December 21, 2024, will go down as a special milestone in Vitaltier's history: on this day, we organized our first independent event. The central theme of the event – what else could it have been – was sports and health, which we combined with the magical atmosphere of Christmas. In addition to sports demonstrations, professional programs, and interactive activities, pet owners and their companions could browse a festive doggy Christmas market, where the holiday atmosphere and community experience truly created unforgettable moments.
Organizing such an event requires countless preparations and well-thought-out logistics, but none of this could have happened without the fantastic performers, who completed the day with their impressive professional knowledge, inexhaustible energy, and deep love for dogs. We are grateful to all who contributed to the success of the event, whether through presentations, demonstrations, exhibitor participation, or interactive programs. Their dedication and enthusiasm made this occasion truly memorable.
If you couldn't join us, here's a summary of the day's key programs and performers:
Opening Ceremony
The official opening of the event began at 10:15 AM, where Évi Janotyik – from @rufus.the.redborder – welcomed the guests. Évi not only gave the opening speech but also hosted the entire day, ensuring the smooth running of the programs and the exciting moments of the raffle draws. Her professional presentation style and approachable personality set the mood for the day from the very beginning.
Mantrailing Demonstration – with Gergely Janovszky
At 10:30 AM, the series of professional demonstrations began with Gergely Janovszky's presentation. Gergely is a trained instructor and leader of the K9 Search Dog Association and the Mancs a Kézben Rescue Dog Association. In his demonstration, he guided us into the exciting world of mantrailing, where dogs use their unique sense of smell to search for people. Spectators got a glimpse into the dedicated work that requires perfect harmony between dog and owner. The demonstration was not only impressive but also inspiring, as mantrailing is not only professionally exciting but also offers a unique opportunity to build a special human-dog relationship.
If you want to know more about their activities, visit the following links:
https://k9-keresokutya.hu/kikepzok/
Nose Work – with Nóra Vámosi-Nagy
A few minutes after 11 AM, Nóra Vámosi-Nagy, founder of the "Hozz ki többet a kutyádból" dog training school, took to the field with her fantastic team to introduce the world of Nose Work. This sport, based on the work of drug detection dogs, allows us to enrich our pets' lives with exciting and constructive challenges by utilizing their sense of smell. Nóra and her team instantly transformed the venue into an interactive, scent-stimulating course. The program was not only entertaining but also highlighted the many opportunities this sport offers to strengthen the bond between dog and owner.
If you want to know more about their activities, visit the following link: https://hozzkitobbetkutyadbol.hu/
Dog Dancing – presented by Renáta Böröczki
The morning was crowned by Renáta Böröczki's breathtaking dog dancing demonstrations. Reni, with her three dogs, delivered such professional and entertaining performances that captivated every spectator. The festive atmosphere was further enhanced when she also took to the stage with a mere seven-month-old puppy, proving that the collaborative work between dogs and their owners truly holds boundless possibilities.
If you want to know more about Renáta Böröczki's activities, visit the following link: https://dogdance.hu/
Distance Directing – with Nóra Vámosi-Nagy and her team
One of the afternoon's highlights was the demonstration of the domestically developed sport, Distance Directing. In this sport, the owner directs their dog from a designated zone across a course filled with various tasks. Nóra and her team executed the demonstration of this sport, which requires precision and perfect harmony, with unparalleled expertise, inspiring the audience to discover this unique opportunity.
If you want to know more about their activities, visit the following link: https://hozzkitobbetkutyadbol.hu/
How Dogs Stole Christmas – An inspiring presentation by Gábor Kocsis
Shortly before 1 PM, Gábor Kocsis took to the stage, accompanied by his three dogs. His presentation, "How Dogs Stole Christmas," was not only touching but also deeply thought-provoking.
Could your dog know things you don't?
Could this "secret" knowledge rewrite your entire life?
Companion, family member, best friend – we know all this about dogs, but what is it they quietly, imperceptibly "steal" from us, besides our hearts? Gábor, a writer, stroke survivor, and proud owner of three rescue dogs, captivated the audience with stories illustrating how dogs can change our lives. Through his touching personal examples, we gained insight into the deep bond that can connect humans and their four-legged companions.
