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2000, Nr. 9, S. 48 News    Landfuxx at full throttle    The German specialist retail cooperative Landfuxx, which was brought into being at the end of last year by former employees of the Kiebitzmarkt franchising organisation, has started out at full throttle. The company, which has been run as a GmbH (private limited company) since 1 July and is to be turned into an AG (public limited company) as of 1 January 2001, already operates nine stores. Because of the great demand Landfuxx is currently engaged in work preparatory to the opening of 17 more objects, predominantly in Westphalia and Lower Saxony. Those interested in these developments include several cooperatives. Landfuxx sees itself as an open concept which offers a broad package of services to "green" department stores, cooperatives and other interested parties. Binding business partners with long-term contracts, as is the case with traditional franchise organisations, is not something that Landfuxx strives for.     Top rendezvous for equestrian sector       Top rendezvous for the equestrian sector.    From 3 to 5 September the international equestrian centre at Spoga in Cologne will once again be the top rendezvous for the equestrian sector. Since more and more specialist pet retailers are establishing an equestrian department in their stores, the Cologne fair is a good opportunity for them to obtain information about the latest trends in the sport. According to information from the fair organisers, the trend is moving more and more clearly towards multifunctional materials. The fabrics for jackets, jodhpurs and gloves, etc., now display weatherproof or deodorising functions in addition to extreme elasticity. Temperature-equalizing materials are being promoted as the latest hit. These involve the integration of paraffin capsules or molecules proven in space exploration which store excess heat and then return it to the body. This makes sweating or freezing whilst riding out things of the past. The fair organisers report that the spectrum of colours for spring/summer 2001 includes fashionable pastel and natural shades in addition to standard tones of navy and charcoal. Black continues to hold its own. Where style is concerned, the demand is for fashionable collections designed to appeal especially to the girls and young women who form a major part of the clientele among riding enthusiasts. An innovation for children is the introduction of jodhpurs offering a range of waist…