered."

Vici is located up in the panhandle not too far from the Kansas border, right in the heart of farming and ranching land. Just as some communities have carnivals or fun days to raise money for various needs, Vici hosts the trail drive. Nearly all of the 700 residents get involved as volunteers in one form or fashion. Proceeds are divided up between deserving organizations, such as the school and the rodeo club.

Gas prices apparently dampened this year's numbers but not the enthusiasm. Riders came from as far away as Tennessee and California and yes, even Minnesota. Over the next few installments of this blog, I will share with you some of my insights after spending time reliving the Cowboy tradition.

You just plan to trail along, okay!

Longhorns have very long horns.

Fat From the Neck Up

2007-05-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

I read a huge stack of consumer equine magazines each month and enjoy most of them. I'm always amazed at the people who write letters to these magazines who don't bother to become informed on an issue first.

Take Micaela Frudden of Madison, Wis. She wrote a letter published in the June edition of "Practical Horsmanship" that made by blood boil. Back in March, the magazine had featured a line of plus-sized tops for riders from Toklat. The accompanying photo was not that of a big fat blob of a lady, but also not a stripling size 0 that we tend to see in English riding clothes so often.

So along comes "Mindless from Madison" to tell the magazine that it shouldn't be encouraging fat old women to participate in horse sports and the magazine would do better publishing diet tips than giving "free advertising" to a company that's obviously so far off the mark.

"Fat people should not be riding and need not be accommodated," she writes. If they are serious about riding, they should go on a diet, exercise, etc." She claims that allowing these women to ride is animal abuse.

Of course, she makes no allowance whatsoever for women who are proportioned differently -- but not fat -- or who are very tall -- but not fat. Tall women have a heckuva time finding clothing of any kind that covers their arms completely or comes down far enough at the waist to be comfortable and modest. Obviously, the letter writer has never met anyone in either class.

Obviously, she's not heard that the promotion of the "tiny" culture in English riding circles is a serious health issue and getting worse.

Granted, there are some women I occasionally see at horse shows who would be better of in another sport and would make life easier for their horses. But if a rider is fairly well balanced, he or she can be of larger build and still ride successfully. Ms. Frudden seems to think that all larger people are just tubs of lard. A great many of them are simply larger than average and probably have body mass index readings in the normal category.

Kudos to Toklat for stepping up to the plate to fill a need on the products side of our industry. And a large rhubarb pie for the face of this uninformed letter-writer.

If you want to read it in its entirety, it's on Page 18 of June edition. Right below it is the address you can use to send your response to Practical Horseman. I suggest you do so.

WETA Conference a Hit

2007-05-22T07:28:00.001-07:00

Just back from the WETA All Industry Conference and trying to get all the Arizona sand out of my nose and rehydrate my skin! We left Minnesota on Wednesday morning when the temperature was 39 degrees. It near 100 each day in Scottsdale; quite an adjustment for us notherners.
The conference is a combination of fun, challenge, inspiration -- and this year, perspiration. Each of the speakers challenged the retailers, manufacturers and others to be the best they can be to improve the equine trade industry. Here's part of the story in images.

Coyote Moon provided music for the opening night gala of the Western-English Trade Association's All Industry Conference in Scottsdale. They also performed before and after the annual AIM Awards banquet.

Marge Colburn of Scott Colburn Boots and Western Wear in Livonia, Mich., was among those who purchased secret gift bags and tickets for a night of fun and frolic during the opening gala. Marge has most likely attended more conferences than anyone in the industry today and always has a smile on her face.

The team Orange Crush raised the most money during Thursday night's fundraiser for the WETA Marketing Initiative. Team members include (l to r) Amy Borgman, "bandito" Rich Richardson, Barbara McFarland, Michael McFarland, Stephanie Huss, Bill Garrels and Scott Hartle.

Horsepower of another type was a big part of the presentation by speaker Diana LaSalle on Saturday. She used the success of Harley Davidson to inspire representatives of the equine trade industry to persue excellence and succeed. Here Jaye Wilson and Bob Wert demonstrate that everyone looks good on a Harley.

Next year's conference is planned in Baltimore, Md.

Trade Association Confusion

2007-05-09T07:16:00.000-07:00

If it weren't so sad, it would be funny.

Tom MacGuinness and his group are pushing formation of the American Equestrian Trade Association. Jim Herbert of GlobalStrat, owner of American Equestrian Tack and Apparel Expo, is conducting a survey on his Web site asking the industry whether there is a need for a trade association and what its goals should be. Meanwhile, the Western-English Trade Association (WETA), established five years ago, prepares for its annual conference in May.

So it boils down to this:

We have a trade association.
We need another trade association.
We should be asking if we need another trade association.

Well, at least no opinion was omitted from consideration!

Originally, the idea was to have a trade show, proceeds from which would fund a trade association. That plan went off the rails and both parties are moving forward on separate tracks at this point.

After working with WETA since its inception, I have come to one burning conclusion about trade associations. It's extremely difficult to run a trade association effectively without a steady (and fairly substantial) source of funding.

WETA uses primarily membership dues to run its programs and is just now getting into selling such things as its marketing initiative to make them self-funding or at least somewhat self-funding. It's a tough go.

There's always more demand for services than there is money to go around. If it were not for the generosity of some of the key members, the organization would be in bad shape today. The key to its success thus far has been commitment to the cause by those who believe in what WETA stands for.

Laying that template on the organization that Tom and his group are trying to form, it's clear to any steely-eyed realist that another membership-based trade association is going to be difficult for the industry to support at any significant level.

Should Jim Herbert and his group determine that a trade association would be helpful, it will likely be funded by proceeds from the trade show, undoubtedly the best hope for a trade association to be successful financially. There are other measuring sticks, of course.

Clearly there has to be a way for all the various factions to cooperate to comprise one large and succesful trade association. There's a role for everyone.

Tom and his group have to recognize that unless one of them is willing to fund a trade association out of his or her own pocket, and risk the monicker of it being "their" trade association (not ours), it's going to be a tough go. Using the original formula would mean this group would have to throw in with another trade show organizer, thus scuttling the original goal of one large trade show on the East Coast -- something retailers still desperately would like to see.

Jim holds a lot of cards. If his survey reveals the need for a trade association and his group decides to move forward, it would have the one key ingredient for success: money. The only other option would be for Tom and Jim to patch up their differences and put Humpty-Dumpty back together again.

Another possibility is that both those entities recognize the value of WETA and throw their support in that direction. That's not as far-fetched as it might seem at first glance.

WETA already has an organization in place (no start-up expenses), an office, a mail-box, etc. and has a long history of service to the equine industry. There would be challenges, no doubt. WETA has long been perceived as a "Western" controlled organization and for good reason. The movers and shakers have traditionally come out of the Western side of the industry. No one in that organization has ever said the English sector was not welcome or somehow inferior.

Similarly, neither Tom MacGuinness nor Jim Herbert nor anyone in their group that I've ever heard speak has said WETA is a bad organization or doesn't deserve to exist. Most in the English camp say they don't understand what WETA is all about, despite years of educational efforts on the part of the organization. Perhaps there's a better way to tell the story.

Like Martin Luther King, I have a dream. I have a dream that everyone involved in the equine trade industry see the value of being unified under one banner and move in that direction. A good starting point would be for all of the factions to come to the WETA All Industry Conference in Scottsdale later this month, sit down around a big table and do what everyone knows is best for the industry as a whole. You don't have to be a member of WETA to be part of the conference.

The conversation has to start somewhere, why not in a perfect setting like beautiful Scottsdale? This equine industry Yalta-like event could go a long way toward each party understanding what the other has to say. There has to be dialogue and it has to start somewhere.

Get Ready for National Day of the Cowboy

2007-05-07T08:56:00.000-07:00

July is sneaking up on us more quickly than you might think. For the third year in 2007, America will celebrate the National Day of the American Cowboy. Mark July 28 on your calendar.

Western retailers have a built-in opportunity to capitalize on Day of the Cowboy. It's a natural way to draw people into your store. If your community isn't planning a celebration, plan one yourself.

If you want to know if your community is planning a celebration or if you want more details on how to celebrate National Day of the Cowboy, visit www.cowboyday.com.

I recently spent some time on this Web site looking at who was planning what. It made me want to be part of the celebrations.

Take the celebration planned at the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame in Medora, N.D. A full day of cowboy art, music, eating, dancing and demonstration si planned, along with wagon rides. If you've never visited Medora, make plans today to take the trip.

Having grown up in North Dakota, I have spent time in Medora and the Badlands. Not only is it filled with significant beauty (I know, I know ... you don't think of beauty when you think of North Dakota but trust me!) and a laid-back approach to life and its many facets. If you go, plan to take in the Medora Musical, a salute in word and song to Western traditions that were part of the founding of the town.

I was also impressed with the celebration being planned in Carrizozo, N.M., population about 1,000. On National Cowboy Day, the entire town and everyone they can recruit will celebrate with a genuine cattle round-up, parade, cattle exhibition, chuck wagon cooking and a stage show with Western music, story telling, poetry, rope twirling, a mustache contest and awards for oustanding local cowboys and cowgirls.

If I lived anywhere within driving distance of Carrizozo, I would make every effort to be part of this event. Come New Mexico-area readers, put it on your calendar.

Not too far away in Artesia, N.M., Bennie's Western Store will be celebrating its 60th Anniversary on National Day of the Cowboy. Waddie Mitchell, cowboy poet extraordinaire, will be on hand, along with local talent. Free food. Free entertainment and lots of great bargains in the store. You can't beat that combination.

You can visit the Web site yourself to see what's going on near you. If you can't find something, perhaps that's your cue to sponsor an event yourself. Let us know here at Tack 'n Togs if we can assist you in any way.

Now it's Obese Horses

2007-05-04T13:17:00.000-07:00

For years now we've been hearing about the fat of the land here in the United States. People of all ages are getting heavier and more unhealthy as time goes by. We've also been told as many as a third of all dogs are obese.

So I guess it shouldn't have come as any surprise to anyone that horses have an obesity problem, as well.

The problems are similar. Too much rich food. Too little exercise. For horses that means laminitis, insulin resistence and a host of other ailments.

While most of us can look at a human (usually ourselves!) and know instantly that person is just too doggone fat, it's not the same with horses. Most horse owners think that well-food look means their horses are healthy and certainly no one will report them to the ASPCA for neglect.

They probably should be reported, however.

How many of you watch the Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan on the National Geographic Channel? I love him. He could train my horses any day of the week.

He says repeatedly that the biggest problem with dogs today is that they are overindulged and underexercised. I would add the same is true for the majority of horses in our society.

I used to board at a barn that had roughly 50 horses, both stalled and pastured. On average, I would guess that six of those horses were ridden more than twice a week and another dozen or so four times a month. The rest were hardly ever ridden.

Horses go to seed with inactivity. They forget their training. They get fat and grumpy. How many horse owners give up on their steeds entirely because they get sick and tired of dealing with a rebellious equine they try to ride once every week or once ever month?

Oddly, you don't hear any of the mega-trainers who give clinics every day talk much about this aspect of horse ownership. I guess it's kind of like a medical doctor telling a patient he or she is fat and needs to lose weight. Touchy. Very touchy.

But the truth, in any regard, whether it's a person who needs to hear it about himself or a horse owner who needs to hear it about her plump mount.

For the good of everyone involved -- but especially your four-legged friends -- get out there and get some exercise. Your body will thank you for it.

Rolex - Up And Over

2007-04-28T16:15:00.000-07:00

After two days of watching horses competing in the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event in the micromovements that make up dressage, it was a great thrill today to watch the same horses galloping down the cross-country course. They jumped hurdles higher than most of us are tall and sometimes nearly as wide.

With only an occasional refusal, the horses went where they were pointed and at top speed. And they loved it! If a horse could smile, most of them would have had a grin from ear to ear on their face today.

We would have been able to photograph the grins in full sunlight. Today was the first day of the competition that was completely sunny and devoid of rain. The course was packed with spectators -- some said perhaps as many as 50,000 -- who brought picnic baskets and blankets and made a day of it.

It wasn't a good day for everyone. Most of you who follow eventing know that Amy Tryon won the dressage competition yesterday. She wasn't as lucky today. After a finishing a good run, her horse, Le Samurai, came up lame and ended up being treated at a local veterinary center.

Could there be anyone in the game who better represents what riding is all about? While a thorough professional and top in her sport, she also maintains a pleasant demeanor, smiles almost continuously and is full of jokes. Contrast that with the dour and downer "dressage queens" who for so many years were the faces of English competition. Things have definitely changed for the better.

Going to the Dogs

The organizers of the Rolex event are going to have to give serious consideration to holding a dog show in conjunction with the competition. Almost everyone brings Fido or Fluffy or Bischou or Butch to the Kentucky Horse Park to enjoy the outing along with the rest of the family.

There are tiny dogs, resembling rats on leashes, to large -- even HUGE -- dogs like St. Bernards and Afghan Hound crosses. Mostly the dogs are well-behaved, but there's always one or two dog owners who think it's so hilarious that their dogs act like idiots. I would guess their children act the same way.

Closing Curtain

Tomorrow (Sunday) the Rolex closes with stadium jumping and most of the competitors will head down the road to the next outing. Lexington will return to the sleep southern town it normally is and everyone will look forward to coming back next year.

Rolex IV - I Could Do That

2007-04-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

Two days of watching world-class dressage competition and I'm finally able to think at least to some extent like a judge. Today, my personal score card has mirrored that of the judges, mostly.

Most of us watching these top-notch performers who also ride (but at an admittedly much lower level) find ourselves wondering at events like this: "Could I do that?"

Each of the competitors ar Rolex 2007 is a talented trainer and performer, but are they doing anything that some of us amateurs couldn't do given the time and resources these riders have?

I tend to think I could and if I had a million dollars, I would prove it. Most of us won't be coming into a million dollars anytime soon, so we just enjoy horses at the level we're at.

Most of us watch with admiration as these highly trained horses respond to every twitch and flick of the rider's leg. And then we take our dreams home, pull our particular version of the equine species out of the paddock, mount up and dream some more.

It's good to have dreams.

Rolex III - Horse Husbands

2007-04-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

The rain has stayed away so far today. The wind and clouds actually make for a very comfortable day to be outdoors watching the competition, viewing any of the many side events, eating or shopping.

Like with so much of the world of horses, the bulk of those attending Rolex 2007 are women. I've never had anyone explain adequately why women are so drawn horses and particularly in the English events, like eventing. But here they are. In mass quantities.

There are a few guys here, other than working press. Most of them are young -- in their 20s -- and accompanying a similarly aged woman. In most cases, the woman is darting around enthusiastically or chattering on about one horse's capabilities over another.

The guys have a resigned look on their faces. Some seem to be saying, "I hope you know how much I love you for wasting my time this way." Others appear to be hoping for a sudden lighting strike to open the Earth's surface and swallow them up.

Despite its reputation as someone what of a women's discipline, there's nothing inherently feminine about eventing. It's just plain hard work -- and lots of it -- whether you are a male or female participant. Personally I think women are better with horses overall because they're more patient and willing to invest the time in a relationship. Guys tend to try once or twice and if it doesn't work, move on.

I was thinking to myself that if I had been doing video, I would use as my theme song "The Things We Do For Love." Remember that one?

To all the boyfriends and significant others putting up with being dragged through Rolex 2007 by the ears, buck up. It will be over soon! It could be worse ... it could be a flower show.

Rolex II

2007-04-27T04:54:00.000-07:00

The opening day of the 2007 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event was greeted with torrents of rain in the morning and the showers throughout the remainder of the day. Participants in the dressage tests performed with rain dripping off their hats and boots, adding another set of obstacles to the competition.

The resultant mud adhered to shoes and boots, as well as clothing. A shoe shine stand would be a God-send today as everyone hopes for better weather and drying conditions.

A number of us covering the event chose the relatively dry and warm enrivorns of the media center, where large-screen televisions show a variety of angles of the action.

Over the four-day run of the event, nearly 100,000 spectators are expected to walk through the gates at the 1,212-acre Kentucky Horse Park.

With yesterday's rain, the trade show (indoors and dry) was a good place to hang out. It appeared a number of vendors were doing good business, at least based upon the number of people roaming the grounds in the afternoon with heavy-laden shopping bags.

More to come.

Arriving At Rolex - Day 1

2007-04-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Lexington, Kentucky, where tomorrow the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event will kick off, perhaps thee most exclusive English discipline competition in the country.

Flying into Lexington today was my first opportunity to see Kentucky from the air. The carpet of blue grass is already in full stage and you could see practice tracks and white fencing from 5,000 feet. This is, indeed, horse country.

This is my first opportunity to be at Rolex in the six years I've been on staff at Tack 'n Togs. There have always been other projects competing for time and resources. This year, the stars aligned and here I am.

Rolex is a big deal for the people we know in the industry, including the many vendors who are part of the trade fair. You wouldn't know it by reading the local Lexington daily newspaper though. I purchased one to read over dinner, thinking it might have a nice detailed story on activities and events surrounding the Rolex.

Well, there was a paid advertisement and that was it. Having spent 20 years in newspaper, I never stop marveling at how that particularly industry is hell-bent on marginalizing itself, and then complaining bitterly that people just don't read anymore.

By contracts, the daily newspaper in Las Vegas is filled end to end seven days a week with coverage of National Finals Rodeo in December. Maybe it's apples to oranges, but I just thought the Lexington Herald-Leader could have done better.

Over the next four days, I'll be bringing you daily blogs (or more often as time permits) along with images from Rolex in this space. If you don't have an opportunity to come, hopefully I can give you a small window on the event.

Going for the Bull

2007-04-17T07:34:00.000-07:00

One of the aspects of my job as editor of Tack 'n Togs Magazine is to read as much of the material published both on the equine industry and the retail industry as a whole. About 200 magazines a month find their way to my desk, some are read cover to cover, some get a thorough skimming and some get filed without being opened.

The amount of material published on retailing is incredible. They almost unanimously ignore the equine trade industry, which is fine with me -- that means we're still the leading source for this information!

One of my favorite retail publications is Retail Today. Although their stories are generally about what's happening with Target, Wal-Mart and other "big box" retailers, I always find tidbits of helpful information that can be channeled to equine retailers.

The latest edition landed on my desk yesterday. Just a few pages in, I came across a full-color full-page advertisement for the Professional Bull Riders. Kind of odd to see in a national retail magazine, so I read further.

Turns out, PBR is pushing its licensed products to retailers beyond the equine retail sector. "As a retailer of the PBR licensed merchandise, you can profit from the skyrocketing popularity and broad emographic appeal of international tour events, televised broadcasts and high-impact promotions."

Licensed products includ accessories, apparel, banking, footwear, gift and novelty, health and beauty, housewears, outwerwear, sporting goods, toys and publishing categories.

There are two side to the PBR coin. Obviously, the organization believes it needs to reach beyond equine retailers to maximize profits on its licensed items. That's good for the industry as a whole because it sparks interest and has the potential to bring more shoppers into equine retail shops.

It also puts retailers in our industry who are carrying PBR licensed items in direct competition with the big box retailers, for a product that line that has a natural connection to equine industry retailers.

Of course, it's also good for those suppliers in our industry who produce the licensed items.

I don't know that there's a direct relationship, but I've been hearing more details every week about other bull riding organizations springing up across the country. Is PBR getting too big for its britches? Or as a good friend mine often says, "It's all good."

"We're retail ..."

2007-04-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

I cannot count the number of times over the past few years I've heard this comment on one similar: "We're retail, we can't afford to (fill in the blank ... it could be just about anything)."

