BETA and BETA International

BETA, the trade association, was established in 1978. Today, membership comprises UK manufacturers and distributors plus more than 400 retailers. BETA International was launched in December 1979 following an idea conceived by a group of British equestrian manufacturers and distributors.

What was then known as the BETA Trade Fair was run by a voluntary committee drawn from the equestrian trade. At the beginning of 1981, it was announced that the already fast-growing trade fair would fall under the remit of a separate limited company controlled by BETA.

Early BETA trade fairs moved from venue to venue; about 20 stand holders would pack up after one show before travelling, sometimes literally overnight, to the next. There they erected their stands for another day's business. The camaraderie generated in those early days remains a feature of today's famously friendly BETA International.

In 1995, BETA International moved to the NEC in Birmingham. In 2007, almost 20% of visitors came from overseas.

The strong link between BETA and BETA International ensures this exhibition is run by and for people who are an integral part of the equestrian trade and who care passionately about its furtherance and professionalism.