If you want to know more about Gábor Kocsis's activities, visit the following link:
Dynamic sports demonstrations to close the day
We concluded the program with two spectacular sports demonstrations, Hoopers and Agility, which provided a fitting end to this exciting day.
Hoopers demonstration with Krisztina Holti
The Hoopers sports demonstration was led by Krisztina Holti, team leader of the Warriors Agility and Hoopers Team. This joint-friendly yet dynamic sport is excellent for strengthening the cooperation between dogs and their owners. Krisztina and her team gave a spectacular performance illustrating the perfect harmony required for the dog to accurately follow the owner's instructions from a distance, through obstacles.
For more information about Krisztina and her team's work, visit here:
https://www.warriorsagility.hu/
Agility demonstration with Ágnes Ács-Kövesi and her team
The day was made unforgettable by Ágnes Ács-Kövesi's agility demonstration. Ági, active in the world of agility since 1996, works with poodles and border collies and has achieved numerous national and international successes. She became a National Champion with six of her dogs and has represented Hungary multiple times at European and World Championships, where she achieved outstanding results. She has led her own agility team for 15 years, and since the opening of the Dog Flow Arena, she has been developing owners and their dogs interested in the sport here. During the demonstration, Ági and her dogs delivered a dynamic and precise performance that was a fitting close to this eventful day.
Following the presentations, pet owners had the opportunity to ask questions, and of course, truly enthusiastic participants could try out a sport they found interesting with their pets. One of our hosts even took time to try out Hoopers with a special "borrowed dog," and they were very successful. 😊
EXHIBITORS – who brought Christmas to us
We also cannot forget to mention our wonderful exhibitors, who, with their fantastic products and beautifully decorated stands, contributed to making the Vitaltier Sports Day and Doggy Christmas Market a truly festive event for all visitors. Without exception, they truly outdid themselves, allowing guests to stroll among beautiful, high-quality, Christmas-themed stands. We thank them very much and hope to have the opportunity to work together in the future.
Interested in whose products/services were available?
· Petplex the dog complex – participated as a co-organizer, and at their stand, interested parties could try out various physiotherapy and skill exercises with their pets
· OIKOS - at their stand, in the spirit of Christmas, there was an opportunity to paint pinecones and candle holders, during which their beautiful paints could be tried out
· Zdog Shop
· Dog And You
· Lufi Kamrája
· Mancsot rá
· Bark Butik
· BilétaBázis
· Lil'pea collar
· Bono Doggo
· Joy in Dogs
· ChakRaw
· ZOOMAH premium snack and more
· Dogbox
· Yogupet - Vauhaus
· Snuffle Dog Beer
· Laracord
· Vitaltier – we ourselves were also at the disposal of those interested, both with products and regarding any questions that arose
The Border Collie Rescue and Rehabilitation Association and the Tordas Zoo Animal Rescue Farm Foundation were also present at the event with their stands, and could be supported in several ways on site.
This could be done by purchasing artisan bejgli at the Vitaltier stand, or directly from them with material and monetary donations, or by purchasing their donation products. We also thank them for being part of this unforgettable day.
RAFFLE - we weren't exaggerating, we really raffled off amazing prizes!
Thanks to our exhibitors, more than 30 gift packages found their owners during the raffles between presentations, including, of course, Vitaltier products and packages. Although they were unfortunately unable to participate as exhibitors this time, we also received a generous raffle donation from the Dogastic team, so one of our lucky winners was able to receive a wonderful Dogastic set.
THE WORLD SPUN WITH US
Thanks to the Selfie Spinner located opposite the entrance, super cool shared videos of owners and their dogs were made.
Thank you for joining us!
This day would not have been so special without you, dear Guests! Your smiles, your enthusiasm, and the experiences shared with your dogs made this event truly memorable. We hope that everyone went home with new experiences, useful advice, and many happy moments. This was a worthy close to our 2024, and in 2025, we dream even bigger!
Let's meet again at a similarly exciting and inspiring event! Until then, we wish you many happy moments and endless health with your four-legged companions!
Photos taken by: Dóra Schmaus