"We can't afford to train our staff."

"We can't afford to pay good salaries."

"We can't afford to advertise."

More properly stated, the phrase should be "we choose not to allocate money to" whatever the topic might be. If training, for instance, is an important aspect of your business and you see it as an investment in logevity, you find a way to pay for it. Same for salaries, advertising and anything else.

The most recent edition of EquiBiz Now, published by the Center for Equine Business Studies, contains a feature story on National Roper Supply and its staff training efforts. One of their idea gems is a leadership training program, developed by the company's CFO Jeff Jones.

The 12-week course is open to any employee interested in attending the hour-long weekly sessions at no cost. The result: Employees tend to stay on average a year longer, longer for those in management. You can read the entire story at http://cebs.tamu.edu.

The program costs NRS some money and time, but the company looks on it as an investment.

So what is it in your operation that you keep making excuses for not doing? Where there's a will, there's a way. You just have to be willing to crack a few eggs.

The Power of Listening

2007-04-05T07:07:00.000-07:00

I read a story recently about a young up-and-coming banker in the San Francisco area. Banking is highly competitive and the young exec was having a hard time establishing clients. He was chatting on the phone one day with a potential client who mentioned he was going to be arriving at airport later that night.

The young banker offered to pick up the businessman, thinking the ride home would give him a chance to sell his services to a captive audience. On the ride home, the banker had less opportunity to talk than he had planned since his passenger did most of the talking.

In passing, the businessman mentioned how much he hated coming home after a business trip and having to make an immediate trip to the pet hotel to retrieve his dog.

The young banker inquired as to where the man's dog was boarded and the next day he drove over to pay them a visit. He asked them to consider a home delivery service, but the boarding facility wasn't interested. Too expensive. Too labor intensive. Too much liability.

The banker didn't give up. "What if you could charge enough to cover all those concerns and still make a profit, would you do it then?" he prodded. The owner of the boarding facility finally relented.

The banker immediately called his business client to inform him of the newly created service, for which he immediately signed up -- without even asking the price. It wasn't long before the businessman and the banker were doing business together, and the dog delivery service was also a big selling point with a number of his other potential clients.

It's difficult to underestimate the power of listening not only to your consumers but potential consumers, as well.

Steve Ballmer, CEO at Microsoft, was recently quoted saying: "So much of what businesses do day-in and day-out is about asking the right questions."

What questions are you asking about your business today? Are they the right ones or do you need to start asking questions that may not seem to make sense at first?

If you could spend an hour in an automobile with a client or potential client, what would you hear that might make your business more successful?

The sky's the limit.

The Big Dance

2007-04-03T07:22:00.000-07:00

We talk a lot in our industry about relationships between vendors and retailers. Last week's e-newsletter dealt with the Leegin Leather case, in which a retailer accused the company of wrongly cutting off its product supply when it violated a minimum pricing agreement. The matter is now before the U.S. Supreme Court and could seriously impact the way vendors and retailers interact in the future.

This morning on the way to work, I heard about another case that could eventually change the playing field in the vendor-retailer relationship game. A group of Minnesota sports vehicle dealers are lobbying the Minnesota Legislature to get their suppliers off their backs.

As you may or may not know, global climate changes have left Minnesota with little to no snow over the past few winters. You can't sell snowmobiles when there's no snow. Retailers have tons of product remaining each spring, but manufacturers want them to buy MORE for the following winter.

If a retailer politely says "no thank you" and then needs additional product come winter, the wholesale price is jacked up rather considerably in many instances. In other words, they're asking retailers to take the bulk of the risk. Retailers don't care for that one bit.

The retailer argument is that state law as it's written sides with manufacturers. The manufacturers, of course, say there's a reason for that -- many of them manufacture in Minnesota and if you want to keep them in business and keep those precious manufacturing jobs in your communities, this is how it's going to have to be.

Like most things in the political arena, the correct answer falls somewhere between the two ends of the spectrum.

Equine retailers occasionally face similar situations, but there are usually enough vendors out there willing to make a deal. So if a retailer considers one saddle manufacturer's pricing policies too restrictive, they choose another saddle line. With snowmobiles and ATVs, that's not always possible.

You can read the story about the Minnesota conundrum here. Let us know what you think.

Fear Itself

2007-03-29T11:44:00.000-07:00

Back in the blogging saddle this week after a few days away on a business trip. I spent the early part of the week in the Northwest (Washington and Oregon) working on stories for upcoming issues of Tack 'n Togs Magazine.

I always enjoy my trips out West and this adventure was even more enjoyable than most. I'll share more of the details later.

Wednesday, I had to drive from outside of Portland, Ore. back up to Seattle to catch a plane back home to Minneapolis. It was my first time in a long time to spend an extended amount of time listening to talk radio.

I'm more of a "lite jazz" radio person than an AM-ranting-and-raving shock jock listener, but occasionally it's fun and informative to tune in to see who's saying what about what or whom.

If you zip across any AM dial on any given morning, you'll Rush Limbaugh on quite a number of stations. I enjoy listening to him -- in small doses -- and always with the idea in mind that he is advancing a political agenda. Tough to find one of these talk radio folks who isn't, it seems.

Wednesday's show did have one little gem in it that I wanted to share. Rush read an article from the most recent Newsweek magazine written by Paula Spencer. It was titled, "We Protect Kids From Everything But Fear."

Spencer told all about she as mother is warned nearly daily about something else she needs to be afraid of on behalf of her children. In a most humorous essay, she outlines the growing scorecard of things to be afraid of and then concludes:

...You can't go around afraid of everything. It's too exhuasting! No matter how careful you are, bad stuff happens (diaper rash, stitches, all your friends assigned to another class). And it's seldom the end of the world...

I liked the piece because the irrational fear some parents exhibit when it comes to horseback riding is one of the mind-sets I'll have to admit I don't understand. A horse is too dangerous for a child, but a skateboard that he rides along an iron railing and crashed three feet to the ground af the end is fine.

I happen to believe that today's children could benefit greatly through being exposed to horses and riding. They would learn a variety of great life-lessons. Is there some danger involved? Sure, but show me one activity that doesn't have some sense of danger.

I remember when my older brother informed my mother he wanted to play football. He was short and puny and she believed likely to be flattened like a pancake. But her response was one of those priceless parental moments. "I don't think you should play football, but if you do and you get killed, don't come running to me."

I think Bill Cosby got that laugh line from my mother.

You can read Paula Spencer's essay here.

The Anniversary Gift

2007-03-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

On my lunch hour today, I ran to a nearby mall in search of an anniversary gift for my wife. This weekend is our 18th wedding anniversary. She had been admiring a particular necklace at one of the department stores, known for good jewlery and good prices.

I asked to see the necklace and realized immediately the chain would be much too short for my very tall wife. She has that issue with almost every necklace. I asked the clerk if the store had any of those chain extender-thingys that attach to both sides and add inches.

"Nope ... sorry," she said, as she scouped the necklace up, put it back in the box and shoved it under the glass. Well, I'm generally not the bashful type, but I was totally at a loss for words.

She didn't bother to say there's another jewelery store on the other side of the mall that has them, would you like me to call and make sure? She never suggested I buy a totally new and much nicer (and more expensive) chain that would be the proper length. Nothing.

She quickly went back to the gathering gaggle of sales clerks at the POS in the jewlery department who were ardently discussing last night's television programming. Obviously, that was much more important than selling jewlery.

I gathered up my wallet (I had my credit card out and everything) and walked out into the mall still bewildered. I went a couple doors up the mall to a gift store where I was cheerfully greeted and a very wise sales clerk helped me pick out the perfect anniversary gift after asking me about five or six questions. I thanked her for her retail skills and told her I wished the world were full of more like her.

I think I made her day!

You can't help but think how many times a day people are treated like that in this particular department store. No surprise when I checked their stock online after returning to my desk -- it's at a five-year low!

Behold ... Noise!

2007-03-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

I've been out traveling the past couple days, and we're in the middle of wrapping up the April edition so time has been scarce this week. On top of that, it's been rainy and kinda cool. I'm just waiting for spring to really take hold here in Minnesota. I'm sick of brown.

There doesn't seem to be any letup in the number of people flying these days, nor do the bulk of them ever seem to get educated on the rules of the road, as it were.

The guy in front of me through security on Sunday night lost probably $50 worth of liquids of one description or another because they were in large containers. He had neatly placed them in plastic bags, but alas, didn't read to the bottom of the directions. He was not a happy camper, but the TSA officer patiently took him aside and showed him the very same post he'd just passed by not more than five minutes previously.

And what's this with people who feel like they have to get dressed standing right at the belt where a couple hundred other people are waiting to retrieve their items and get moving. Most of us who fly regularly have learned -- grab your stuff and go ... find a chair or table at the end of the security area and put on your shoes, belt, coat, etc. there. Not standing in the middle of the security area where people can't get through you or around you.

On individual who recently decided to make the security line his dressing room got elbowed by another passenger. He was standing on one leg trying to pull his left shoe onto his foot. The jolt was just enough to send him flying onto his kiester. Although I thought it was hilarious and just retribution, I didn't laugh. Others in the line did. I didn't.

A TSA officer helped him up and explained that dressing in the fast lane is never the best idea. I'll be this fella will remember that lesson for a while.

As though the world isn't filled with enough noise, now it seems everyone has an Ipod or similar device. They sit with the ear phones inserted directly down onto their ear drums and then turn up the volume loud enough so that I, sitting next to them, can hear their music perfectly well.

Can you imagine what that must sound like inside their heads? I was riding a train into downtown Chicago earlier this week and one gentleman was sharing his music with the entire carload of people. Despite dirty looks and lots of throat-clearing and coughing, he was oblivious to what was going on around him.

When the conductor came by for tickets, this gentleman didn't hear him approach and even after being tapped on the shoulder several times, still did not respond. The conductor was patient and stood tapping on his shoulder until he finally got a response. Me? I probably would have pulled the ear plugs out of his ears and stuck them up his nose. But that's just me.

I can see the class action law suit brewing already when people start going deaf from listening to music on Ipods. Hey, if someone will file suit because their coffee is too hot ... don't laugh!

Fond Farewell to Sugar

2007-03-16T07:21:00.000-07:00

I've been around horses for a lot of years, but this week is the first time I've ever had to have one "graduate to heaven," as a friend of mine put it. I've been on kind of an emotional rollercoaster.

Sugar, a registered American Quarter Horse bay filly, came into my life last summer. She was being called "Pepper" at the time but my wife concluded that since she was neither green (as in "bell") nor black, the name didn't fit. Upon examining her registration, we discovered she had some Docs Sugar Fantasy breeding, along with My Sugar Bonanza so Sugar seemed a logical choice.

Sugar had been through 60 days of basic training and my intention was to make a top-notch reining horse out of her. She was a fast learner, although often I got the impression she was learning quickly so she could get the lesson over with and get back to grazing. She regularly let me know I was the biggest interruption in her otherwise placid life and that her girlfriends in the paddock were infinitely more interesting than I was. Geldings don't do that.

As we progressed in her training, the attitude improved but she was always ready and willing to push the boundaries of good behavior. But she finally got to the point where if I went to the gate of her paddock and whistled, she'd come a runnin', stick her nose out so I could hook her up and follow politely to be brushed, tacked and saddled.

From July until the end of October, things were progressing well. I remember the day she took her second step into a reining spin. She surprised herself, stood there for a moment, and then wanted to do it again! The day she executed her first sliding stop was equally memorable. She was always a good stopper so she learned it quickly in the thick dirt of the indoor arena. I ran her down the long side of the arena, asked for the stop and her back legs went under and her butt went down. Her reaction was priceless. It was like "how on Earth did I do that" and oh by the way, let's do it again!

The last couple rides last fall outdoors before we moved to the indoor for the winter, Sugar began showing some telltale signs of being in pain. She had never been a horse you had to encourage to move forward (quite the opposite actually) but suddenly it became a chore to keep her moving. And her attitude about being saddled and ridden deteriorated.

I chalked it up to the change to cooler weather, but double-checked my saddle fit and lightened up on the riding schedule a bit. Things got worse.

I was riding on Thanksgiving Day when Sugar finally let me know in no uncertain terms that she just couldn't bare weight any longer. As I tried to mount, she cowkicked me smack in the thigh leaving a neat horse-shoe shaped black-and-blue mark. Message received.

We dumped her riding schedule entirely and called an equine chiropractor and vet. She was definitely sore through her hips and all along her back, but there was no apparent reason for the soreness. A couple chiropractic adjustments were done, some injections and a bit of acupuncture just for good measure.

She immediately improved some and I was heartened, but within two weeks, she was pretty much back to being a total pill about being ridden and having a hard time moving to her right.

So the vet came out again and this time she was even worse off. Every pressure point he touched, she jumped and winced. Even with two large doses of tranquilizer in her, she was still objecting to his manipulations in definite terms.

It was obvious, a decision was going to have to be made. The vet's best guess was EPM, but the procedure to get a clean diagnosis is expensive and not that accurate. At very least, what she had was some sort of syndrome very similar to EPM and short of an expensive and labor-intensive six-month "cure" (that has a 30 percent success ratio), she would never be a reliable riding horse again.

I procrastinated as long as I could, but finally decided to do what was best for Sugar. I will never forget her. She taught me a great deal.

This week, a good friend of mine, Holly Davis, also lost her horse to collic. We kind of cried on each other's shoulders. It's as tough to lose a four-footed friend as a two-footed one.

I'll spend the next few months looking for the next "perfect" horse -- one of my least favorite endeavors. It's time-consuming and frustrating. The last two horses I've had found me so maybe that will happen again, who knows.

Meanwhile, I'm putting the bite on any of my friends who have horses to keep me in the saddle, at least occasionally.

I Want My Hour Back

2007-03-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

It's Wednesday and I'm still falling asleep in front of my computer. This all started Monday, the first workday after Daylight Saving Time was so rudely and prematurely slapped upon on this year.

Somewhere between Sunday morning and Monday morning, I lost more than just an hour of sleep. I feel like I've lost an enire month. Heck, I feel like Rip Van Winkle. So for three days now I've been downing coffee by the cup and slapping myself int he face trying to fully wake up.

And for what? There is a fairly good body of evidence that suggests that daylight saving time doesn't save us (as in Americans) a single cent in energy or hard cash. Whose stupid idea was this anyway?

It's bad enough the Congress has to monkey around with our watches, but when it comes to my internal biological clock, that's another store entirely. Talk about your invasive governmental procedures.

If I live to the weekend, I plan to stay in bed Saturday morning until every last ounce of sleep has departmented from my system. You know, come to think of it, I'll probably be over this illbegotten move about the day it's time to switach back from daylight saving time.

I think I'll go ride my horse.

AETA -- The Association -- Tough Sledding

2007-03-09T07:05:00.000-08:00

Many of you know that a group of people from across the industry, including myself, have been working to see the efforts of the American Equestrian Trade Association move forward. The first goal was to establish a trade show. That has been accomplished. The Richmond AETA Expo was a success by any measuring stick. The fall show looks to be even bigger and better.

The other part of the equation was formation of a trade association, which would work for the benefit of the entire industry. For an industry of mostly small business owners, the idea of synergies on such things as insurance, services and education seemed logical and beneficial.

After the Expo ended, the group of 15 board members began discussing the association aspect. An agreement with Jim Herbert of GlobalStrat, owner of the trade show, had to be inked and signed and incorporation and other steps to put the 501(c)(3) on its feet had to be undertaken. The idea initially was to create a licensing agreement with Herbert to use the AETA name, with some profits of the trade show to be returned to fund the association. Weeks dragged into months and no formal action had been taken.

Finally on March 3, the board was informed that Herbert applied for a trademark of the name “AETA” with a goal of “organizing industry members for mutual interests including education, communications, marketing, members.” Faced with the realization that there was little hope for a licensing agreement, five board members resigned immediately: Nina DePetris, N. Shay Joaquin, Clark Davis, Lee Rafeld and Terri Shulte. Many of the remaining board members didn’t formally resigned but could see the hand writing on the wall.

Tom MacGuinness, the originator of the idea to create an association and a trade show, has vowed to continue to work toward his original goals. He appears to have several of the former board members on his side. The remaining board members include Mike Libertucci, Kerri Kent, Stephen Day, Frances Bowers, Aiden Keogh, Brad Egolf, Mark Raisbeck and Carla Perri.

At this juncture, Herbert has not said what his plans are regarding a trade association and its eventual relationship to the Expo in Richmond. Perhaps the best face that can be put on the situation is that a very successful trade show has been created that garnered enough support in its opening run to make it the second largest such event in the equine trade industry behind Denver-WESA. The worst case scenario will probably be that dishonesty and personal agendas derailed this initial effort at forming a trade association. Time will tell.

Once again, we have made available this means through which the industry can comment on this development. If you have something to say, click on the "comments" link below and have at it.

Retail Sales Down in February

2007-03-08T13:45:00.000-08:00

2007 seems to be off to a bit of a slow year for retailers. The latest figures reveal that February was not a boom month and some of the indicators for the months ahead aren't looking all that promising.

That said, equine retailers are about to send their busy season, spring and summer, when riding and competing are at their peak and when everyone who owns a horse is doing something with it.

Sometimes, economic conditions are difficult to understand. The Chinese stock market sneezes and retailing in the United States catches a cold. The price of oil jumps, pushing gas up to $2.50 a gallon or higher. It's always something.

What it means for retailers is that they have to work harder -- and smarter -- than ever before just to keep even with the previous year. It's tough work.

I was speaking with a retailer the other day for whom I have a great deal of respect and her comment was, "anyone who thinks retailing is just a lot of fun and games should come spend a day with me." Truly, if you're doing it right, it's not easy, but it can be rewarding -- and even profitable.

Retailers who haven't already done so are probably at least thinking about laying in supplies of "spring" necessities, such as clippers and shampoo and sweat scrapers, buckets and sponges and brushes ... it's a long list.

Here in Minnesota with 30 inches of snow on the ground, it's still a bit hard to think about spring, but the promise of warm weather is ahead. We all cling to that promise. Including retailers.

Never on a Sunday

2007-03-05T07:05:00.000-08:00

Sunday is still the toughest day to buy equine-related supplies in the United States, according to a poll conducted online at www.tackntogs.com last month.

We asked retailers to tell us which days they are open for business. The fewest respondents (39 percent) said they were open Sunday. The best day for shopping in Thursday when almost all respondents said they are open. Besides Sunday, many shops are also closed on Monday. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday are about even in popularity for being open.

The idea of being open on Sundays has been under discussion amonst equine retailers for generations. One person who completed the poll said: "It is difficult with a family and nine grandchildren to open Sunday, but sometimes it is the busiest day."

Another retailer who doesn't have specific posted hours said he finds himself at the story anyway, doing books, displays or cleaning.

Another retailer of 30 years said in his territory, Sundays have never been profitable. A retailer in California reported that he just recently began opening on Sundays and it's working great.

This month our online poll is about the demise of the State Line Tack Departments within the PetSmart stores around the country. If you have a comment, please visit our Web site www.tackntogs.com and access to the poll on the lower right side of the home page.

So long, State Line Tack

2007-03-01T09:49:00.000-08:00

PetSmart, owner of State Line Tack, announced today it will be closing the 180 equine departments in its pet stores beginning immediately. The company plans to use the space for more pet products or for PetsHotel boarding and day camp concept.

PetSmart gives its reason for the move as "we’ve learned that equine is not something we do best."

