High numbers at Chicago

At the largest, most highly attended show in its 40-year history, H.H. Backer Associates attracted more than 9 600 buyers from 3 025 retail and wholesale outlets for its 40th Annual Pet Industry Christmas Trade Show and Educational Conference, held October 6-8 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Chicago. The total overall attendance, including exhibitors, was13 770. The show featured more exhibitors than any other US-American pet industry trade show to date: 1 009 exhibitors occupied 1 552 booths. The show also featured 227 companies exhibiting for the first time."We're thrilled with this sustained trend of attendance growth," said trade show director Colette Fairchild. "The industry's continuing to thrive, as is evidenced by both the return of long-time attendees as well as many new faces and companies." The show welcomed not only a sizeable number of new exhibitors: it had more than 2 000 first-time buyers from across the U.S. and overseas.Apart from the exhibits themselves, there were many exciting events to keep attendees busy and entertained: Retailers voted for their favourite pet products in Pet Age magazine's Retailer Select Awards. The gold medal was awarded to Oceanic Systems/Central Aquatics for its "BioCube". The silver medal went to Best Friends Care for its "PetPeek" window fence. The bronze medal winner was Planet Dog for its "Orbee-Tuff" tug. Once again, Backer's "Cash Bonanza" contest was a big hit with retailers: nearly 9 000 $ in instant cash was awarded to qualified store owners and managers. Retailers who visited sponsors' booths received extra entry forms to increase their chances of winning.Pet Age magazine and H.H. Backer sponsored several free educational seminars designed to appeal to all types of retailers. These included a panel discussion featuring Joe Olenik, Gary Sparks and Patrick Donston on ways to increase aquatic sales in today's competitive marketplace and a seminar by Vicki Lynn Morgan on "guerrilla" marketing techniques. Diane Betelak presented a seminar on increasing the profitability of grooming businesses, and also conducted a poodle grooming demonstration. The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) sponsored certification seminars on canines and reptiles, each conducted by Dr. David S. Kupersmith. And more than 20 000 $ in cash, travel packages and trophies was awarded in the seventh annual Celebration of Style grooming competition.H.H. Backer's 19th Annual Pet Industry Spring Trade Show…