HOT TREND: Marketers are looking to horse show sponsorship to elevate their brands.
WHY: America boasts over seven million recreational riders, and while many jog around dude ranches once a year, a core group of affluent participants and spectators is involved with more high profile events–the hunter/jumper circuit and/or major reining and Western pleasure competitions. Sponsorship of these events–and of professional riders–guarantees high visibility in prestigious surroundings. The hunter/jumper world particularly,” says FIND/SVP analyst Sarah Montague, “attracts brands that want to murmur, not shout”–suggesting to wealthy, selective buyers that they are in the right company. Although Western shows are more populist in nature, the levels of expenditure among participants can be quite high.
OPPORTUNITY: Show organizers for multiple events such as Horse Shows in the Sun (HITS) or single blockbuster events like the Hampton Classic, the National Horse Show, the Arabian National or the All-American Quarter Horse Congress are eager to partner with top brands, which have included a range of general consumer products and services, as well as high-end equestrian gear companies like Hermes and Dover Saddlery. The U.S. national teams, managed by the United States Equestrian Federation, are also in constant need of support. “And this is a great market for teens,” notes Montague. A significant proportion of riders is under 18.
CHALLENGES: Unless you are both sponsor and vendor, a role that best suits tack and feed companies, ROI is hard to calculate. And horses are just a phase for many teens. However, “by the time they’ve moved on to boys/girls/computers/violin lessons, your brand may have become part of their worldview,” says Montague.
COMPANIES TO WATCH: Horse Shows in the Sun is one of the leading show management companies in the country. The Hampton Classic, one of the premier shows on the East Coast, is undergoing a change in management that might stimulate new opportunities for sponsors. Leading sponsors of horse shows include: Absolut; Barbour; Bayer;Tthe Corcoran Group; Louis Roederer champagne; and MBNA.
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