The move is expected to have quite a ripple affect on the industry, beginning with State Line employees and running all the way back to employees of the vendors who supplied the stores. Some of them had significant investment in providing State Line with products. It's possible some of them may not survive this move.

Statements from PetSmart say the company also plans to seek a buyer for the catalog and online portions of State Line. Most likely, a company like Dover Saddlery is licking its chops over the prospect of obtaining its archrival and putting them out of business. Whether Dover has the resources to accomplish that is uncertain.

Having had a State Line Tack store about five blocks from our home, I have had the opportunity to witness first-hand that equine was not something that was being done well. In our case, the company had an excellent equine department manager with a ton of retail experience. However, when she began telling her higher-ups that the product mix it was putting in the store wouldn't work with the clients in this area, they basically said "tough ... you figure out how to sell what we send you."

Naturally, she jumped ship rather quickly and from then on, whenever you went into that section of the store and had a questions, they'd page someone from "dog" or "cat." Consequently, most retailers in the equine trade business who had State Line as competition weren't impacted to a great extent.

Clearly the biggest concern is the vendors who put too many eggs in the State Line basket and now will have to scramble to stay viable. Almost certainly, some will not make it.

For more details on this development, visit our Web site www.tackntogs.com.

Leaving Atlanta

2007-02-26T13:21:00.000-08:00

Sixty-four degrees and sunny in Atlanta. Friendly people. Good food.
Twenty degrees and a foot of newfallen snow on the ground in Minneapolis. Windy. Four-foot drifts.
Unfortunately, the Atlanta Market ended today, which made it hard for me to find an excuse to stay another day or two, so it's home to the snow and ice.
Aside from a brief downpour Sunday morning, the weather cooperated in a big way with the Western-English Atlanta Trade Show. About 105 booths were part of the show, which would make it the industry's third largest trade show at this point behind Denver and AETA Expo.

We'll have a figure on number of buyers later from organizer Roger Tully. By any measuring stick, this would be considered a successful market. Tully has managed to successfully resurrect a show that was mired below sea level and it just keeps growing.

The succesful formula? A strong tradition of a community with a trade show and a large dedicated group of people who desperately did not want to see it disappear. An organizer who knows and understands the equine trade industry, particularly reps (he's one himself). Good food WITHIN the trade show venue (now that is truly an accomplishment. An affordable venue, if not the most pretty. Free parking. Plenty of parking lot space for trailers and mobile homes. Reasonably priced hotels.

There's probably several other parts of the formula I'm forgetting at this juncture. But the one single aspect that seems to have brought success to WEA and Tully Markets is that family feeling. Yes, everyone is made to feel like family at this trade show, but over and above that, all of the trade show "staff" are members of Tully's immediate or extended family. Daughters, sons-in-laws, sisters and some who have no blood relationship but wanted to be part of the fun fill all of the key roles in this production.

They do as good a job at coordinating and hosting as any professionally paid organization. If you didn't have a good time at the Atlanta Market, it's your fault.

I did mention the food but let me reitterate. The North Atlanta Trade Center comes complete with an in-house caterer. Saturday night, the entire shebang was treated to a Mexican buffet that rocked. Not only was the food good, it was hot and served with a smile. Sunday, the lunch entre was roast turkey. Now, this wasn't some pressed prefab turkey breast product. This was the real gobbling version. Monday? Stuffed bell peppers.

To this juncture, WEA is predominately Western in product lines. If there were some way to slap this market up alongside the AETA Expo, you would have the market everyone in the industry has dreamed of for years.

Roger said he's going to make a big push for English vendors for the fall market. Meanwhile, AETA is looking for Western vendors.

Speaking of the fall Atlanta market, we took the opportunity to announce that Tack 'n Togs Magazine would once again sponsor the Atlanta Trade Show Golf Tournament. Our staff had hosted this event for several years, but the effort became far too frustrating under the previous association that ran the trade show.

If you're a golfer and are going to be in Atlanta for market this fall, bring your golf clubs! We'll have more details on the tournament in the next few weeks.

The Real Deal

2007-02-23T16:28:00.000-08:00

A few months back, an owner of one of the companies that serves our industry asked me about the newly restarted Atlanta Market and the market organizer Roger Tully.

"Is he for real?" the person asked me.

I wasn't sure how to respond.

"I mean ... there aren't really people left in the world who are that nice, are there?" the company owner said. "He has to be the most genuinely nice person I've ever spoken with."

Yes, I assured him, Roger is the real deal. There's not a lot of pretense about him. He does what he says he's going to do.

So this weekend I get to spend some extended time with Roger and his staff (mostly family!) and soak up some Georgia sunshine and warmth.

This is Roger's second market since the former association market here in Atlanta crashed and burned. His numbers appear to be up considerably from the first go-round.

The venue here in Norcross is modest, but serves its purpose. I'll have more numbers later, buyers, vendors, etc.

Throughout the years, a lot of us have said to anyone who would listen, "Let's get markets down to Denver and one other." I have since come to realize that several of our regional markets -- like Atlanta -- have become such a tradition, they may never disappear.

But think of the dream show that could be created if somehow the Tully Market in Atlanta could be merged with the AETA Expo. Western meets English. Now that would be a winning combination.

Something to Stand For

2007-02-22T09:10:00.000-08:00

The British call trade show booths "stands." But that's not the only difference. Since BETA International is the only trade show many in the UK attend each year, they put their heart, soul and a good bit of quid into the effort. Even small stands generally have very lively presentations.

This year, the top award for a stand at BETA was won by Equilibrium Product Ltd, a company that sells a variety of horse products. The stand was a good blending of beauty and function.
As you can see in the pictures above, it was divided into two sections by a tower. Inside the tower were additional products and other storage items. On one side were all the products. On the other side were working tables. Customers began their journey on the product side, took the opportunity to touch, feel and consider and then crossed to the opposite side to write orders.

Instead of the standard plastic horse models, Equilibrium went to an engineering firm and had modern art versions of horses constructed for use in their stand. Coupled with high-quality flooring and a great lighting scheme, it's easy to see how this stand was considered the best in the show by the judges.

In the United States, where most companies attend several trade shows each year, the need is for a stand that's more portable and less extensive to build and strike. Far too many companies simply set up on a table divided with curtains and leave it at that.

Somehow, we have to convince those who show in American trade shows to adopt the BETA standard, put a little thought and life into their stands for the benefit of everyone. Interesting how many vendors in the US push retailers to spruce up their stores and make a good presentation and then they come to trade shows and slap up a booth that took them all of 40 seconds to conceive and erect.

Cheers to Equilibrium for their efforts. May your tribe increase.

Just BETA ...

2007-02-19T13:44:00.000-08:00

Live horse demonstrations are a highlight of the BETA International Trade Fair. Only one of the remaining American trade shows still utilizes horses, which seems odd considering they are the backbone of the industry.

Yesterday, 2,500-plus legitimate buyers walked through the turnstyles at BETA International here in Birmingham, England. About the same numbers were expected for today (Monday) and tomorrow, the final day of the event.

It was a rewarding experience to be stalled in the hallways of the trade show several times throughout the day because of the crush of traffic.

Those of you have been attending American trade shows of late know that other than Denver in January, traffic jams have been rare.
I am always amused -- if not a bit dismayed -- to hear retailers and vendors bad-mouth the BETA trade fair. It's a matter of perspective, I supposed. Any trade show can improve, but that quality of vendors, the number of products and the plethora of choices are superior here, in my estimation.

Yeah, there are things that could be improved. For instance, I suggest that the BETA organizers hire a "no-smoking" police force. Equip them with some donated fly spray bottles filled with vinegar or lemon water and have them squirt every smoker in the butt.

Besides being a known and proven health hazard, second-hand smoke is just disgusting, and people who blow it the face of others are obnoxious.
I have previously opined about the quality of the food in the cavernous National Events Center where the BETA trade show is held, but I have good news to report on that account. The center has been undergoing renovation, which seems to have also included landing some good food vendors. What American doesn't feel at home with the smell of Subway's baking bread wafting through the air?

So far, everything I've had to eat at the NEC has been great and even the prices don't seem quite as offensive as they had been previously.

Even the weather has mostly cooperated this year. This afternoon rain moved in, but what would a trip to the United Kingdom be without at least one day of bone-chilling, finger-numbing ice-cold rain? Oh well, it was a good chance to test my new rain coat purchased especially for this trip. (It worked great!)

Beating a Path To BETA

2007-02-18T10:02:00.000-08:00

Greetings from the United Kingdom! The BETA International Trade Show opened here at the National Events Center in Birmingham, England today. Attendance was about average for an opening day. Exact figures have not been posted yet. We'll get those up tomorrow.

In addition to buying activity, Sunday was filled a flurry of activity. The BETA Innovation Awards were judged and presented. It was my pleasure to serve as a judge for this program this year.

We reviewed a number of excellent entries. I'll share more with you about the winners down the road and in our printed edition of Tack 'n Togs in April.

The Best Stand Awards (booths are called stands here) were also given. We'll try to round up a couple photos of the winners for posting later.

BETA and the trade show in Germany are the two largest overseas trade shows. For years, the two shows have co-existed, indeed, enjoyed a symbiotic relationship. Last week came word that the organizers of SPOGA are planning to expand their event twice-annually and one of those shows will almost directly conflict with BETA -- held once a year.

We haven't confirmed all of the details yet, but apparently the same infection that has hit the American trade show scene is also impacting trade shows around the world. No one is certain what the impact will be just yet, but it has the potential to be nasty.

A bright side of this year's trip to Birmingham has been the cooperative weather. Last year was filled with gloom and snow and ice and wind so cold it cut through layers of clothing and chilled you to the bone. This year, the sun has actually shown and the temperatures have been very moderate.

Stop back tomorrow for more updates, photos and other information.

Up, Up and Away

2007-02-14T12:18:00.000-08:00

I always get a little verklempt when I board an airplane bound for another country. I'm probably about as patriotic as the average American, but at some point when you travel overseas, you realize that the freedoms and privileges you've enjoyed all your life suddenly don't necessarily apply.

I've never had a bad experience traveling overseas, and certainly the BETA International Trade Show is more like old home week for me than a foreign assignment. You're not treated as an outsider for very long at BETA. Everyone is friendly and helpful, even eager to get your take on things.

I think it hits me most when I pull out my passport and insert it in my travel gear where my driver's license would normally appear. Suddenly, you are a citizen of the world, not just the United States.

I have long been an advocate of Americans traveling overseas, particularly in the equine trade industry. Whether you're a manufacturer or retailer, getting a new outlook on things from a fresh approach can be helpful.

And the United Kingdom is a good place to start because we share a common language ... well, sort of. There's the occasional Irishman that you have to listen carefully to make sure he is, indeed, speaking English.

The biggest realization for me is that people do things differently all over the world, yet everything still gets done. Sometimes the method or the pace isn't what you're accustomed to, but it doesn't seem to matter that much.

Retailers in the equine trade industry in the United Kingdom face many of the same challenges our retailers here in the United States, plus a few we don't experience. The concept, of course, is the same and the outcome (hopefully) is the same -- satisfied customers and profit.

Over the next few days I'll be sharing my thoughts and feelings as a world traveler. If you read every blog, you should be chomping at the bit to come to BETA International next year!

A Hat Comeback?

2007-02-12T08:57:00.000-08:00

Last week, I picked up a copy of the premiere issue of "Classic Style," a new magazine that covers fashion and related topics. The cover story caught my eye.

"Return of the Hat." The author made quite a case for rising popularity of bowlers, homburgs, tear drop fedoras, porkpies and other styles.

"A hat tells the world you're a man. Boys wear caps, but it takes a man to wear a felt hat with a brim that runs all the way around it."

He makes a good point. The story is enlightening.

I did send a comment to the editor that I found it amazing that a style magazine could publish more than 10 pages on hats and never once mention a Western hat. A rising tide lifts all boats. Depending upon how you look at it, the rise in popularity of Western headware is driving the rise in popularity of other hats.

It would be tough to write a definitive piece about the rise in popularity of hats without at least mentioning what's going on in the Western wear sector. But there's no denying the magazines strong focus on hats is a plus for everyone who manufactures hats, no matter what style, type or vintage.

Images from the Akubra Hats Factory in Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia, were used to illustrate how hats are made. Stetson was mentioned in several references, along with Dorfman Pacific.

You can visit the magazine's Web site www.classicstylemag.com to learn more.

'Flicka' mah Bicka

2007-02-08T07:49:00.000-08:00

Okay, don't get me wrong here. Any exposure that horses get on the big screen is positive for our industry. I know that. There's nothing like watching a herd of horses thunder across the plains to make people want to jump up out of their chairs and go ride a horse.

That said, I think I have found an exception. The movie "Flicka" is now out on DVD and the push is on. I saw the movie in the theater some weeks back. It was not good. In fact, it was awful. Actually, I was embarrassed for the people who made this movie and the people who starred in it.

First of all, the writers took a perfectly delightful book by Mary O'Hara, "My Friend Flicka," and mutilated and scorched it until they thought it fit a contemporary setting. The script is the big problem here. It reads like a second-grader reader.

"Here comes horse. See horse run. Horse runs fast." Duh.

The crew that wrote this script obviously never heard a real horse person talk in their entire lives. On top of that, the premise was unbelievable.

For those of you who don't know, the movie is about a rebellious young girl who apparently grew up on a ranch and comes home from boarding school to spend the summer. Mind you, she grew up on a ranch, correct? Well every time Katy (played by Allison Lohman) gets up on a horse, she falls off.

I grew up around ranch-raised children and I know many ranch families today. Believe, their 16-year-old daughters don't fall off horses unless a horse is making a very determined effort to get shed of them.

Premise two ... every time Katy appears on the screen, she's in a different outfit and each one more frilly and prissy than the one before it. None of what she wears during the entire film is anything any ranch-raised female would be caught dead riding in.

It goes downhill from there.

None of the other characters were anymore believable. Tim McGraw needs to stick to singing, acting obviously isn't his bag. He has two major facial expressions, one is blank and other is pained. The rest of the characters are totally inconsequential as far as the story is concerned.

The scenery and the horse herding scenes are beautiful but they fly by much too quickly and are only marginally connected to the plot.

I think most of us have given up on the idea that another "Urban Cowboy" is just around the corner, but if the next couple movies featuring a horse are this hokey, it may set the industry back a few steps, rather than moving things forward.

The Sleeping Giant Rides

2007-02-07T11:04:00.000-08:00

Last week, we listed a trade show in China on our Web site. So now not only do you have more than a basketful of them to attend in this country, there's even one in Shanghai.

The idea behind the trade show is to satisfy the emerging equestrian market in China. Some months back, I speculated in this space about what the future for equine product manufacturers might be in China. At the time, I had very scant information about whether anyone in China even knew what a horse was, other than perhaps as a dinner-time delicacy.

Turns out, they do. At least to the extent that someone in that country believes there's a need for a trade show to supply the stores that sell the products. If you're interested in details, visit www.tackntogs.com and click on "markets" in the green bars on the right. Scroll down to find the China information.

Home For a While

2007-02-06T07:57:00.000-08:00

I've attended so many trade shows already this year I hardly know what to do with myself when I'm home anymore! The Hopper Indy Market wrapped up on Monday. Most everyone went away with a good feeling.

Kent's "Big Game" party in the Indiana Rooftop Ballroom was a smash. Great food, great music and, of course, the football game. At one point, there were 80 people watching the game on two big-screen televisions.

I had many interesting conversations with the retailers who attended. Many of them have been coming to the Indy Market for decades. The memory of Indy Markets past is still fresh in their minds.

Most recall a day when the Indy Market was three or four times the size it was this year. Of course, back then, there were far more retailers and without Internet, trade shows were about the only way to show your wares.

I have a short break in my travel schedule now before I head off for the BETA International Show in England.

The rest of this week, we'll take a look at a couple other issues that are facing the equine trade industry.

Gathering in Indianapolis

2007-02-03T19:54:00.000-08:00

It's difficult to tell which is creating more buzz this weekend, the Indianapolis Colts playing in the Super Bowl or the Hopper Indy Western and English Market. Okay, that may be overstating it just a bit, but there was definitely a good feel about the first day of the trade show.

In terms of number of booths, this market is slightly smaller -- by about a dozen booths -- than the Hopper Orlando Market. But Indianapolis has been the site of an equine trade industry market for decades. Retailers show up twice a year, like swallows returning to Capistrano.

There were some hard feelings on the part of the members of the former association that operated the Indy Market, but in touring the floor today, I spotted a number of former board members set up and selling their lines.

Obviously, Indy is a regional market to a large extent, but it appears to be an indispensible part of the equine trade industry landscape, like its sister markets, including Reno and Atlanta.

The retailers attending are serious buyers, mostly clad in jeans and comfortable shirts, boots and hats. Despite the obvious Western bent, there are a good number of English vendors, all of who reported doing okay business during Saturday's show hours.

Sunday, the market kicks off with an educational seminar with Tom Shay. In the evening is the annual market party at the Indiana Roof-Top Ballroom, restoring a long-standing tradition at the Indy Market.

Of course, the evening will be co-opted slightly by the two large television screens that will show the Super Bowl from start to finish. Should be quite an evening.

How Super Is It Really?

2007-02-01T09:22:00.000-08:00

Did you run an advertisement in your local newspaper for a Super Bowl sale at your store this weekend? If you did, you are in violation of NFL's exlusive right to the name and are subject to punishment. You probably didn't know that, but ignorance is no excuse when it comes to legal matters.

Heck, even writing this blog will probably subject me to a nasty-gram from the NFL reminding me that "Super Bowl" is verboten. They even want "Super Sunday" off limits to all of us ordinary Joe writers.

I understand where they're coming from. We talk a lot about the value of a brand in the equine trade industry. When a company has worked hard to achieve success with a product under a particular name, more power to them. They have a right to be protected.

But in the case of the NFL, they want to rule the world. Their proclamations are an infringement of my First Amendment rights (yours, too).

Some have gone to great and strange lengths to avoid entanglements. There's the ever popular "Sooper Bowl" wording. Then there's "Big Game." Wow. Or how about the charity that raises money to feed the need, called "Souper Bowl." Now that's original.

To give you some idea of how big the Super Bowl (oops, did it again!) really is, consider that 91 million people watched the game last year. Airtime this year is expected to sell for $2.6 million for a 30-second spot. Remember last year's Anheuser-Busch commercials? The horse world talked about those for months! They're in for five full minutes of commercial air time this year.

If you watch the Sup ... errr .... I mean big game, you'll no doubt see some of the best advertising American television has to offer. The quality of the football might be a little lacking, but the commercials will be huge.

Weather and It's Impact on Retailing

2007-01-31T07:50:00.000-08:00

One of the top concerns retailers gathered for the AETA trade show expressed was the unseasonable weather most of the country appears to be having. For many of them, the prolonged summer and fall meant sparse blanket sales and outerwear that sat and gathered dust.

The upside, of course, is that riders have been able to ride well into the winter because of the warmer than normal temperatures, which means the demand for other riding accessories held up in a season when they normally disappear.

Most retailers were in a conundrum because they were at the trade show trying to buy for the year ahead and wondering, "is this weird weather now normal or is this a fluke?" The answer determines how you buy and potentially your success as a retailer.

There's a lot of talk right now about global warming. Actually, if you were in Minnesota or most of the upper part of the United States today, you wouldn't believe in global warming -- it's darn cold! But there's no denying that the weather patterns have changed somewhat.

A number of people look at the changes and say that it's simply a matter of weather patterns mapped over a long period of time. We have colder periods and warmer periods and that's natural and okay. A more convinced environmentalist would say the pattern is toward warmer and warmer until the Polar Ice Cap melts and we're all living in the new Atlantis.

