More than 8,500 buyers from 2,702 retail and wholesale outlets attended H.H. Backer Associates’ 38th Annual Pet Industry Christmas Trade Show and Educational Conference, held Oct. 8-10 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont (Chicago), Ill.

The buyer count increased 13 percent from 7,513 buyers last year, and the number of buying firms in attendance increased 10 percent from 2,462 buying firms last year, according to Colette Fairchild, CMP, trade show director for H.H. Backer Associates (Chicago).

A total of 12,811 buyers, exhibitor personnel and guests attended the show, up 9 percent from a total of 11,778 attendees last year, Fairchild added.

With 818 exhibitors occupying 1,309 booths, it was the biggest show in Backer’s nearly 40-year history. “The exhibitor count and the booth count each increasing a healthy 13 percent from last year, when we had 727 companies in 1,160 booths, Backer’s Christmas show continues to feature more exhibitors than any other national pet trade show,” Fairchild said.

“We had excellent turnout this year, with more than 1,000 new buyers. We had a record number of new exhibitors, too, offering even more new and upscale products. Based on the extensive traffic on the floor, buyers were busy writing orders throughout the weekend,” Fairchild said.

Adding extra elements of excitement were the new Backer Cash Bonanza (see “Cash Bonanza Winners”), and H.H. Backer’s fifth Celebration of Style grooming competition.

H.H. Backer Associates, in cooperation with PET AGE magazine and several corporate sponsors, also offered several free seminars to give pet industry professionals insights into new business practices and product trends. These included programs on marketing and management by Mort Brown, Dave Ratner and Barry Berman; a program on animal supplements by Dr. L. Phillips Brown; a program on how to boost aquatic profits by Joe Olenik; and a program on Marine Aquarium Council certification by Mark Schreffler and Patrick Donston.

In addition, Judy Kurpiel conducted demonstrations on grooming terriers and rare dog breeds.

The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (Washington) sponsored certification seminars on dog care and reptile care

H.H. Backer’s 17th Annual Pet Industry Spring Trade Show will be held April 1-3, 2005, at the Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, N.J. Backer’s 39th Annual Pet Industry Christmas Trade Show will be held Oct. 7-9, 2005, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont (Chicago), Ill.

For more information about either show, call (312) 663-4040, or visit www.hhbacker.com. [December 2004 PET AGE]

BACKER CASH BONANZA WINNERS H.H. Backer Associates awarded $8,750 on the spot to qualified store owners and managers taking part in Backer Cash Bonanza drawings. Retailers were able to visit sponsors’ booths to receive extra entry forms.
WINNER	STORE	PRIZE	WHERE ORDER WAS WRITTEN
Dirk Budd	M&B Pets Inc. (Honolulu, Hawaii)	$2,500	Fastags
Julie Strauss	Animal Crackers (Carbondale, Ill.)	$1,000	PetStep Inc.
Stephanie Waterman	Tender Care Animal Hospital (Prairie du Chien, Wis.)	$1,000	Fastags
Janice Hicks	Paw Law Dog Training Academy (Elgin, Ill.)	$500	H.H. Backer Associates Inc.
Sharon Patrick	Pet Supplies Plus (Pittsburgh)	$500	H.H. Backer Associates Inc.
Thomas Gilbertson	Lighthouse Pets (Boscobel, Wis.)	$400	Coastal Pet Products Inc.
Holli Cossavella	Pampered Pet Day Spa (Orange, Calif.)	$350	Fat Cat Inc.
Susan Hall	Corner Stone Critters (Bryan, Ohio)	$350	H.H. Backer Associates Inc.
Julie Strauss	Animal Crackers (Carbondale, Ill.)	$350	Blitz USA Inc.
Sheila Grant	For Your Dogs Only (Fairfield, Calif.)	$300	Bamboo, a Div. of Munchkin Inc.
Carol Kuzdek	Whole Pets (Boulder, Colo.)	$300	H.H. Backer Associates Inc.
Deanna Marshall	Squeaks N Squawks (Shelby, N.C.)	$300	PetStep Inc.
Bianca Smith	A Little Paw Creation Inc. (Turnersville, N.J.)	$250	Fastags
Daniel Stevens	Bed & Biscuit Inn (St. Joseph, Mo.)	$250	Florida Marine Research
Joanna Molley	Pampered Pet Day Spa (Orange, Calif.)	$200	Bamboo, a Div. of Munchkin Inc.
Daniel Stevens	Bed & Biscuit Inn (St. Joseph, Mo.)	$200	PetStep Inc.