JAGD & HUND 2026: Where Europe’s hunting community comes together

Trade fair impresses with mix of international exhibitors and exciting program.

JAGD & HUND, Europe’s largest hunting trade fair, will once again transform the Dortmund exhibition halls into THE international meeting place for hunters, hunting enthusiasts, outdoor enthusiasts, dog lovers, and nature lovers for six days starting on 27 January. An international range of exhibitors, a varied stage program that skillfully combines entertainment with strong informational value, exciting competitions, and culinary delights make the trade fair a unique experience. This is where Europe’s hunting community meets. It is also where associations and experts come together and use this unique platform for political exchange and knowledge transfer.

Dortmund, 20 January 2026 – The official kick-off of the trade fair will take place on Tuesday at 10:00 hrs on the stage in Hall 4, with prominent guests in attendance. In addition to Sabine Loos, Managing Director of the Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe, Nicole Heitzig, President of the North Rhine-Westphalia Hunting Association (LJV), and Karl Walch, President of the Working Gundog Association (JGHV), Silke Gorißen, Minister of Agriculture and Consumer Protection of North Rhine-Westphalia, and Alexander Kalouti, Mayor of the City of Dortmund, have also announced their attendance. In addition, welcoming speeches are planned by Dr. Steffen Koch, Head of the German Delegation of the CIC – International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation, and Laurens Hoedemaker, President of the European Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FACE). Messe Dortmund is also expected to welcome Wynter Boipusi Mmolotsi, Minister of Environment and Tourism of Botswana, as a very special guest.

The speakers will jointly kick off six exciting days at the trade fair. International exhibitors will present the latest trends and innovations in a total of eight exhibition halls plus the Westfalenhalle. The Westfalenhalle will again be the backdrop for the WILD FOOD FESTIVAL, which is all about game meat.

As usual, the team behind JAGD & HUND has come up with some new highlights this year. For the first time, there will be a trade visitor offering in the North Entrance with the B2B Lounge. This is an exclusive area that allows exhibitors to hold meetings with dealers, distributors, manufacturers, and other business partners away from the hustle and bustle of the trade fair. Another new feature is that visitors can now take JAGD & HUND home with them… For the first time, they will find the JAGD & HUND merchandise stand in the glass passageway at the transition to Hall 3. “Waidmanns Style – powered by JAGD & HUND” – under this motto, mugs, hoodies, and caps with various slogans will be available for purchase.

In addition to an unparalleled range of products and technologies related to hunting, outdoor equipment, and dogs, Europe’s largest hunting fair has also established itself as a lively and important knowledge platform. Informative presentations will not only be held on the stages in Hall 4, in the KNIFE ZONE in Hall 5, at the Young Hunters stage in Hall 6, or in the HORRIDO area in Hall 8, but now also on the WILD FOOD FESTIVAL stage in the Westfalenhalle (keynotes and presentations are all being held in German).

Popular highlights: animal action, competitions, and lots of knowledge
In addition to new highlights, there are some things that are an integral part of the JAGD & HUND offering. These include breathtaking bird of prey flight shows and demonstrations with hunting dogs. They also include the 4×4 off-road vehicle course in Hall 3, where visitors can test the vehicles on site. And it also includes special themed areas such as the KNIFE ZONE in Hall 5, the social media zone HORRIDO and the ‘Jagdwelt’ (both in Hall 8), the shopping experience in the middle of the trade fair.

This also includes popular competitions: While the German Championship of Deer Callers has always been a crowd puller at JAGD & HUND on Friday at noon, other competitions are also very popular. On the first day of the fair, at 14:00 hrs on the stage in Hall 4, the ‘European Hunting Photo of the Year’ will be awarded for the second time. The winning photos will be on display throughout the fair in the passageway to Hall 3. On Friday at 14:00, the ‘Calling Contest’ will attract visitors to Hall 4, where participants will demonstrate their talent in lure hunting. And finally, on Saturday, the youngest visitors will prove themselves on the HORRIDO stage: this is when the ‘KIDZ FIEP World Championship’ will take place, aimed at children aged 6 to 13 who want to show off their skills in “Blatten.”
>>> All the highlights of JAGD & HUND at a glance can be found here.

Anyone entering the Westfalenhalle will find their mouth watering at the multitude of aromas. This is where the WILD FOOD FESTIVAL is held. The colorful culinary marketplace at JAGD & HUND delights visitors with live cooking demonstrations and exclusive workshops on ‘wild’ cuisine. In addition, there are exhibitors offering everything the hobby chef needs – from accessories to ingredients. The chefs include top names such as TV chef Johann Lafer, Florian Conzen, head chef at the Brasserie Stadthaus in Düsseldorf, game sommelier Ruth Staudenmayer, and Michael Keller, master butcher, hunter, meat and game sommelier. Also well known to trade fair visitors are Magdalene and Wolfgang Grabitz, who have been attending the festival since its inception and appear on stage every day.

List of exhibitors
The list of exhibitors at JAGD & HUND can be found on the website.

Press conference for JAGD & HUND
The press conference for JAGD & HUND will take place on the day before the trade fair (Monday, 26 January) at 11:30 hrs in the “London” conference room in the north entrance. An invitation will follow. Registrations can be made by email to presse@jagdundhund.de.

Regular updates on JAGD & HUND can be found on the show’s Instagram and Facebook channels, and also on the website and via the newsletter.