Neither argument does much for the predicament of retailers in the equine industry who don't know whether to zig or to zag when it comes to buying. Cut down on outerwear and next year is frigid, you'll be caught with your pants down (well not literally!). Buy the same amount of outerwear and hope the weather turns perverse once again ... that's also a risky strategy.

The weather has introduced yet another element of surprise for retailers. Farmers have been contending with it for years. Having Mother Nature as a partner in your retail business probably isn't what any of us wanted, but it's a fact of life.

Maybe it's time to get out the Old Farmer's Almanac.

Oh that Uncle Jimmy

2007-01-30T12:58:00.000-08:00

One of the features of the AETA trade show was an awards competition for the most innovative products. The winner and by far the product that drew the most attention was called "Uncle Jimmy's Hanging Balls" treat.

The ball -- consisting of a variety of grains, molasses and other ingredients -- is approximately 5.5 inches in diameter and weights more than three pounds. It's tied from above in a horse's stall (thus the name "hanging balls"). It's a handy way to fight boredom for stalled horses, as long as you don't mind your horse eating sugar, corn syrup, molasses and other sweet ingredients.

Perhaps the most innovative thing about the hanging balls isn't the balls themselves, but the attention-getting name that's been applied to them. If you have a mind that tends toward the gutter, you might be thinking something you probably shouldn't be thinking by now.

In any event, there was no way to miss the product at the Expo.

The Clip, developed by a fellow Minnesotan, also garnered a lot of attention. It's a device that securely fastens a horse, even one determined to break free. It also received an innovation award.

We're attempting to locate a list of all the winners and will bring that to you when we have it.

Speaking of innovations, I was somewhat dismayed to see so many pink products at the expo. I thought pink was becoming a thing of the past. Apparently, we have at least one more season to deal with pink. Then can we bury it forever?

First Expo One for the Books

2007-01-29T05:54:00.000-08:00

The first-ever American Equestrian Tack and Apparel Expo ended yesterday with most participants reporting good sales, a good time and a good feeling about the market.

Like any trade show held for the first time in a new venue, there were small glitches that will need attention prior to the next expo. There were also a lot of questions about the American Equestrian Trade Association and its future. Some answers are forthcoming on that topic. Stay tuned.

For me, the highlights were the numbers of both vendors and retailers -- the largest we've seen in a while -- and the professional manner in which the trade show was conducted.

Organizer Jim Herbert and all of the staff that worked with him did a great job of keeping things moving and keeping everyone happy. Just before leaving Richmond yesterday, Jim told me that 80 percent of the booths space reserved for this trade show has already been booked for August.

One of the most interesting complaints I heard was that the aisles weren't bowling alley style -- in other words, running the entire length of the building. Some larger booths interspersed broke up the runway flow, which I actually thought was kind of a nice touch. From the comments, that obviously wasn't the case.

If you attended the show and have a comment -- positive or negative -- please feel free to email me with your information at pwahl@tackntogs.com. I am most interested in hearing what you have to say.

We'll be posting images and other information on our Web site throughout the week so point your browser to www.tackntogs.com for more information.

Friday, it's off to Indianapolis for the Hopper Indy Market.

Learning, shopping and having fun

2007-01-28T04:27:00.000-08:00

A group of us were sitting around over dinner one night during the AETA Expo and the question was asked: "What do you expect from a trade show?" Several of us answered hits way: "It should be fun."

Now no one would discount that there should be plenty of vendors and plenty of buyers first and foremost, but the more we thought about it, the more we realized that fun plays into it no matter how you look at it.

The AETA Expo has had its share of fun, in addition to buying and selling, learning and eating and visiting and networking.

Trade shows are work -- for everyone. So if you can have a bit of fun to go along with the work, it makes the work seem less onerous.

It has been interesting to watch the equine trade industry redefine what's important about a trade show over the past 18 months or so. For some, the new standard is how the show "feels." For others, it has become the quality of the food. Sometimes selling and buying are near the bottom of some people's list.

Like so many things in life, the answer is probably somewhere in the middle. While everyone wants to do well at a trade show, most would like to have a bit of fun as well -- or at least have the opportunity to do that.

The proliferation of great restaurants around Richmond has offered the venue for quite a bit of fun during the off-hours.

Hopefully, when the show closes, everyone who attended will lay claim to at least a tad of fun -- and a fist full of success in the selling and buying department, too.

2007-01-26T18:34:00.000-08:00

Through these doors today walked buyers from across the United States, part of the American Equestrian Tack and Apparel Expo in Richmond, Va. The first-ever equine trade show at the Greater Richmond Convention Center had welcomed about 500 buyers by 4 p.m. on the opening day, according to spokesman and organizer Jim Herbert.

Other highlights of the day included a phenomenal retailer training program, presented by professors from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Today's topics included retailer relationships with vendors, ten myths of retail management and ownership, branding and planning inventory the right way. Several of the sessions were filled to capacity.

Three Retailer of Excellence presentations were also part of the day's lineup of educational programming. The sessions were well-received with lots of questions for the presenting retailers.

Rosalie Jackson Regni, assistant professor, department of fashion at VCU, presented her educational session, 10 Myths of Retail Management and Ownership.

1. Anyone with a good idea can get money to start or grow a business.
2. Competitors are the enemy.
3. If my product or service is desirable to customers, then "extra-mile service" is not necessary.
4. My vendors/suppliers are there to service me and make me happy. It doesn't matter how I treat them.
5. After my business is successful I can sit back, relax and take lots of vacations.
6. After I complete my business plan and secure the funds to open or grow my business, I can just put it away in the archives.
7. Making sales is the most important function of the business.
8. I already know enough about my product and running a business. I don't have time to pursue more knowledge.
9. Once I have established a product selection that my customers like, there is no need to change it.
10. If my business takes off right away, it's time to expand or open a branch store in another location.

Expo Ready to Go

2007-01-25T19:37:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow morning at 9 a.m., the doors swing open on the first-ever American Equestrian Tack and Apparel Expo at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

Today was setup day with everyone rushing to put the finishing touches on their presentation. From the early look at things, it appears the vendors for this trade show went all out for the event. Even the small booth vendors added a bit of flair to their presentation.

Since this is the first Expo, there will be a lot of evaluating of what works and what doesn't work, trade-show speaking. The fall event will obviously benefit from that experience.

The wind is blowing and the air is brisk. This afternoon Richmond experienced what we call in Minnesota a "snow burst." The flakes were as big as baseballs. The entire episode lasted about 10 minutes and by the time it was over, all traces of snow had melted.

Several hotel blocks Expo organizers contracted were filled as of today and other blocks were being negotiated. That's being interpreted as a good sign by most.

Tomorrow we'll have a better feel for numbers, attendance and that sort of thing.

If you're not able to attend the Expo, come back each day for an update here.

Next Stop, RIchmond

2007-01-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

We knew it couldn't last forever. The gentle warm breezes of Orlando are behind us and now it's on to the next stop in the Equine Trade Show Tour, AETA Richmond. It sounds like the weather will be invigorating, even for someone from Minnesota.

According to the AETA Web site, more than 200 vendors are signed up and nearly 400 retailers are preregistered. If you looked at that list and said to yourself, "some of those retailers aren't retailers," you are quite perceptive. When this round of trade shows is over we're going to talk at length about the responsibility to get it right on Web sites produced by trade show organizers. In some cases, you have to be a Philadelphia lawyer to figure out exactly what the names and numbers mean.

It dawned on me that if I ever decided I really despised one of the trade show organizers in our industry and wanted to shut him down, I'd simply start the rumor that he was paying retailers to come to his show. That little bit of gossip hit the Orlando trade show floor on Saturday and by the Monday's close, it had become a burning crackling cauldron. The vendom that accompanies some of these tirades is beyond comprehension. Let's get the facts first and then see who needs to be skewered and barbecued.

If you aren't able to make to Richmond, stop back here each of the next few days for an update and perhaps an image or two.

Great Birthday

2007-01-21T18:21:00.000-08:00

Over the past five years of covering trade shows in the equine industry, I've often been on the road on my birthday (today!). This year I was able to have my wife along for the occasion. We celebrated at the Hopper Orlando Market this year.

To my surprise, several friends bribed the band performing for the market party to sing "Happy Birthday" to me. It was very special and a good time.

The market party capped the second day of the market, which will no doubt go down in history as the trade show in our industry with the most perfect weather.

All those people who spent years pushing Orlando as a location when we were freezing in the snow and ice in Pennsylvania were right. If you were one of those and you didn't come down for this trade show, shame on you!

Later this week the traveling trade show circuit move to Richmond. We'll be reporting in from the AETA Expo beginning on Wednesday.

Florida Retailers Lovin' It

2007-01-20T17:28:00.000-08:00

Another beautiful day dawned over Orlando today as the Hopper Expo Orlando Trade Show got underway. About 64 booths representing nearly 120 lines were on hand.

A number of companies apparently made last-minute decisions to attend as they were not listed in the market book. And a few listed in the book didn't make it to Orlando.

Things shifted into high gear at about mid-morning and action was strong until mid-afternoon. Buyers from about 50 to 75 retail stores were on hand today, the majority of them from around the Orlando area.

That statistic brought one vendor express his opinion that the equine trade industry -- except from Denver -- is a series of regional markets with no major national market on the East Coast.

Several first-time vendors said they were pleased with their experience exhibiting in Orlando, although admitidly they didn't have anything to compare it to. Western products vendors appeared to have the edge on English vendors at day's end today, perhaps because there were considerably fewer of them. English vendors outnumber Western vendors by about five to one.

Tomorrow, the market party is planned in the evening and promises to be quite a production. We hope to bring you some images of the party in the next blog entry.

On to Orlando

2007-01-19T15:50:00.000-08:00

Even if you're not a fan of glitz and tourist traps, Disney and Universal and at least one money pit per block, you have to admit -- Orlando has amazing weather.

We flew in at noon today for the Orlando Hopper Market and were greeted with bright sunshine and temperatures hovering near 80 degrees. There was a slight breeze and the air smelled fresh and invigorating.

If you could somehow substract the traffic, you would probably have the best place in the United States to live.

For years, those of us who suffered through January in eastern Pennsylvania wondered by someone couldn't come up with a trade show in Orlando in January. Well, now someone has. Kent Hopper has spent a great deal of time planning this market. Tomorrow, we will find out whether any of those people who were thinking Orlando took action to be here.

The Orange County Convention Center is an incredibly large building and it took us several infomation stops to track down the Hopper market in the North Concourse. The venue is beautiful and surrounded by natural beauty to spare. Green grass, lakes, blue skies ... everywhere you look it's like a Disney movie.

Tomorrow we'll take some head counts and photos to post here. Stay tuned.

Denver Wrap

2007-01-18T07:59:00.000-08:00

Just a few final notes on the Denver Market before I leave tomorrow for Orlando. I'll be posting regular updates from that market, as well as AETA Expo the following week. Come along for the ride!

Market organizers can't do anything about the weather. Over the years, we've had some really interesting weather during trade show season. When the old KOP Market was still going, snow was a disaster. A good number of those attending drove in from across the Eastern Seaboard. Atlantic City had a blizzard one year during trade show season.

The three snowstorms that had hit Denver prior to the market dates probably didn't help matters when it came to people apprehensive about attending. The trade show organizers also have no control over how local authorities deal with snow either.

We live in a state that is considered the gold standard for snow removal -- Minnesota. When the first flake flies, someone's out there with a plow moving it off the streets -- not just the freeways, the side streets, as well.

Imagine my dismay to find piles and drives of snow on the freeways in Denver and the side streets looking more like ski slopes. Not that big of a problem for someone who grew up in the stuff and knows how to drive in snow and ice. Big problem for people come from parts of the country where snow and ice on the roads are rare.

Another disappointment -- again something the trade show organizers can do nothing about -- was the way the hotel where we stayed maintained its property. The parking lot was just barely cleared so parking was an adventure. The sidewalks were not shoveled at all so you walked in the already narrowed roadway. Most hotels in Minnesota would have the sidewalks down to the cement and coated with salt to make sure they stayed that way. It seems like the hospitable thing to do.

My nomination for the most stupid retailers on earth goes to the stores at Denver International Airport. I arrived for my flight home with almost no voice and considerable congestion, nose-blowing and everything else that accompanies a cold. It was impossible to buy tissues in the Denver Airport. They were all out!

I searched all through the stores in the area where my flight was to leave, finally boarded the train and went to a different concourse and searched there. All the store employees could say was "we're out."

At the height of the cold season with some of coldest weather of the winter, these retailers weren't sharp enough to make sure they didn't run out of facial tissues. I know for sure if I had brought along a couple cases from a warehouse store, I could have sold them for $2 a tissue! Talk about your missed opportunities.

Now, onward to warmer digs and hopefully the full restoration of my voice. I also wanted to take a moment to thank everyone at the Denver Market who provided me with a pethora of things to suck on to try to make my throat better and who offered me everything from cough syrup to Jim Beam! I can't think of anything more miserable than for a trade magazine editor to have no voice at the industry's largest and most prestigious trade show!

More Screens in Use

2007-01-17T09:28:00.000-08:00

The recently concluded Denver Market for January 2007 was the first in which large-screen high-definition television played an important role in booths and displays. A number of companies were using them to showcase products and attract attention.

Equibrand and Kensington (left and right above, respectively) made good use of the technology. Other screens were dotted around the market, including the permanent show room of Sidran on the Fourth Floor of the Mart Building.

Over the years, the migration away from a simple stall with products at American trade shows has been noticeable. Booths (or stands as they call them) at the overseas trade show are much more sophisticated. Since most of those vendors attend only one trade show a year, they tend to go big.

In the United States, with everyone going to several trade shows each year, the booth has to be more portable.

We also noticed a trend toward better use of lighting this year at a number of booths. Lighting is very important when a retailer is attempting to evaluate a product. In some areas of the Denver Merchandise Mart, there's sufficient ambient light to allow everything to be seen clearly. Other parts are more dungeon-like and require heavy illumination.

Those scrolling banner units were also popular this trade show.

If you'd like to see more scenes from the market, visit our Web site www.tackntogs.com and click on the video montage at the top of the home page.

Denver Market The Fashion Scene

2007-01-16T13:49:00.000-08:00

The annual fashion show at the WESA Denver Market is one of the highlights of the four-day run of the market. It seemed that the fashions shown this year were a bit more muted than in previous years. Nothing gawdy, lots of earth tones and tasteful bling.

One of the more unusual new products was presented by The Montana Ride Apparel Company of Denver, which is offering a line of men's underwear with a Western flair. The company is also doing boot socks adn t-shirts.

The underwear is unusual in that it features Sweet Ride™ anti-microbial treatment. The fabrics are bonded with silver which releases silver ions that destroy over 90% of the bacteria that cause odors. It also features a Western retro-styled embroidered waistband, along with flat-sewn seams and no sewn tags.

David Sorg, president of Montana Ride, told me he got the idea when he was shopping his local Western store and thought he'd top off his purchases with underwear and t-shirts. The store had none. He soon discovered very few equine retailers carried these items and decided to fill the niche.

These are not your father's underwear, t-shirts and socks. A lot of thought and innovation has gone into them. The socks are the same sock our soldiers in Iraq are wearing today.

When you think about it, the products Sorg is offering make a lot of sense. His line will probably be slightly more expensive than what guys would pay for BVD or similar big-market skivvies, but from everything I can tell, they should be worth it. David's Web site is www.montanaride.com.

If you'd like to see more images from the Denver Market, please visit www.tackntogs.com.

Denver, weather or not

2007-01-15T07:05:00.001-08:00

The weather was the star of the show at the Denver Market, which began Friday. Snow, ice and frigid temps were the order of the day. Worries about slippery roads and whether the airport would close (again!) kept minds away from shopping some of the time.

It's impossible to term WESA's Denver Market anything but a success, even with awful weather, simply because of its size and scope. Business through Sunday afternoon did seem a bit slower than last year, but the previous two or three markets have been near-record events.

Mother Nature has been rocking Denver's world for several weeks. Snowfall is being measured in feet, rather than inches. Temperatures during the trade show were more than 40 degrees below normal.

Denver Market seems to have benefitted from the proliferation of markets on the East Coast and the resulting confusion. A number of vendors and retailers said this would be the only market they would attend this year.

Throughout the rest of the week, we'll be sharing images and reports from the market here and on our Web site www.tackntogs.com.

Denver, For Starters

2007-01-11T19:16:00.000-08:00

Today was setup day at the Denver WESA Market. Tomorrow morning, selling begins in earnest all across the Denver Merchandise Mart.

The snarky weather Denver has been having may be keeping a few of the less hardy away, but if you're in the equine trade industry (especially on the Western side), you have to suck it up and come.

Tonight we're receiving a rain/snow mix that has resulted in some fairly slick roads and some heavy traffic.

In just the few hours I spent at the mart today, I already have found several new vendors I have not seen anywhere before at a trade show. That's always a good sign.

Tomorrow night is the big fashion show and gala, celebrating the 85th year of the market. That should be quite an event. Each market it seems the list of things to do gets a little longer.

If you're reading this and thinking about coming, head on down! If you absolutely can't make it, follow the action here on this blog and on our Web site www.tackntogs.com.

Having My Head Examined

2007-01-10T08:59:00.000-08:00

One of the favorite things about my job as editor of Tack 'n Togs Magazine is getting out to spend time with equine retailers. I always come back energized and revitalized. On a recent visit to Ace Tack in Cambridge, Minn., I had my head examined.

Now mind you, many people have been telling me for years, "You ought to have your head examined." So I finally decided to take their advice.

Actually, the examination was part of a hat-fitting experience provided by Ace staffer Amanda Adams. The device she's using draws an outline of your head, from which a hat that fits perfectly can be selected. The device is part of the store's cooperative hat program with Ritch Rand of Rand Hats in Billings, Mont.

The fitter looks for all the world like some old-world torture device, but the process was actually quite painless.

You will be able to read more about Ace Tack in February edition of Tack 'n Togs.

Turn on the Lights

2007-01-09T11:17:00.000-08:00

My friend Kelley Robertson sends me an occasional thought on retail. I thought I'd share his latest insight with you. If you'd like to learn more aout Kelley, visit his Web site www.kelleyrobertson.com.

+++++

My wife and I were shopping for a new lighting fixture to hang above our dining room table. We wanted something relatively contemporary, and in our quest, we visited over a dozen stores in search of the perfect light.

This experience uncovered a wide variety of mistakes that are costing retailers big money in the form of lost sales. Here's an example of some of the situations we have encountered.

1. We walked into one store early in the evening and were greeted with a heavy rock station blasting over the speakers. Although I like rock music, it is definitely NOT appropriate for a retail environment unless you are selling music, extreme sporting goods, or cater directly to a demographic that appreciates this type of music. Based on the selection of product on display, I suspect this lighting store's target market is someone between the ages of 35-70. This means their music choice was a huge blunder, one that could easily have been avoided.

2. Another store promised the region's largest selection of lighting fixtures which definitely intrigued us. We dropped by the store, and indeed, they did have a fantastic selection of lights, including several that appealed to our individual taste. However, very few of the lights were operable which meant we couldn't see what they looked like when lit. Call me silly but when I buy a lighting fixture I expect to be able to turn it on so I can see exactly how it looks when it is lit. Plus, the apparent owner of the store didn’t bother to leave the comfort of the counter and make any attempt to help us.

3. We ventured into another store that had a very good selection of lighting fixtures. We were looking at one in particular and there was an employee standing nearby as we considered it. She mumbled something to us about the light—I guess to help us—but what she said was incomprehensible and she didn’t stick around long enough for us to clarify what she had said. Instead, after making her comment she left us to retreat behind the sales counter.In the same store, they had a designated sales person roaming the floor but at no time did he approach us even though he had overheard us tell another employee what we were looking for.

4. The website of store number four appealed to my wife for a variety of reasons and it sounded like this might be the place we might find our ideal fixture. However, as soon as we opened the door we we were assulted by the smell of stale cigarette smoke. In fact, the store smelled like an old gentlemen’s club, and as non-smokers, this definitely turned us off. This store had also given us the impression on their website that they had an extremely large selection of contemporary fixtures but their actual selection did not match their advertising. Although there were a few wall hangings and paintings that were attractive, we did not want to bring home the smell of stale smoke, so we left. Oh, did I mention that we were greeted by a small dog who barked at us the entire time we were in the store.

5. We went into another store and noticed several employees standing behind the sales counter, chatting with each other. We wandered around the store and looked at lighting fixtures for approximately seven to ten minutes but at no time did any of these employees make an attempt to assist us. I guess they figured that if we needed help we would ask for it. I can picture their boss questioning them the next day about the lack of sales and can hear them saying, “Oh, it was really quiet last night, we didn’t have anyone in the store.”

I could keep going but I think you get the picture. Each of these retailers made some type of blunder that cost them potential sales and profits. What is extremely unfortunate, is the fact that they probably don't even realize they made these mistakes or how money it cost them.

Many of these mistakes also apply to people who sell products and services to businesses. What impression are you making with your customers? Are you fully prepared for your sales calls and presentations? Are other people on your team costing you sales? Are you being proactive in helping your customers make an educated buying decision? Are you using terminology that your customer understands?Remember, everything you say and do influences your customer’s decision to buy from you or one of your competitors. Small mistakes can cost you big money.

They're Flocking to Denver

2007-01-08T13:56:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, two good friends of ours who are Western retailers in The Netherlands stopped off at out house in Minnesota on their way to the Denver Market. Evelien and Martin operate a mobile unit that travels five countries and also have a brick-and-mortar store in the small community of Rheden, near Arnam. This will be their fifth year attending the Denver Market. This year, they brought five other Dutch parties with them. How's that for word of mouth?!?

We had a great time showing them around the Minneapolis area, including the ultimate shrine to retailing, the Mall of America. We also visited Cabela's and did quite a bit of eating and just sitting around drinking coffee and talking.

I always chuckle to myself when a retailer in the United States tells me a particularly trade show is "too far" to travel. Martin and Evelien ordinarily travel from their home in Velp by train to Amsterdam, then board a flight and spend nine hours flying to Chicago, transfer to another flight and head for Denver. Most everyone in the United States has a direct flight into Denver, and the longest anyone flies is probably three hours.

We also scoped out several Western stores in the Minneapolis area. It was most interesting for Evelien and Martin to see what is sold in our shops, compare prices and customer service. They made many mental notes for future reference.

Their days will be filled with activity between now and the time the Denver Market ends. They always take many good memories -- and quite a bit of American product -- home with them.

If you'd like to visit their store, point your browser to www.euro-horse.nl.

Lone Cowboy Retailers

2007-01-04T08:41:00.000-08:00

A retailer in Europe contacted me a few weeks back to get my opinion on a business opportunity he was contemplating. His equine retail business had been contacted by a franchise that wanted him to sign up with them. From what I could tell, it was somewhat similar to a True Value Hardware sort of proposal.

He asked me what the experience had been in the United States with franchising in the equine retail trade sector. I chuckled to myself as I read his email. It's been tried in a number of different ways at different times and hasn't worked all that well.

After I responded to him, I began thinking about why retailers in our industry are so doggone independent. I concluded it goes all the way back to the early days of equine retailing. Merchants (as they were often called) were fiercely independent. There weren't a lot of fall-back strategies. You either made it on your own, or you went down the tubes.

Fast forward 200 years or so and you'll find the mindset hasn't changed all that much. While we have some multi-store chains in our industry, the bulk of the retailers -- both English and Western -- are mom and pop businesses that cherish their independence and autonomy.

In the past few years, organizations such as Purina with its Country Store franchises, have made some inroads into the industry. They have even established their own trade shows primarily for franchise owners. As the challenges facing equine retailers grows, the interest in franchising will probably expand.

But it appears unlikely that the equine retail business will go the direction of the sporting goods industry, for instance, where independents have rapidly been replaced with large corporate ownerships. Now larger corporations are gobbling up smallers ones and finding a sporting goods store that isn't a cookie-cutter version is becoming more difficult. The products are the same, the prices are the same, the service is the same (usually poor). Certainly not the intended impact, but the facts nonetheless.

Unquestionably, the job of vendors and others in our industry would be made much simpler were there fewer owners to have to deal with in favor of a handful of corporate buyers who shop for hundreds of stores. But the plethora of personalities and approaches to equine retail are what keeps the industry vibrant. Not necessarily the most profitable model, but certainly the most fun to be a part of!

Small Business Survivors

2007-01-03T14:08:00.000-08:00

In the process of researching a story for the February issue of Tack 'n Togs Magazine, I came across some interesting statistics on small business survival rates.

I remember hearing for as long as I can remember from the Small Business Administration that 50 percent of businesses fail in their first year and 95 percent fail within five years. I always thought that was a bit depressing. Who would want to go into business knowing that?

Sometimes I think it was a method for scaring potential business owners into sharpening up their act before committing. That's probably not a bad thing.

Anyway, it seems the SBA has had a bit of a change of heart. Their latest disclaimer is that two-thirds of new businesses survive at least two years and 44 percent survive at least four years. Part of that recalculation may be the rise in popularity of Internet companies, which require far less investment capital than most brick-and-mortar operations.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses has also chimed in with their take on the topic. NFIB says only 39 percent of businesses in the United States are profitable. Another 30 percent break even and the other 30 percent lose money. One percent of business owners didn't know if they were profitable or not.

Among the top reasons why businesses fail today:

Business was started for the wrong reason. How many times have we heard from retailers in the equine industry that they started their business because they love horseback riding? Most retailers will tell you that unless it's retail and selling you enjoy, don't take the plunge.

Poor management. There's so much more to management today than there was even a decade ago. The primary qualification for a manager today is that he or she must know how to motivate young workers. Good luck with that.

Undercapitalization. Not enough money to keep the lights on until the business becomes profitable.

Lack of planning. It's still true that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

No Web site. If you have a business today, you need an online presence. It's become the equivalent of a calling card 20 years ago.

Failure to establish a niche. You can't fight Wal-Mart. You have to find a way to offer the products and services the mega-giant retailer can't offer.

Failure to market. Self-explanatory.

Welcome to 2007

2007-01-02T07:45:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are rested and ready for a challenging and busy 2007.

Our thoughts go out to equine retailers in two areas of the country where doing business has been tough. Those in the Denver area and large parts of Colorado and other Western states had their holiday shopping period interrupted by major snow storm. You can't shop if you can't get to the stores.

The scenes from Colorado are absolutely amazing. When snow falls in those amounts, it's very difficult to do anything but sit at home in front of the fire.

In Florida, retailers are sweating out cases of equine herpes virus type 1. It is the talk of the town in Ocala and Wellington, where the cases were discovered.

Quarantines have been set up. The financial impact will come if EHV-1 isn't able to be controlled by the time the show circuit begins in Florida. Canceling even one major show could be a huge blow to retailers in the area. The U.S. Government and a variety of horse organizations are working on the issue.

For much of the rest of the country, it appears the holiday shopping season was on average just a tiny bit above last year. We'll be conducting a survey of retailers by email later this week and will present the results next week.

A New Niche?

2006-12-22T07:17:00.000-08:00

In the course of preparing the material we use in our printed publication and on this Web site, I spend quite a bit of time reading. Some of the time it's items companies and individuals send in, sometimes it's one of a large group of favorite Web sites. Magazines are also a popular source for information, and not just the horse-related ones, either.

For instance, one of the magazines I read (online) is called Wearables Business. It's a trade magazine for people who purchase promotional apparel. That can be anything from uniforms to logo shirts, coats and other items.

A while back, the magazine's assistant editor Danielle Andrus write an interesting feature entitled, "Cowboy Classics." It detailed our some of the Western wear manufacturers we work with regularly are getting on the bandwagon where promotional apparel is concerned.

Among those featured were Ely & Walker, Dri Duck and Schaefer Outfitters. The current popularity of Western apparel overall is probably driving some of the interest. In Rick Schaefer's case, the fact that his products are made in the USA is also winning attention in the promotional apparel sector.

Companies that aren't tuned in to opportunities, such as promotional apparel (among others) might want to consider it. Diversification has to be good for the bottom line.

Although the article is generally excellent, I did get one chuckle out of it. About a quarter of the way through, the author writes:

Located in country music capital Nashville, Tenn., Capital Apparel has no limit of cowboys to draw inspiration from.

I guess from my side of the desk, I'd like to see the inspiration drawn from a cowboy in say Wyoming or Colorado, rather than Nashville! But that gets us back into that argument about what is Western and what isn't, which will have to be the topic for another blog.

You can read the entire articles here http://www.wearablesbusiness.com/wearablesbusiness/mag/apparel_cowboy_classics/index.html

Online Grinch

2006-12-19T07:11:00.000-08:00

For a lot of brick-and-mortar equine retailers, it wasn't the Grinch who stole Christmas this year, it was the Internet.

Retailers of products for horse and rider have been experiencing a mostly lackluster holiday shopping season. An email survey conducted by Tack ‘n Togs Magazine last week revealed that the bulk of retailers had sales about equal to or only slightly ahead of last year.

About 20 percent of respondents said their sales were "even" with last year and another 24 percent indicated their sales were "slightly ahead." Another 19 percent said sales were slightly below last year. You can find a complete report at www.tackntogs.com.

Competition from online retailers was a common theme expressed by those polled who said their business was way up or way down. Several merchants with above average sales said their Web site was responsible for the higher numbers, in one case as much as 40 percent of this season’s sales coming from online customers.

Conversely, retailers on the other end of the spectrum said they were being hurt most by traditional brick-and-mortar shoppers migrating to online shopping sources.

The short lesson seems to be that if retailers want their holiday shopping seasons to continue to be profitable, they're going to have to step up the pace to the point where consumers MUST come to their shop or get on board with an online presence.

It's not so odd that this should be happening in the equine trade industry. It's happening everywhere else. Online retail sales from Nov. 1 through Dec. 15 were up 25 percent over last year, according to Internet marketing research firm ComScore Networks. The firm estimates that Wednesday, Dec. 12, was the busiest online shopping day of the year. Nearly $670 million in sales was recorded, topping last year's highest sales day be more than $100 million.

Mid-December is popular for online shopping because that's generally when guarantees of delivery by Christmas begin to expire. Not only are there considerably more online shoppers each year, but the repeat-shoppers are spending more each year.

It doesn't appear to be trend that's going to be stopped anytime soon. The ease and convenience appear to be outweighing the touch-and-feel experience of shopping during the holiday season.

It's a fact of life retailers everywhere are going to have to face head-on. Online competition is probably as significant in retail today as bar codes were 25 years ago.

Time to take up arms.

The Final Push

2006-12-18T07:48:00.000-08:00

This week marks the final push into the holiday shopping period for retailers. For the last few years, the equine trade industry has had to rely on statistics for retailers a whole to determine success.

This year, Tack 'n Togs Magazine decided the equine trade industry should have a shopping survey of its own. The returns are still coming in, but we expect to announce the results on Tuesday. It will be an eye-opener for some, an "I told you so" for others and just plain misery for a few.

The national statistics have been all over the board this year. That makes finding trends that much more difficult. Perhaps the trend this year is that there is no trend.

We asked a number of retailers to share their individual experiences with us, and that has been helpful in making sense of the statistics.

The other thing to keep in mind is the survey was completed with a full week of shopping remaining. American consumers are known for their proscratination as much as anything else. The final week can make all the difference between a lackluster sales period and stellar one.

Another interesting survey would be to ask equine consumers how many of them have completed their Christmas shopping. I'm willing to bet from the wide circle of friends I have who are involved with horses, the numbers is very small. It seems like putting things off is part of the genetic makeup of horse owners!!!

We'll talk more about the survey and the indentifiable trends here tomorrow. We'll also post information on our Web site www.tackntogs.com.

Fear of Flying

2006-12-13T07:31:00.000-08:00

All this talk this week about consolidation in the airline industry has left me thinking about what's a head for those of us who fly regularly as part of our work in the equine industry. Many of us attend trade shows and conferences regularly, usually availing ourselves of airplanes to do so.

Some of us are old enough (and have good enough memories) to remember when airline deregulation was the big issue. We were told this plan was good for everyone -- the airlines, passengers, airports, etc. Turns out it probably never was the ultimate solution, and there are those who would question whether it ever worked at all.

So here we are poised once again on the edge of big changes. With big airlines gobbling up bigger airlines, there will be fewer flights and if the law of supply and demand holds, higher prices.

What impact will that have on trade shows in our industry? It could be just enough to deter those folks who watch their pennies very carefully from attending. Any other activity in our industry that requires folks to get in an airplane could also be impacted.

Mergers and acquisitions probably isn't the worst case scenario where airlines are concerned. Bankruptcy hold more potential for disaster for most of the flying public. Clearly not all of the airlines operating today are not going to make it in the final analysis, so now the question becomes how do you pick the winners.

One other random thought on this topic: Some people will be jumping for joy when higher prices hit the airline industry. Certainly the airlines, who will be accorded the opportunity to operate profitably will be one. The people who believe planes have become the "subways of the air" will also be happy. For them, higher prices means more quality passengers (read: richer) on the planes, meaning your average flight will look more like a corporate boardroom than the inside of a bus traveling through India.

Rodeo Roots

2006-12-11T13:13:00.000-08:00

I didn't get a chance to make the trip to the Wrangler NFR this year in Las Vegas so I've been catching up online for the past few days. The Las Vegas Review-Journal has an excellent set of photos from each day of competition on its Web site www.reviewjournal.com. I also came across this piece. Thought you might enjoy it.

Character pervades the Nationals Finals Rodeo from the contestants to the fans

Records seem to be set each year when the 10-day rodeo takes over the Thomas & Mack Center, and not all of them on the arena's fabled 22-year-old dirt.

Whether it's folks holding open doors for others or saying "sir," "ma'am," "excuse me," "thank you," and "please," the rodeo community surely breaks the mark for courteous acts performed at a sporting event.

The rodeo might be the only place in society where manners and courtesy still are handed down through generations.

"There's no comparison because all the rodeo people are polite. They're one of a kind," said Mary Wilmore, a dealer at the Mirage and a veteran of working events at UNLV, including the NFR.

Wilmore also noted their behavior during the national anthem.

"There's no movement going on, and there's not a hat on a head," she said. "What other event do you see on TV or in person that every person takes their hat off?

"And you'd never know that a lot of them are well off (financially) because they don't show it by the way they act."

And some of those britches have plenty of jingle in the pockets.

-- By Jeff Wolf, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Can it be time already?

2006-12-11T07:28:00.000-08:00

Last week, I received my badge and official booklet from the folks at the WESA Denver Market in January. My how time flies. It seems like just yesterday we were gathering for the Denver Market and here it is, time to go again.

It is without doubt our busiest time of year as we try to jam as much work and fun into five days as humanly possible. The market is a great place not only for retailers to shop, but for the industry to gather. Many times companies use this market as a platform for launching new products, new faces and even new directions.

I remember fondly my first Denver Market in January five years ago. Like everyone else who walks into the Denver Merchandise Mart for the first time, it took me the first day to close my mouth! The mass of vendors and buyers is huge, the noise level can be deafening and the hustle and bustle leaves you exhausted.

By the second year, I was an old hand. Each market, the faces become more familiar, which makes my work of covering the event and industry easier. It also presents challenges because I find myself stopping to chat with nearly everyone I meet. Sometimes a full day of "agenda items" go undone because of the crush of conversations.

I never consider it wasted time, though. There's no better way to take the pulse of the equine trade industry than to attend the Denver Market in January and speak with absolutely everyone you bump into.

Denver is only the first stop in the campaign, as those of us veteran trade-show-goers know. But Denver is the first and the largest, so it holds a special place for most of us.

See you in Denver!

A Word on Our Behalf

2006-12-01T06:40:00.000-08:00

Today, permit me to brag a little. I don't do it often and I promise I won't make a habit of it.

Tack 'n Togs received a favorable mention in the Canadian Equestrian Equipment and Apparel Association Newsletter this month. I will share the details verbatim from the publication here:

Today, Nov. 28th, I was the recipient of some of the best service I have seen in our industry. While looking up an address in my Tack 'n Togs Buyers Guide, I noticed that I was not up to date. I emailed them to ask if one could be sent to me. I got an answer from Paul Wahl, the editor, within the hour. This was on the 27th. It arrived today, the 28th. That is fantastic service. Those of you that do not get this free publication nick named throughout the industry as the retailer’s bible, can go to: www.tackntogs.com to request your free subscription.
-- Lloyd Wiebe, Editor CEEAA Chatter

Thanks for the kind words, Lloyd. I should also mention that if you don't get the CEEAA Chatter Newsletter, you can contact them at ceeaamarket@hotmail.com. I'm not sure what the qualifications are for receiving it, but in addition to news of the Association, it always has many good tips for retailers and manufacturers in the equine trade industry.

We do take customers service seriously here at Tack 'n Togs. It would be rather hypocritical of us to preach it to manufacturers and retailers and then not practice it ourselves. Are we 100 percent spot on all the time? Probably not, but do our best to make sure that everyone who contacts us receives a timely response.

We're always happy to provide answers to questions. Sometimes we know the answer right off, sometimes it takes a bit of research. Sometimes the question doesn't have an answer, as in this one: How large (in millions of dollars) is the equine trade industry? I'm asked that question at least three times a week.

I used to hazard a guess, but after a couple run-ins with people who disagreed with my number and were able to present rather convincing evidence, I've retreated to simply saying "there's no way of knowing."

If we can ever be of service to any of you who read this blog regularly, don't hesitate to ask. I do respond to email pwahl@tackntogs.com.

Go or Stay Home?

2006-11-30T06:52:00.000-08:00

Rita and Jack Mendel of Carousel Tack Shopper in Birmingham, Alabama, sent me the following letter. I thought I'd share it with you and then ask others to chime in on their thoughts.

LET'S NOT GO! Retailers, Dare To Stand Up and Say 'Enough!'

Three, four, five markets twice a year. We can't do it. We can't afford it. We can't get enough done to justify the expense. Let the exhibitors put on the multitude of shows in January and February. If we don't attend, maybe they will re-think the time and financial burden they are asking us to bear.

Maybe they will get together and have ONE big show in January and ONE big show in August. Maybe they will chose a place that is reasonable cost-wise with a concentration of hotels near the exhibit halls.

Maybe they will choose a place that is convenient to fly in and out of, for example, Dallas-Fort Worth. Wouldn't it be nice to take a nonstop flight to market in January, no worry about blizzards, and not blow all that money on over-priced hotel rooms.

There is your opportunity to show your strength. The vendors would also greatly benefit. They would only have to set up twice a year, and they would know they will see all the retailers.

Okay, I'll go first. It's very easy to understand the frustration retailers in our industry are experiencing. Up until very recently, their input and thoughts when it came to trade shows were largely ignored. Everyone had the idea that when it comes to trade shows, if you build it, the retailers will come.

Some retailers can afford to stay home from trade shows, others can't. If you're on the main trail within the territory of good sales reps, you are indeed blessed. For those who are off the beaten track, trade shows are often the only way to see the products our industry has to offer.

Even if you are visited regularly by a gaggle of sales reps, you still can learn a lot and get a better feel for what direction your retail business should be heading by attending a trade show. Besides the obvious buying that goes on, there's a great deal of exchanging of information that energizes you for the months ahead.

It appears fairly obvious that one "really big show" other than WESA-Denver probably isn't ever going to happen. So do your homework, figure out which of the markets has the vendors you most need to see and go there.

Finally, I've attended one trade show in my career in this industry where I thought the hotel rates were out of line. The rest are generally excellent values, rates negotiated by the market organizers, who do a great job. Just one example: I stayed at an amazing four-star hotel in Baltimore last fall for almost a fourth of the rack rate. Now that is a bargain!

And now let's hear from you.

The Message is Getting Through

2006-11-29T07:22:00.000-08:00

Some of us have been talking for a very long time about the equine industry's need to get young people involved. I remember bringing the subject up at a Western-English Trade Association board meeting three years ago and basically being told "it wasn't a priority."

Fast-forward to today, WETA is on board with a major marketing initiative, one of the primary goals of which is getting young people (and oldsters, too!) involved in riding.

This morning, I learned that the United States Equestrian Federation has established its first-ever Yough Council. In addition to developing new programs aimed at youth, the council will provide leadership, promote excellence in riding and strive to be the best.

The groups who have most recently caught the vision are joining a couple flagship organizations that have been bringing youngsters into the equestrian fold for years. Those include Little Britches Rodeo, National High School Rodeo Association, Pony Club and others.

Who are going to be the customers of the future who will buy the saddles, boots, chaps and headware manufacturers will create? These young people who are just now getting their start in equestrian pursuits.

Traditionally, riding and horse activities have had a rather odd sense of entitlement, if you will. If you were "born" into it or "grew up" with it, you were in. If you didn't, you had to break the door down and actually fight to get in.

Hopefully, that's changing. Almost every other sport in the world welcomes new participants with open arms and doesn't make fun of them if they don't knew every rule and concept of the sport the first day. With riding, the tendancy is to make fun of new riders, rather than welcome them and help them succeed.

If you know of other groups and organizations out there doing their part to bring new people into the equine fold, let us know. We'd like to compile a list and find a way to recognize these organizations.

The Race is On

2006-11-28T08:32:00.000-08:00

If you're reading this, I presume you survived the Thanksgiving holiday, Black Friday, and whatever else has been thrown your way in the past week. For retailers, the race is on, with a crush of customers, longer hours, mayhem and the occasional crisis sure to be part of life in the next four or five weeks.

It's been difficult to determine where retail sales are headed from the reports coming out the past few days. Some retailers are way up, some are way down. No one seems to know what has made the difference.

One thing that's apparently way up is the ridiculous behavior of the buying public. Camping in line for 24 hours to purchase a toy seems over the top to me, but then having to get into a fistfight in the store adds insult to injury.

Funny how people who can't seem to find their way to work on time can appear like clockwork at the door of a store opening at 4 a.m. I was also surprised to find out what the entire X-box line of products costs. Obviously, consumers aren't afraid to spend some money this year.

My dream is that one day crowds of people will camp outside an equine trade retailer and stampede into the store to buy the newest saddle on the market. Now wouldn't that be a treat!

We will be surveying retailers in our industry several times between now and Christmas to see how sales are going. We'll share those results here.

We Need Numbers

2006-11-21T07:54:00.000-08:00

I've had four calls in two days now requesting hard and fast numbers on the equine trade industry. Well, the short answer is that they simply don't exist.

Look at the structure of our industry. We're a mixture of small and large companies, most privately held, most do not report their sales numbers to anyone (except the IRS, we hope!).

Two of the callers I spoke with her attempting to valuate businesses, one a retailer and one a distributor, for possible sale. Both didn't believe me that the numbers weren't readily available. One wanted to know specifically about the size of the Western accessories (belts, wallets, etc.) sector of the industry. "Surely there's someone they report their sales numbers too," he whined.

No. There isn't.

Two more were working with brokerage-type firms attempting to gather information for a perspectus for going public. We've seen a steep rise in these type of inquiries. Apparently, the initial public offering from Dover has planted the seed in the minds of others in the industry.

The sense you get when you work with the people asking for these figures is that they're not sure they want to be involved in an industry that doesn't have a clue how big it is or how much clout it has. I know of one situation that played out a couple weeks ago in which a small company that had a great opportunity to sell to a larger company to the benefit of both went sour over the statistical information issue.

I tried my best to mediate, but neither party was satisfied with the answers so the deal was called off. What message does that send to people who own manufacturing businesses and retail operations in our industry?

Why is it that almost every other industry -- even ones with the same collection of small- to mid-size companies -- has sales statistics and we don't? What is it going to take to change that? Can we hope to see anything that will help make our industry grow without the statistics that business professionals need?

It's time for our industry to grow up.

Putting Christmas back into Christmas

2006-11-13T08:52:00.000-08:00

If it accomplishes nothing else, Wal-Mart's decision to drop "Happy Holidays" and go back to "Merry Christmas" has certainly won them the lion's share of media attention. Undoubtedly, you've already read or heard somewhere about this decision and what's behind it.

Wal-Mart is all about selling products, and if people are going to stay away from their store because they refuse to say "Merry Christmas," you can bet they'll be saying it. Other retailers, like Best Buy, continue to try to please everyone in their own way. They'll keep "Happy Holidays," at least for now.

The bulk of retailers in the equine trade industry are Christian and celebrate Christmas. Among those who aren't, I've never had anyone tell me they were offended by the word "Christmas."

We live in a large metropolitan area of the country. We play host to just about every ethnic group out there. Many of them celebrate their own particular holidays. We've never been offended when a retailer uses the name of one of those holidays in their advertising. In fact, as much as we can, we enjoy participating in the celebrations of those other cultures just as we would hope they would enjoy participating in a Christmas celebration.

To me, that would be like someone who competes in dressage being offended by National Day of the Cowboy. If someone would like to create National Day of the Dressage Rider, that would be great!

It boils down to this: Celebrate Christmas or don't celebrate Christmas, but let those who do enjoy their holiday. If people who celebrate Christmas turn around and tell other religious groups it's not appropriate for them to celebrate their holidays, that's wrong. Our country is big enough to handle all sorts of traditions.

Actually, I think the entire question is more of a media creation than an actual bone of contention between ethnic groups in the United States. We'll see what the the change in policy at Wal-Mart does for their holiday ... ooops, "Christmas" sales.

The Heart of the Matter

2006-11-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

Horse people often talk about a horse's heart. Usually, they don't mean the melon-sized blood pump that sits inside his body. It's more often a reference to the ability to come through in a tough situation and triumph with great effort.

Yet, what allows a horse to overcome and triumph is, in many instances, the organ itself. Horses have amazing hearts, according to information supplied by the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

Much like the human heart, a horse heart has a lot of work to do. With each beat, blood is pumped throughout an intricate system pf arteries and veins. Horses are often called upon to tax their cardiovascular systems to the limit, yet you almost never hear about an equine cardiac arrest.

In fact, almost all of the diseases of the heart common to mankind are seldom found in horses. We could learn a lot from horses when it comes to protecting our own blood pumping system.

For instance, horses exercise regularly. They have a strong play drive that keeps them active. They're social and that interaction also keeps them moving.

They eat very little (if any!) fatty red meat, pork or most other cuts of meat. Animal fat is the enemy of both the equine and human heart.

Horses don't drink alcohol. Horses do not smoke tobacco.

If you'd like to have the heart of a horse, these fact might become your primary considerations. How much heart do you have?

The Challenge of Immediacy

2006-11-09T07:16:00.000-08:00

Some of you reading this are old enough to remember a time in the equine trade industry when a saddle company might have the same saddle as it's prize product several consecutive years. Boot-makers made boots and we all bought what they made and the retailers sold.

Those days are long gone. Even the relatively staid English sector of our business is seeing an explosion of products with amazing new technologies and flashy colors.

Part and parcel with those changes has been the need for better communication within the industry. If something important to retailers and manufacturers happens today, there's no need for them to hear it on the grapevine or wait 30, 60 or even 90 days to get the news.

This point hit home with me in a big way recently when I received an every-other-month magazine with a story regarding the retail outlook for the holiday season. The headline began with "Despite High Gas ... Prices ..." Obviously, when the story and headline were written, with gas at $3 or thereabout a gallon, it was accurate.

But in what we call the lead time -- the time from when a published piece is finalized and it appears on the street -- things obviously changed quite a bit. Of course, there are those who argue that the $2 a gallon we now pay is still high and unacceptable. However, there was almost no one in the equine industry retail world who ever believed high gas prices would impact business.

We talked to a hundred or more retailers on that topic and couldn't find one who said gas prices were going to be a factor. Now for Wal-Mart, it's a huge factor because most of their shoppers are on the lower end of the economic scale and for them it boils down to a choice between eating and driving to the store.

For consumers in the equine industry, who have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in horses, trailers and various pieces of tack and equipment, whether gas is $2, $3 or $5 a gallon, it's not going to keep them home worrying about whether they can afford gas.

The world is moving at an incredible pace today and keeping up with it is a challenge. Technology is a big help and is the latest and greatest ways of communicating are becoming even more important tools.

Will PBR go the way of NASCAR?

2006-11-08T07:08:00.000-08:00

For the past couple years, people have been referring to the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) as the next NASCAR. The comparison has to do with the meteoric growth of both entities. PBR has exploded in popularity and draws an amazing amount of sponsorship from the equine trade industry.

If you buy into PBR and the similarities to NASCAR, PBR may be in for some rocky times ahead. Ray McNulty of Scripps Howard News Service recently wrote a column detailing what appears to be the beginning of the fall of NASCAR.

McNulty postulates that NASCAR has "raced" away from its core constituency. It's lost its rural "Dixie" roots and has instead concentrated on making money. He says the drivers have become less colorful and approachable. NASCAR, he contends, has become more entertainment than sports.

PBR seems to have avoided most of the pitfalls McNulty believes NASCAR has experienced, at least to this point.

The amount of money the top bull riders earn is extreme, but after all, this is an "extreme" sport. PBR does a good job of getting out into the heart of America.

As to being more entertainment than sport, you could probably make a good argument that almost any pro sport is more entertainment than sport. PBR does have its fireworks to celebrate 90-plus rides and uses a rather elaborate opening ceremony, but both seem to be nice added touches, rather than an overbearing showiness.

Then there's Flint Rasmussen. Unquestionably, he is entertainment for the PBR, and he just happens to be the best in the world at what he does. If you've ever attended a PBR event and had the chance to witness Flint in action, you know how hard you can laugh at someone dressed in Enterprise Rental Car green and white! He's become as much a part of PBR as bulls, dirt and trips to the pay window.

Hopefully, what's happening to NASCAR will be additional impetus to PBR to assure it sticks to its roots and continues to be a forum to bring a sector of our industry to the country and the world.

Wondering about Retail

2006-11-07T06:50:00.000-08:00

On occasion, someone in our industry will fill my ear about how awful retailers are in the equine trade industry. They're behind the times. They don't take well to change. They aren't professional enough.

I always listen politely and then give them names and addresses of retailers in our industry who do it right and encourage them to go and visit.

When you interface with retailers in other industries, you tend to get a better appreciation of equine industry retailers.

Take, for instance, the embroidery retailers. As the trade show season approaches, I realized that because of the age of my existing Tack 'n Togs logo shirts and having lost 20 pounds in the past six months, I was in need of several new shirts.

An industry source provided me with some beautiful shirts tailor-made for embroidering a logo on. So armed with a digitized version of our logo, I set out to find a store that could perform this service.

I thought I had seen a couple such shops near where I live so I headed out to look for them. Either I was drinking heavily when I saw those stores or they vanished into mid-air. I turned to the Yellow Pages. Several stores were listed.

Since embroidery projects aren't the kind of thing you can neogitate over the phone, I headed out to find the three locations listed. The first one no longer existed. The second one no longer existed. The third one was closed. At 5 p.m. Actually it closed at 4 p.m.!

My next step was an online Yellow Pages-type listing. I found three more there, but none of them were businesses, as such, they were located in homes in residential areas of our community. I'm not a huge fan of having to traipse through someone's living room to conduct business. It just doesn't seem professional.

Finally, in desperation, I decided to call a couple of the retailers listed online, the ones located in homes. It wasn't a good experience. The first "store" acted as though they'd never heard of having a logo shirt embroidered. No matter where I took the conversation, it always got back to "now what is it again you're wanting to have done?" Yeesh!

The second retailer informed in a completely monotone voice that I'd have to come to her location between 1 and 3 p.m. on a Tuesday or a Friday or she wasn't interested in doing business with me.

Now granted, two shirts isn't an order that I would expect someone to move heaven and earth to fill, but over a period of a couple years, we tend to go through a lot of shirts. This is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.

Long story short (oops too late for that!) my shirts are sitting here in my office with the logo on a CD. I've got money to spend. I need this service and I need it now ... and no one will take my money.

Hopefully, no consumer goes through anything remotely like this experience with equine retailers. Just thinking, there are probably a few equine retailers who have embroidery equipment. If you'd like some business, contact me!

Three Cheers for Us Old Guys!

2006-11-06T08:35:00.000-08:00

A tip of the hat today to Adriano Moraes who won his third PBR world title on Sunday night in Las Vegas. He collected a cool $1.34 million, sufficient money to treat his ailing back, one would think.

Adriano, for those who don't follow the PBR regularly, is also the grandpa of the PBR at age 36. Saturday night, a lot of people (including Ty Murray) were ready to count Adriano out of the running. But he battled back and made all of us who are a bit long in the tooth proud.

This past year, a number of young bucks have appeared on the scene of the PBR, including the likes of Kody Lostroh and L.J. Jenkins, the youngest t 19 to every participate in PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals. No doubt, you bounce higher and heal quicker when you're 19 than when you're 36. But there's also that intangible experience brings, mental toughness. In other words, you 19-year-olds may be able to outride us oldsters, but we've got better developed brain matter.

Adriano's win is a shot in the arm for anyone who's ever been told the young turks are going to rule the world and you seniors are going to have to step aside and let them.

It was also good to see that grown men still do cry, even on national television. Guilherme Marchi finished second to Adriano and retired to the locker room to have a good cry. I think all of us have felt like that at one time or another. However, Marchi walked away with $295,000 or so in winnings. I think that would have sufficient dried my tears. Guilherme will be back next year with another good shot at winning the entire pot.

What on earth happened to Chris Shivers? The former PBR world titleholder was flying off bulls like salt shakers off a whirling Lazy Susan. It has to be frustrating to be in a slump like that. I particularly liked the scene in which the cameras followed Shivers back into the bowel of the arena. He found a poor helpless stock trailer and proceeded to take out his frustrations on it. Yep, there are days like that.

The PBR goes into hibernation for a few weeks and then comes back with the new season, kicking off in Hawaii. It's still the fastest growing sport in the United States and is rapidly catching on in a ton of foreign countries, as well.

Especially Brazil.

Election Fatigue

2006-11-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

Are you going to be as relieved as I will be when the never-ending cycle of negative political advertising on television ends? I've never been more thankful for PBS in my life. It's about the only place you can go to get away from the assault.

Think of the billions of dollars that are spent on advertising in this manner. And then think of all the great things any number of groups within the equine industry could do with even a tenth of one percent of the money.

Take the Western-English Trade Association Marketing Initiative. The immediate need is for about $60,000. I'd guess thee are candidates who are spending that for each MINUTE of negative advertising. Plus, the marketing initiative is something very positive. It's a way of broadening the outreach to help retailers and manufacturers grow their companies.

Could you image how much additional program an organization like National High School Rodeo Association could do with their portion of the tenth of one percent? Or how about Pony Club? 4-H?

These programs are making an impact for the long-term for the equine industry. Yet the money is plowed into telling us what a lying scum-sucking dog one political candidate or another is.

Personally, I can't bring myself to vote for any politician who engages in this type of campaigning ... which means my ballot will be mostly blank this election!

My second great misgiving about all the hoopla over the election is this: does it really matter who is elected, who runs the United States House of Representatives or the United State Senate (collectively known as Congress)? Can you as a small business person say with certainty that you've done better under Democrat control or Republican control?

Or has it really come down to a choice between the lesser of two evils? And just exactly how did we end up in this situation?

One of these years, I'd like to see some key people in the equine industry run for public office. I can't imagine a group of people I'd rather see run the country. Oh, it would be a little bit wild at times, since equine people all have different opinions on any given topic. But they also have a good grasp of what it takes to be successful. Plus, they're not afraid of hard work. I think if every elected official were required to spend a week on a horse ranch in Texas or Colorado, they'd have a far better grasp of reality for the remainder of their term.

Or, require them to spend a week working with one of the retailers in our industry. Talk about an education in the real world! It would give them insights they could not gain in any other way.

For the 25 years I spent in the newspaper business, I used to write a rousing editorial every election day reminding people of their patriotic duty to get out and vote. Don't complain about your government if you don't vote ... the entire spiel was quite a production number.

Perhaps I've become jaded -- or perhaps it's just realism setting in -- but today I am less likely to preach that voting is the way to impact change. Today, I'm not sure that anything short of storming the Bastille is going to be the way to force change!

One positive about election day though, the negative campaign advertisements will stop. For a few months anyway and then we're back into another national election cycle.

Trade Show Cities

2006-10-26T08:05:00.000-07:00

Let's take a look at the city's that will host three of the four East Coast trade show this coming January. Having just returned from Richmond, and the city being freshest in my mind, I'll start with it.

The best way to describe Richmond, Va., is it's a very large small town. It has a personable feeling that most metropolitan areas don't, a good blend of old and new. From my observation, it is a very progressive community. Everywhere you cast your eye, something is being built, remodeled or improved. If you think the economy is doing poorly, you'd have a hard time proving it in Richmond.

The other key to the community's success is its open arms welcome for events such as the Expo. After speaking with a number of the city's leaders charged with attracting conventions and similar events, their can-do attitude is obvious. I can't remember who it was who commented to me some months back about putting a trade show in a smaller metropolitan area where the show would be courted, wooed and welcomed.

Richmond also gets high marks for friendliness. I didn't met one surley Gus in the three days I spent there. Even the drivers were patient with me while I occasionally lingered at an intersection trying to determine my next move. Maybe they just knew instinctively I was from Minnesota and needed to be indulged!

Is Richmond a perfect city? Nope. No city is perfect. Richmond has some warts, it has some areas that aren't too shiny but overall you don't get any sense of impending doom in and around the environs of the convention center. The downtown area does have an odd mix of one-way and two-way streets, driving lanes that disappear without warning and similar intermodal challenges you'd expect to find in an old Southern city.

The city has an amazing array of restaurants and attractions, including several pages of Civil War landmarks. Virginia's state capitol is located in the downtown area, as are a good number of hotels in a variety of price ranges. Access from the airport to downtown is simple and direct. The airport facility is fairly compact and easily navigated.

Atlantic City, as most of you know, is the "lame duck" city of the East Coast trade shows. The February Stanley Atlantic City show will be the last in the gambling Mecca, with the next Stanley market planned in Edison, N.J.

Atlantic City has its own brand of beauty, especially at night. The last time I stayed there, I was in a hotel out in Absecon. My room had an ocean view and the nearly perfect weather at the time made me want to stand and gaze out to sea endlessly. If you're into slot machines, poker and pull tabs, Atlantic City is definitely the place for you.

Hotels and restaurants are plentiful in Atlantic City, with a wide variety offered on both accounts. If you're one of those who thinks spending $100 on a meal is a good thing, there are plenty of restaurants that will accommodate your tastes. If you are into adventure and don't really cotton to roller coasters, jump in a cab. You'll appreciate life a lot more when you get to your destination!

The Atlantic City Convention Center is among the nicest trade show venues imaginable. It is bright and clean, spacious and inviting.

Of course, nearly everyone admits by this point that Atlantic City has just a few more negatives than positives, hence the decision to move the Stanley market elsewhere. A lot of people complain about the cost of hotel rooms, but if you book within the trade show blocks set up at many of the major hotels, the rates are actually fairly attractive. If you don't, you will end up paying $200 and up for a night in a very plain hotel room.

Overall, all of the trade show organizers in the mix have done an excellent job of negotiating attractive block rates, at least from the perspective of someone who travels a great deal and knows the relative value of a hotel room.

Perhaps the biggest adjustment for most people in our industry who attend the Atlantic City Market is the brusque nature of the people there, particularly those in the service industry. ll of us are so driven to provide good customer service that when we are treated poorly as a customer, it can be a bummer. Honestly, sometimes I think hotel front desk people and restaurant serves in places like Atlantic City think they're supposed to be rude, like it's part of the atmosphere and people expect it. I've had that opinion about Las Vegas for years!

So don't take it personally if you run into a goober while you're there.

For most of us who live above the Mason-Dixon line, if someone says "winter getaway," we automatically think of Orlando. Airlines that serve the northern tier of the United States add hundreds of extra flights each winter to accommodate those seeking solace from snow and wind.
The climate in Orlando in the dead of winter has to be its biggest draw, along with the wide array of things to do while you're there -- especially the Hopper Expositions trade show, of course!

The show is at the Orange County Convention Center in the downtown area of Orlando, about seven miles of the Disney developments. It's a great facilit with lots of plusss. If you take your family and they're not involved in the trade show, they can catch a shuttle from almost any hotel in the area to just about anything the city has to offer in the way of attractions.

Orlando is a city that knows how to treat visitors. It has a convenient airport, close enough to the heart of things that the trip to your hotel isn't an ordeal. The airport is stretched out over a considerable amount of real estate, so when you're planning your return, allow for extra time. I believe I read recently that the airport is now smoke-free. The last time I was there, it was still open territory for smokers and for someone who's particularly impacted by second-hand smoke, it wasn't a lot of fun.

The listing of hotel rooms in Orlando goes on for hundreds of pages, with everything to offer from Disney's finest resorts to Motel 6. The array of hotels with blocks for the trade show is great, as is their location in the vicinity of the trade show venue.

Orlando is probably one of the cheapest cities in the world in which to rent a car, another plus for bringing along the entire family and make a week of it. If your family's idea of a good time isn't the noise and confusion of Universal or Disney, windswept beaches are also with easy driving distance. The mix of elderly residents and lost tourists makes driving in Orlando an adventure, but the city is generally very well signed and easy to navigate.

Bring your lotion and sunglasses and get plan to get your feet wet.

More Reporting from Richmond

2006-10-26T07:50:00.000-07:00

Those of you who have been around the equine trade industry for more than a decade remember a time when trade shows served a function other than pairing retailers with vendors. The social and educational aspects of the industry's trade shows were vital reasons why many of those who attended packed their bags and flew off to far-flung corners of the country.

Remember the Western-English Retailers Association and their educational seminars? That organization built its base on the back of those presentations. The idea seemed to have died with WERA, but many trade show organizers have offered educational programming since.

Jim Herbert is betting that polishing the idea a bit and relaunching it with a vengence might be the key to bringing back the glory days of equine industry trade shows.

Jim and his company are partnering with the American Equestrian Trade Association to produce the American Equestrian Tack and Apparel Expo in Richmond. Jim is using his own financial resources to make the show happen and has pledged 30 percent of the net profits to AETA. With that in mind, there's no doubt that attracting vendors -- companies who buy booths -- is constantly on his mind.

Beyond that, however, quite a little bit of thought is going into what exactly it is "in a perfect world" that would spring retailers out of their recliners and into the Greater Richmond Convention Center come January.

Programs to recognize excellence among retailers and innovation among vendors are planned. He's tapped Virginia Commonwealth University to provide merchandising and business management seminars and to produce the expo's fashion show. The educational effort is being coupled with a variety of receptions and additional social functions. He's attempting to build a better mousetrap. Judging from the update given earlier this week, the strategy appears to be gaining acceptance.

Of course, it takes affordable hotel rooms, the restaurants, the venue, the sense of safety, the vendors and everything else expected of a trade show these days, to make a market a success. If you go back and look at the survey AETA conducted some months back, all those other things were higher on the list of "musts" for retailers than educational opportunities. One thing is clear ... the expo will present a unique lineup of activities and events.

Reporting from Richmond

2006-10-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

I spent the first three days of this week in Richmond, Va., site of one of the newest trade shows in the equine trade industry this coming January. Tuesday, I attended a town hall meeting with the coordinator of the American Equestrian Trade Association (AETA) trade show Jim Herbert and about 25 vendors and retailers at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

I will be sharing more of what I learned over the next few days in this blog and as always, you're invited to provide feedback. Before I go any further, a small disclaimer. Over the past five years I've been active in the equine trade industry, I've given liberally of my advice, counsel and opinions to anyone who asked (and occasionally to those who didn't ask!!). We have not taken sides on the trade show issues, but continue to look for ways to be an observer of what's happening on behalf of the entire industry.

This was my first opportunity to meet Jim Herbert. He's been around the trade show world for a very long time in a variety of setting. Jim and his company are fronting the AETA trade show ... it's all his money, no other big industry investors at this point. His commitment is to give 30 percent of the trade show's profits to AETA to begin the process of providing services to the equine trade industry.

What's being planned for Richmond this coming winter is a combination of a carnival, an industry conference and a trade show all rolled into one. A wide variety of education programs are planned and will be offered on the trade show floor. There will also be the social events and, of course buyers and sellers.

As of this morning, the trade show has more than 60 exhibitors, and more than 340 booths contracted.

The town hall meeting on Tuesday was followed by a tour of the convention center. It is a nice facility, very functional with a lot to offer. Richmond is a nice community with great hotels and friendly people.

One of the most burning questions that has been asked in the last few months is this: Why did AETA start a trade show when the majority of the people attending a town hall meeting in August strongly suggested the association league with one of the existing trade show producers?

I still am trying to get a satisfactory answer to that question, but here are some insights. The 200 or so people at that meeting were almost unanimous in their support of starting an association that would provide a wide variety of benefits to the equine trade industry. However, performing those functions costs money. Believe me, I know. I've been involved with the Western-English Trade Association for several years now and finances are always the bugaboo.

In order to finance the association, a source of revenue was needed and since someone was available and willing to participate in that venture, it made sense to the AETA organizers to go in that direction. Jim Herbert also pointed out to me that the 200 people at that meeting in Atlantic City were not the majority of the 14,000 or so vendors and retailers in the equine trade industry. Most of them were at home, many of them because there had become turned off to trade shows entirely.

Clearly, not everything AETA has done since it was founded last March has been well-planned or thought out thoroughly. Anyone looking for reasons to criticize the organization is going to find them. The same can probably be said for just about any entity in our industry.

AETA has its critics. Terry Mercer has been one of them. If you'd like to hear what he has to say on the subject, click here http://www.tackstoreinfo.com/aeta_letter.html.

What benefits the industry most at this period in time is getting the word out about all of trade shows available to retailers and vendors and what they have to offer. That's a healthy exchange of ideas. This is a political season in our country. What's your response when you see one of those starkly negative political advertisements on television? If you're like me, you rush for the remote and change the channel or turn off the television completely.

Do you wonder whether anyone ever debates candidates on their merits any longer?

Who's Riding in China?

2006-10-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

Did it strike anyone besides me as odd that Wal-Mart may soon be the largest retailer in China? It has to make economic sense for them. So many of their products are made there. If they can cut out the shipping costs, their profits ought to soar!

This development holds a great deal of interest for the equine trade industry. China is undergoing a consumerism revolution with the average income rising sufficiently to allow the average inhabitant to purchase things reserved predominantly for shelves in the United States.

So somewhere in all this, there has to be a rising class of people who would love to get into horseback riding. Can you imagine how many Western saddles, pads, bridles, halters and the like could be sold in a country the size of China? It's probably the great growth market for equine manufacturers every conceived.

I read recently that many Chinese universities are requiring their students to take golf lessons, since so many international business deals are made on golf courses. Maybe with some encouragement they could make riding lessons mandatory.

It's really not that odd of a concept. Look at Russia. There's an emerging class of equestrians there. There's even a large equine trade show in Russia now that has drawn interest from many other countries around the world. The United States has been slow to see the benefits.

Take Brazil. Here's another golden opportunity for manufacturers of equine products to expand their markets. Rodeo in Brazil is bigger than it is in the United States. All across Europe and the UK, Western riding is taking hold. Some manufacturers have staked out territory there, but there is room for many more.

It takes vision. Imagine the first person who watched a chicken lay an egg and saying, "someday people everywhere will be eating those." Surely, many of his peers got a good chortle out of the comment. Yet here we are today ... egg consumption is huge.

So when I ask "where are the horseback riders in China?" it may not be any more odd or strange. Who knows, 50 years from now, some of our equine products companies could be the leading supplier of saddles, blankets, headstalls or muck buckets in China.

Stranger things have happened.

It's All in the Packaging ... or is it?

2006-10-17T07:33:00.000-07:00

Have you heard about the guy in New York City who scours the city for garbage, carefully places it in a plastic cube and sells it for $50 a pop? You can check out his Web site www.nycgarbage.com if you don't believe me. Apparently, he's doing quite well.

So what lessons can equine retailers take away from this gentleman's experiences?

First, and obviously, if you know what you're doing, you can sell anything and succeed at it. Talk about your ultimate markups! Free supply of garbage and a buck or two for the cube.

Consider, perceived value is sometimes as important as actual value. How many of you have a brand name product in your store that outsells the exact same product hanging next to it, although the brand name product is more expensive? It happens all the time.

Something unique is always going to sell. Keeping the buzz alive, of course, is the challenge, whether you're selling battery operated sall rakes or cubes of garbage. Unique products generate word of mouth, which generates customers. How unique is your product line-up?

The Internet is a good place to sell those unique items. If you are operating a Web site and trying to sell the same stuff a couple thousand other vendors are offering, why not think outside of the box? One store in Iowa, for instance, specializes in larger-sized Western clothing on its site and does very well.

Perhaps the most valuable lesson ... do something that gets attention. People all over the world are talking about the guy selling garbage in a cube. Wouldn't you be delighted if the whole world were talking about you and your store?

Running the Race

2006-10-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

One of the things I stated at the outset of the recent spate of trade show wars was that it was hard to see the divisiveness amongst a group of people whom I consider to be colleagues, associates and in most cases friends. The rough and tumble of what has developed in some instances meant he who was quickest with the keyboard and email capability received the momentum. It's been interesting to watch it all play out.

This morning, my friend Morey Stein (and I call him "my friend" because he is just that) asked me if he could post the following on this blog and I was more than happy to oblige him. I think sometimes in all that has happened, we tend to forget that lives, careers and livelihoods are on the line. I'll have more to say about all this in a future blog. For now, here's what Morey has to say:

--------------------

The only constant is change, especially in the tumultuous world of business. After more than 11 years, Stanley Expositions remains ever more steadfast in its commitment to working with retailers and exhibitors to ensure the prosperity of the equestrian industry.

In March 2006 Hopper Expositions announced formation of their company. They outlined their market plans for the 2006 equestrian industry. In August 2006, Market Square’s Bob Goodrich announced plans to produce a 2007 Valley Forge show. In March 2006, Stanley Expositions readily provided complete and open access to its show facility and attendees in Atlantic City for the subsequent AETA board, providing a forum for all parties to express their opinions.

We also showcased the fledgling organization at our market party to promote member education and goodwill. Results were crystal clear: the vast majority of the industry voted NOT to implement any additional shows, expressing extensive disappointment and frustration with producers who have or were planning on more new shows.

On March 30 and 31, I held further discussions between Tom McGuiness, numerous retailers and Stanley. With the industry echoing calls throughout the summer for a more unified field, not more shows, Stanley contacted Hopper Expositions Sept. 14. We made attempts to partner together as individual companies to avoid any more divisiveness. We proposed co-production of future equine industry shows to bring all parties together.

We’ve always wanted to avoid unnecessary confusion and eliminate potential scheduling nightmares for entities attempting to cover multiply produced shows with conflicting timetables. Stanley spent much of 2006 spearheading such efforts to keep our industry together. Proposals and suggestions from Stanley to AETA and new independents were met with resounding negativity or ignored altogether.

Despite the challenges imposed on the industry, Stanley continues working to enhance the equestrian field reputation for helping each other in times of strife. As a family operation since 1989 we still dedicate every resource to producing the finest equestrian shows, bringing buyers and sellers together in an atmosphere of trust.

Passionate for the equestrian world, we’ve invested every asset for decades to grow our industry, nurture our relationships, serve our attendees, evolve with their needs and celebrate their successes. As all our businesses join together, we move the equestrian industry forward, preserve its integrity and virtually guarantee mutual success.

It is our faithful hope that amid this rocky era, historically unbiased media marketing partners will effectively work to support buyers and sellers with critical impartiality as retailer and exhibitors do what is best for the industry.

Morey Stein, President
CEOStanley Expositions & Conferences, Inc.

Pick One and Get Behind It

2006-10-13T06:32:00.000-07:00

A recent development in the discussion of trade shows in our industry has been the idea of loyalty. Not a new idea, mind you, but one that is enduring. Here's an example of someone who took the idea to heart, picked one and became proactive. It may inspire you to do the same.

After weeks of reading the barrage of emails that have been circulating about the four different East Coast tradeshows, I have come to the conclusion that most potential exhibitors fall into one of three groups. The non-exhibiting “waiting for the dust to settle” group, the “must do several shows or miss buyers” group or the “strong supporter of one tradeshow” group. I must confess that for the past year we, at CCI Brands, have been members of the “waiting for the dust to settle” group. With four shows to choose from we have been apathetic about making a final decision about 2007.

Jim Herbert, the organizer of the AETA Expo, held a small impromptu meeting in Richmond last week, so I decided to call several of the attendees. I called Carla Perri of Perri’s Leather to get her perspective as a potential exhibitor. She said, “I think the most important message I can send from my experience is that this is the first time I feel that we have an opportunity to control our own destiny in the industry. Jim is very open to our ideas, and if you are willing to take the time to get involved he is willing to listen to what you have to say. It doesn’t matter how big or small your company is, I truly feel that you can get involved and make a difference! Jim Herbert also has an extensive plan to cater to the retailers.”

I wanted a retailer’s perspective so I called Linda Warner of Champion Saddlery, who was also at the meeting. Linda said, “We need to unite and offer one extraordinary trade show instead of several mediocre ones. Richmond, VA offers a first class facility, central location, and mild climate. I am impressed that Mr. Herbert is asking the retailer and the exhibitor for suggestions to make this show work. He wants to offer pertinent education, addressing concerns unique to this industry - no more cookie cutter seminars. Mr. Herbert is mindful that for a show to be a success, products must be bought and sold and expenses must be kept reasonable for all.”

After attending the meeting last week, Stubben rep Lee Rafeld, was inspired enough to write an email titled “Bullet Points for Promoting our Show to Vendors.” Some of his points were:
The Richmond Convention Center is arguably the nicest and best suited Convention Center that our industry has ever held an event in.

The dock situation is excellent. It is a Non-Union State.

Richmond's location has half of our countries population within 500 miles.

Jim Herbert has unparallel experience in producing trade shows and his fresh ideas will get buyers involved and excited about attending include: awards, fashion shows, informative seminars, retailer best practices, a Perfect Store merchandising model display, and exciting special events.”

The statement that finally shook me out of my apathy came from Carla. “We need to take a stand and pick one show that we believe in and support it. By exhibiting at multiple shows or at no show we are perpetuating the problem of too many shows.” So I have picked one show to support - the AETA Expo.

Now that Jim Herbert is in charge, I believe that the AETA Expo has the potential of becoming a world class event and that the AETA association will give our industry many benefits, programs and most of all unity. If you are still undecided about supporting AETA, give Jim a call so that you can hear his vision of AETA’s future (571) 278-5658.

Stacey Chippendale
CCI Brands
stacey@ccibrands.com
www.ccibrands.com

Lassie, Come Home!

2006-10-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

I have begun working on a project this week that I think will yield some valuable insight into the trade show scene in the equine trade industry. Beginning with the Atlantic City Market last February, I'm compiling a list of companies who dropped out of the trade show scene.

In other words, if you look at consecutive show books, their names no longer appear. In the early stages of this research, it's glaringly apparent that not only are retailers put off by what's happening in the trade show world, but vendors (manufacturers) may be just as miffed.

Eventually, we'll try to get these companies to share their reasons for giving up on trade shows and perhaps share them as part of our December Trade Show Edition of Tack 'n Togs Magazine.

Clearly, no one in our industry has much patience or tolerance for confusion. And who can blame them? When your business, your money, your way of life are on the line, you tend to want things presented in a clear and defined manner.

Thus far, the process seems to reflect very little empathy for what retailers and vendors are experiencing. That's beginning to change. There are signs here and there that it will get better, but will it get better fast enough to stem the river of people simply pulling their boats out of the water where trade shows are concerned?

If you're a vendor who has given up on trade shows, share your experiences here or email them to me directly pwahl@tackntogs.com and we'll compile them and share them with blog readers.

Wanna Buy A Horse?

2006-10-05T07:17:00.000-07:00

I believe all of us who ride and train horses have felt this way after a particularly disappointing ride. For me, it happens once a month (and you're allowed to read into that anything you'd like!).

My three-year-old registered Quarter Horse filly "Sugar" (Michelles Redocpepper) is by far the best horse I've ever owned. She's athletic and smart, a willing learner and just a heckuva lot of fun to ride. But for a few days each month, it's like being around a fire-breathing dragon.

It begins when you go to retrieve her out of her stall and instead of offering her head to be hooked up to a lead rope as she's trained to do, she shoves her face at you with mouth open and her teeth showing. I guess that's supposed to intimidate me.

Tough go. She gets hooked up anyway and led to a tack-up area where the game continues. Her tail swishes and she stomps her feet, tries to pretend you're not there one moment and then gets irritated at whatever you're doing with her the next moment.

Under saddle, she has a hard time listening and every little thing (even some things that don't exist) are of much more interest than what I'm trying to teach her at the time.

There are probably several reasons it frustrates me. I haven't owned that many mares so I don't fully grasp how to deal with her when she gets this way. My first inclination was to take a trip down to the saddle shop and buy a galloon-size container of one of the calmer/soother products on the market. I really don't want to have to do that, but the option remains open!

I guess the other reason I find this behavior irritating is because my last horse was a 20-year-old gelding who was the same personality day in and day out. Didn't matter if you didn't ride for a week or a month, he was just greatful for human attention. He never protested or got fussy. (Oh, well there was that time I put his bit in backward in the dark ... he wasn't too keen about that!) He was like an old fishing buddy. The new filly is a princess, no doubt!

I suppose I'm going to have begin keeping track of her cycles and just keeping my distance when it's at its worst. It's like having two horses living in one body. When she's not PMSing, she's the greatest companion ever, full of fun and ready to get to work. When she's in heat, she's a bear and doesn't hesitate to let you know.

Give me a gelding any day!!!

Survey Sez ...

2006-10-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

The British Equestrian Trade Association recently conducted a survey of the equine industry in the United Kingdom. The National Equestrian Survey has some tremendously interesting results for the 4 billion-pound industry. The survey was last conducted in 1999.

Several things they learned were worth noting.

Two-thirds of those responding said they were "very satisfied" with retailers who sell equine-related products. The figure probably holds a different significance in the UK than it does here because there appears to be less retailer competition. If a rider isn't satisfied, their options are a bit limited.

In our country, of course, an unsatisfied customer simply goes elsewhere, to a Web site or a catalog, which means if the same survey were to be done in the US, the number of satisfied customers would go up. The numbers in the UK were up dramatically from 1999 when only 32 percent of consumers said they were satisfied with their retailers.

Here's another. Almost 100 percent of regular riders surveyed said they wear a helmet (actually, more commonly called "hats" in the UK). I don't have any hard and fast statistics for the US, but I can tell you it's far below 100 percent, and probably closer to like 30 percent. Fortunately, the trend here is upward as more people realize the value and benefit of wearing a riding helmet.

Although the numbers of riders in the UK increased substantially between 1999 and 2006, the industry there also struggles with attrition. Those who had given up riding blamed a lack of time, expense and simply loss of interest. Only a handful were concerned about the risks involved with riding.

Risks involved with riding is one of the main concerns parents express to instructors in the United States. Our culture tends toward parental overprotection. If you think that's not true, stand out in front of a daycare center near you and count the number of parents who CARRY their three- and four-year-olds into the building.

No one is suggesting that good common sense be thrown to the wind, but it's also unreasonable to think you're going to protect your child from every little bump and bruise as they travel through life. Apparently, the equine industry in the UK has done a very good job of educating the public on safety issues or the culture there is just less concerned about a child stubbing his toe.

Here are other conclusions fromt he study:

-- Women riders outnumber men by three to one, although more men are riding. It's probably more like 9 to 1 in the United States, at least from casual observation. Interestingly, the bulk of equine retail operations in the United States are operated by women, as well.

-- Riding for pleasure beats out competing, although the number of riders competing in the UK has gone up considerably.

-- More than 80 perent of equestrian consumers in the UK have access to the Internet, but only half or so admit to buying online. The number of online shoppers in the US continues to rise dramatically, particularly around the holiday season.

If you'd like more information on the survey, visit www.beta-uk.org.

Making the Customer Happy

2006-10-03T13:12:00.000-07:00

Last week, my wife and I pulled all of our winter clothing out of storage. Hard to believe it's already that time of year. Seems like just yesterday we were getting out shorts and t-shirts.

I discovered a sweater I hadn't worn for several seasons amongst the "finds." I'm not sure how it survived that long in our limited storage space, but I was glad it did. You see, I've managed to lose nearly 20 pounds in the last four months or so and now this sweater actually fits! It was an expensive piece of clothing that I thought would fit when I bought it, but it didn't.

Unfortunately, after it's long hiatus in a garment bag, it smelled used and abused. It was "dry clean only," of course, one of three dry clean only pieces of clothing I own.

So off to the dry cleaners to get it back into shape. Now I should tell you the material this sweater is made from is fairly light and stretchy so hanging it on a hanger is not an option. It hangs down to my knees if it's left on a hanger.

At the drycleaners I asked if the sweater could be boxed. The answer was no. The explanation was vague but had something to do with the fumes related to drycleaning. Apparently they don't dissipate when you box a drycleaned item and the result can be rather noticable.

So they're going to dryclean my sweater and hang it on a hanger and basically make it unwearable. Oh, they said they could "try" to drape it over the bottom rung of the hanger rather than pushing the hanger up to the neck and letting sweater's shoulders take the brunt. Small comfort.

What to do? Take the sweater around town and find a drycleaner that can offer a better way to clean it without ruining it? Toss it in the trash and chalk it up to bad garment selection?

I gave the drycleaner the benefit of the doubt. Tomorrow I'll pick it up and pay my $12 and see what I get. I'm not expecting a positive outcome.

So the question becomes, "Why hasn't someone invented a drycleaning process that doesn't use all those nasty chemicals so that items could be boxed after cleaning?" I mean, those chemicals have to be detrimental to the environment and do I really want my clothing next to my skin that has been treated like a common weed in a farmer's field?

How often do you as retailers tell your customer, "We can't do that?" What response do you get? Do you ever wonder why we can send astronauts into space but we can't create a way to dryclean a sweater without ruining it in the process, for instance?

Makes you wonder.

One more experience with customer service. Sunday afternoon, my wife and I went to one of our favorite grocery stores to shop for the week. We spent an hour picking out what we needed (and a few things we didn't need!). We shopped with the Sunday advertisement in hand, but noticed quickly that many of the sale items weren't marked.

While my wife finished the selections, I went to find the customer service manager to find out what was up. Turns out the store's computer was malfunctioning and they were unable to enter the sale prices -- which means they couldn't legally mark the sale items (false advertising). I asked her to assure me that the checkout staff knew about this and there would be no problem actually getting the items we selected at the sale price.

No problem. All staff had been alerted and would automatically know to look for sale items when ringing up sales.

We finish shopping and arrive at the checkout. The first item through scans at the regular price, and the checkout employee simply pushes it on the black belt and goes to the next item.

"Wait," I said. "That's a sale item."

"Oh ... it is?" she said, looking at it as if she'd never seen a carton of orange juice before in her life.

I knew we were in trouble.

While my wife bagged, I tried to keep on top of which items needed to be price modified. My wife has a better memory than I do, so as she bagged the items, she discovered several that had not been price modified.

The checkout employee was completely confused and several times when she price modified items, she keyed in the wrong price.

Finally I suggested that we simply let the store have all of their items back and we'd shop somewhere else. This suggestions didn't phase the employee one iota. In fact, she seemed relieved.

We left the store and drove down the road to a competitor and did our shopping all over again. My wife thinks I'm crazy, but I think I made a statement about customer service. I wasn't loud or obnoxious, I simply stated my case and we left quietly.

Did we do the right thing? You can settle a debate and perhaps save a marriage here if you share your input and comments. Would you have left the groceries sit and moved on to another store or would you (as my wife contends) not want to waste another hour shopping and just pay the nonsale price?

What say you?

Five Years and Counting

2006-09-25T19:19:00.000-07:00

Today is my fifth anniversary of employment with Tack 'n Togs Magazine. The tragedy of 9/11 had just occurred. Things weren't looking so good for the equine trade industry.

My how things change in half a decade! In more ways than one.

I remember thinking to myself at the time whether the industry would ever get back on an even keel and some sort of sanity. Turns out, the industry is fairly elastic. Not only did we come back, but some companies and some retailers came back bigger and better than ever.

The other thing I remember about coming to work for Tack 'n Togs was the number of people in the industry who welcomed me with open arms. Numerous people said, "Don't hesitate to call if you have a question or need help." And every one of them I took up on the offer was as good as his or her word.

The fantastic retailers, wonderful manufacturers and vendors and the brilliant sales reps I've met have made my job easy and enjoyable. Our industry is filled with charcters, and they make working in this industry enjoyable and, yes, challenging at times.

One thing about most people in the equine trade industry, they don't chew their cud twice. You generall know where you stand with them right upfront. I can deal with that.

Fortunately, we've had excellent relationships with 95 percent of the people we've come in contact with over the past five years.

To everyone who has befriended me along the way, I want to take this opportunity to say "thank you." To the retailers who read us cover to cover each month and send kind words regarding this blog, our e-newsletter and our Web site, a big thank you.

The the companies who are our advertisers and others that we have helped in any way, thanks for placing your trust in me as the editorial leader at Tack 'n Togs. You all hold a wonderful place in my heart and life.

Collectively, we've been through a lot these past five years. Most of it has been good, some has been bad. But we've all grown together, laughed together and cried together.

It is my hope that the next five years will be filled a lot more of the good times. Over the span of this week, I'll share some of my fondest memories from my first five years at Tack 'n Togs. Stay tuned!

What or Who is AETA anyway?

2006-09-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

My buddy Ed James of SSG Gloves sent me this letter. He asks some good questions. Ed was a bit hesitatant about having it published, joking that he'll "probably end up with a booth on the loading dock" at the AETA trade show in Richmond!!!

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An Open Letter to Equestrian Trade Industry Associates:

"Jumping on our horses and riding off in all directions."

This was a saying our athletic coaches used in school when no one on the team could figure out what was going on, but plunged ahead until all was lost and the game was over!

This statement exemplifies what I see is going on with American Equestrian Trade Association (AETA) and its mad rush to make us all look like fools or charlatans -- whichever word fits.

At the February Stanley Show, Tom McGuinness of Horseware Products Ltd. started preaching to anyone who would listen that we should start an association like BETA, take over the trade show operation and run an association for the benefit of the industry. Point well presented, but, those are really two separate objectives. One was to run a trade show (a major undertaking) and the second was to form an industry association (very necessary).

The Inaugural American Equestrian Trade Association meeting was held the morning following Dover Saddlery's Catalog Introduction Meeting. The majority of participants at that meeting -- salespersons and principals -- were the ones who formed the "pseudo" association, a very small cross section of our industry making a very important decision for all of us who were not privy to this meeting.

The ad lib notes and minutes of the meeting etc., are available on AETA's Web site, which lists the persons who made this decision for us. These minutes and notes outline items discussed and agreed upon by this gathering, including action items. This group agreed to advise us that a trade association had been formed and membership forms needed to be sent out inviting others to join. (Please review the summaries and minutes for your personal update.)

It was very surprising to me and, if you have not read it, I'm sure it will be to you. Further to these minutes a statement is made that this committee agreed to hold a meeting in Atlantic City.

The meeting in Atlantic City was held on Aug. 13 and Jeremy Law and Tom McGuinness made a presentation advising that exhibit space for a trade show was available in downtown Philadelphia in late January. After much discussion this suggestion was shot down. It was obvious to the majority that the attendees would like to have an industry organization, but that we did not need another trade show!

At the meeting Mr. McGuinness stated that they were going to produce a steering committee, set up a slate of people nominated for that committee (based on their acceptance) and move forward to the formation of an association with bylaws and goals, etc. These names would be posted on AETA's Web site for consideration by the industry membership at large. (This has yet to appear).

This process was supported by the majority of attendees at the general meeting.

With all of this feedback at his disposal, the next morning (Monday) Mr. McGuinness called a meeting of some of the original organizing committee and included some others, whom he hand-picked. At this meeting he introduced them to Jim Herbert (a trade show organizer) who just happened to be in Atlantic City that morning. One might think that Mr. McGuinness either did not hear what everyone in the Sunday meeting was saying, or, believed he would get permission in the Sunday meeting to go ahead with the show and hire Mr. Herbert (fait accompli).

Through all of this carry-on apparently no one from AETA had talked to or made an effort to talk to either Morey nStein or Kent Hopper (current trade show producers) about a proposal to work with AETA to achieve joint goals.

Some of the individuals at the Monday meeting felt they were told that Stein was asked to attend the meeting but declined, a fact that Stein denies vehemently. At the end of the day on Monday, Stein claims that Mr. McGuinness, the then self-appointed chair of this original group, spoke to Stein before he left and advised him he would be in touch in two weeks. A contact apparently yet to be made.

Fast forward to Sept. 15 and an announcement is made to the industry stakeholders or constituents. Please go to the AETA site, review it and ask yourself some questions:

Retailers have not materialized in Baltimore or anywhere else.

Who determined that retailers have not materialized in Baltimore or anywhere else? Our business in Baltimore was nearly 40 percent of Atlantic City, and the Atlantic City show netted more sales than the same show the previous year in Fort Washington. This fact does not mean that I was or am happy with Atlantic City as a venue. But statements printed "off the cuff" by Clark Davis (who was one of the original committee on March 24) shouldn't be taken as fact. Presumably this information was passed on to Davis by John Moncada, who put in an appearance at Baltimore, or John Nunn, both of whom were privileged to be at Mr. McGuinness's Monday morning meeting prior to the Hopper Baltimore Show.

…After discussions among various industry participants (maybe the March 24 group?)

These various participants should be identified so we as association members could determine from our own experiences if these were the people we wanted and felt were capable of making appropriate, intelligent decisions for us.

After several meetings AETA has picked Mr. Herbert…

Who is AETA that is making all these important decisions for us. Tom McGuinness? Or the Westford Group?

The whole situation smacks of "smoke and mirrors" and someone's or some people's desire to plunge ahead and put on a show which the Aug. 13 meeting consensus indicated was not wanted or needed. Where are the concerns for the retailers -- our customers?

It is about time that we take a deep breath, park our egos, think logically, and form an association with membership fees, a proper constitution, some objectives and bylaws. Then we need to work within the confines of the bylaws and do things to help the industry. The other shows are going to go ahead and a third show will just turn the retailers off more than at present. This is not what we need or want as vendors.

We don't need to jump on our horses and ride off in all directions!

Ed James
President,
SSG Gloves

P.S. -- The proposed Richmond booth costs are out. $800 for a 10x10-foot booth and if you buy three you get the fourth free. This certainly doesn't help small vendors (an important part of our industry) who, in many cases offer innovative products that draw retailers to the shows. I wonder how many free booths are being offered to the many "anchor companies" already positioned in the floor plan, as indicated in Clark Davis's letter. Whatever happened to Jeremy Law? Why is our association's contact Mr. J. Herbert?

I think we are entitled to some answers.

Retailers Hold the Cards

2006-09-19T07:21:00.000-07:00

Last January when the trade show conflicts began in earnest, I said to anyone who would listen that retailers were the key to sorting out this sector of the industry. Without them, there is no trade show. It would behoove everyone who wants to produce a trade show to live in their world, walk in their shoes for awhile and listen to what they have to say.

Having worked as an advocate for retailers for the past five years at Tack 'n Togs Magazine, it was only natural I should hold this view.

Yet, I was absolutely blown away by the number of people in the industry who told me I was crazy, out of touch with reality, myopic and a few other adjectives we wouldn't want to share on a family-rated blog. Essentially, the feeling I got was that no one cared a bit about what the retailers wanted, it was all about attracting vendors and getting their financial support.

Over the past couple months, I have seen the worm begin to turn and a number of those people who told me the vendors were what was important are retrenching. Today, it's abundantly clear that you can produce the nicest, well-organized, friendliest trade show in the industry ... but if retailers don't come, it can't be considered a success by any true business standard (profit-loss). So a lot of people are going back to the drawing board and changing their approach.

I would never say "I told you so" to any of these folks, but I have learned some of these lessons rather well over the past 30 years in publishing.

Here at Tack 'n Togs, we have two primary constituents. First are the advertisers who pay the bills and take advantage of the communication mechanism we've built over the past 36 years with retailers. We wouldn't exist without them. They are our bread and butter. Second are our readers, mostly retailers. Without them picking up the magazine every month and devouring it from front to back, our advertisers wouldn't get results for their advertising dollars.

In our world, the advertisers have their connection in the form of an advertising rep and the readers have an advocate and champion in me, the editor. My position is a bit unique, however, in that I work with both sides of the aisle, if you will. My goal as editor is to create such an exciting must-read publication that everyone benefits. It takes a great deal of listening to all sides of the equation to make this happen.

I think in some instances, that's where the trade show producers got off the track, particularly with retailers. No one ever engaged retailers in a meaningful dialogue about what they wanted and consequently, the number of retailers attending trade shows has stagnated or decreased for most organizers.

Should vendors be ignored? Of course not. But there has to be a good balance between the two interests to make something like a trade show or a trade magazine work. In our case, if we focus all our attention on the manufacturers, the readers grow weary and tune out. If we focus all our attention on retailers, the manufacturers begin to wonder about the value of their message.

Retailers have little tolerance for confusion. Their world is mostly black and white. When they encounter something that has multiple layers of intrigue, their instinct is to drill down to the core of the matter, make a decision and move on. When they can't do that -- as in the case of the trade show proliferation -- they simply move on.

Now the job for trade show organizers will be to woo the retailers who have moved on and convince them to come back and try trade shows once again. Whoever accomplishes that task best will most likely be perceived as the ultimate victor in the quest to produce a successful East Coast trade show.

The More Things Change ...

2006-09-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

You've heard that old saying. "The more they stay the same ..."

I was reminded of that today when my assistant editor Barb Kastens dropped the column below on my desk. It was written by then Tack 'n Togs Editor Dan DeWeese. Change a few names and a few dates and it could have been written today.

I particularly like Dan's last lines:

There is nothing to be gained from the current chaos and confusion about trade shows. Manufacturers are in a quandary about which market to attend; retailers don't know which lines will be at a show. All four shows are likely to be hurt in this fiasco. The lesson for the markets is clear: Cooperate and coordinate or face the consequences.

Here's the rest of what Dan had to say:

In a scramble to avoid being scheduled on Superbowl Sunday, four major markets are slated for the same weekend in January. Pointing up the lack of planning and cohesion in an industry with 40 different markets, this is a nightmare come true for manufacturers, reps and retailers.

Sacramento, Las Vegas, King of Prussia, and Orlando trade shows are all slated for January 17-19 or 17-20. Many smaller manufacturers face a dilemma: Do they produce additional sample lines for simultaneous showing - an expensive proposition - or do they attend only one of the shows? Too, company principals who normally travel to each of these shows will not be able to, depriving them of much-needed exposure to retailers and vice versa.

The situation promises to be "High Noon" for the trade shows. In an industry already replete with ironies, three of the four shows scheduled to slug it out toe-to-toe are WAEMA "Showplace Markets." Too, King of Prussia and Orlando have overlapping spheres of influence, as do Sacramento and Las Vegas.

Little enough has come of the much-ballyhooed Showcase Market program on the part of WAEMA members who conceived it - and the concept may be dead in the water - but one would think that the rep groups sponsoring the markets would recognize the potential for getting organized.

Market organizers have been less-than-impressed by the Showcase designations from the start. An independent lot, they predicted early on that nothing would come of the proposal. Manufacturers blew a lot of air about the idea, but nothing came of it. Behind-the-scenes tugging and shoving over the Showcase proposal resulted in the tabling of any action on it at the WAEMA meeting in August.

It's time to start pulling together. Manufacturers should plug some of those windy holes with money for a serious and meaningful agenda. If the manufacturers want to continue to subsidize 40 trade shows, it's their money, but that money could be better spent funding the seminars and other events originally discussed when the Showcase concept was first aired.

As for the market organizers, it is time to put politics and egos aside and figure out what is best for the industry. They've already met once. A trade show organization might be the first step to putting some order into the trade show picture. If they work together, they might avoid future trade show-downs. They might also share ideas and coordinate programs, possibly cutting their costs while better serving the industry.

The potential is there. Denver has teamed up with WERA and is sponsoring the WERA national conference next year. Perhaps other markets could sponsor regional conferences featuring common speakers, seminars, themes, etc., possibly backed by manufacturers.
Another factor is the loss of sizable tax write-offs for marketgoers if proposed tax laws are passed. Trade show organizers better be ready to give the retailers something worth going to or face erosion of traffic.

There is nothing to be gained from the current chaos and confusion about trade shows. Manufacturers are in a quandary about which market to attend; retailers don't know which lines will be at a show. All four shows are likely to be hurt in this fiasco. The lesson for the markets is clear: Cooperate and coordinate or face the consequences.