Cranfield Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Any reports from the CLA Game Fair ? Was it any good ? Did you meet anyone from the Forum (other than Deako. ) ? Any pictures ? Those of us that couldn,t go, need to know what we missed. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sniper Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Cranfield, You missed a bloody good show. The weather was nearly perfect, albeit a little warm and humid for walking round all the stalls etc. The fair has certainly got bigger since the last one there 4 years ago, and this was reflected in the increase in traffic. I was fortunate enough to be asked to help out at the gundog scurry on Friday and Saturday mornings, then had both afternoons free to walk round. It is obvious that there is a great upsurge in the interest in pigeon decoying, I counted no less than five stalls selling some sort of rotor. I managed to get various small items I was after, including a spare hide pole from decoying. co.uk. It was there I had the pleasure of meeting Deako, Lazza and Mark1. ( Yes it is true...Deako is as ugly as I had been told ) On the Saturday afternoon I also had the pleasure of meeting Yorkshire Pudding and his good lady. We spent a pleasant time in the ##############'s tent supping beer ( thanks again lads ) It was then I found out that Yorkshire Pudding is as mad as he is on this forum......if I say his latest ambition is coleslaw wrestling...not mud wrestling like any other full blooded male......do you know what I mean ? I am told I missed Pigeon Pieman and Hammergun..next time maybe or some other fair ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted August 4, 2003 Report Share Posted August 4, 2003 Went yesterday, terrible traffic took 4.5 hours from leaving home in Oxford to parking up. :wacko: Glorious weather although got a bit too hot towards the end. Had a quick walk around but spent most of the time in gun maker’s row and the shooting trader’s area. Went to see the lads at ############## and purchased a pair of their finest flying deeks for my rotor (thanks to Lazza for the Pigeon watch member discount ). I looked at all the other deeks on sale at other vendors and can confirm that in my opinion, Deako’s appear to be the best quality available (I wasn't paid to say that and the discount wasn't that good! B) ) Found another nice gadget, a ‘Pecking Percy’. I hadn’t seen one these before although the name rings a bell. It’s a small servo that spikes in the ground to which you attach one of your standard shell deeks. The unit then rotates from site to side with a pecking motion. Looked very good on display so I had a pair of those too! Should be better next year as the CLA is at Blenhiem Palace, 15 minutes drive from my house so more time to look/spend!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted August 4, 2003 Report Share Posted August 4, 2003 The shotguns and pigeon shooting at the game fair was great but the Airgun section was rubbish with many companys missing. There was certainly a lot of decoying products available and endless amounts of guns. Hope the Midland game fair is better on the airgun front Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted August 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2003 Any reason why the Airgun companies weren,t there this year ? They had a very large area at last years Midland Show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted August 4, 2003 Report Share Posted August 4, 2003 Well, What can I say? We had a great Game Fair, though the last two days were very hot! :*) It was great fun to meet all the lads, YP, Mrs YP, Sniper, Markadams, Gary from G.I.Countrysports,Hammergun, Tony, Pigeon Pieman, the list goes on...Thank you all for your support, we appreciate it. :wacko: The joint winners in the beer drinking stakes were Y.P. and Gary...who we couldn't get rid of until the fridge was empty B) ...LOL...only joking mate, and thanks for the tips on parrot shooting! Thanks again Lads, and hope to meet more of you at the Midland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjimmer Posted August 4, 2003 Report Share Posted August 4, 2003 I was in the car park and under a tree by 5.15 on Friday morning. I met this Yorkshire girl(on Saturday) who, among other things, was a cattle and pig keeper, a marquee erector, a farm shop assistant and a grave digger. Oh, and she picks up at Castle Howard and other places with here Golden Retrievers. Pity about the accent, I was in danger of falling in love. I bought something from Mark, but Deako wasn't around at the time. They appear to have a great product in their rotor, but they didn't have it working. I've posted elsewhere on this. I spent nearly £600.00 (including the petrol) on stuff, that I never realised I couldn't do without. Cider at £2.60 a pint, cheeseburgers at £2.80, ice lollies at £1.00 and pork rolls at £3.00 contributed greatly, of course!!!! It's 15 years since I went to the Game Fair and prices are a lot more competitive these days. It used to be a place to find out what was available and then buy it cheaper elsewhere the next week, but not any more, perhaps. Tweed coats seemed to be priced to sell, £34.99 was the lowest I saw. The chap, who sold me a pair of binoculars, reckoned that the Weston Park fair would be the cheapest of the year. By Saturday evening I think I has seen all I wanted to see. I bet it was hot on Sunday, but I never used my ticket for that day. I expect I missed something. Curiously enough, the DEFRA stand did not appear to attract many, if any, visitors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted August 4, 2003 Report Share Posted August 4, 2003 Sorry I missed you mate, all I saw of the fair was the 'Avalon Guns' sign that was opposite our tent, and the gents every few hours...looked a massive event though. P.S...thanks to Y.P. for the baked beans! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammergun Posted August 4, 2003 Report Share Posted August 4, 2003 One of my mates went on Friday, and at the time Ben Bradshaw visited the DEFRA stand, surrounded by a number of armed bodyguards, all carrying pistols. He paid a brief visit to the CLA stand amid some protest and heckling, before rapidly departing. I think that they are finally getting the message that they aren't welcome in the countryside!!! B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeon Pieman Posted August 4, 2003 Report Share Posted August 4, 2003 Great show. Mrs Pieman and I managed to spend a shedload of money! Met Lazza and Deako, and failed to meet up with YP all day - really annoyed me! Lots to see and do, but couldn't get my mobile phone to work which made meeting up rather difficult. :< :< I even managed to buy some new decoys from a couple of blokes who looked down on their luck!! :o Mind you, I suppose Deako and Lazza will be off to Barbados next week as they probably made enough to retire on!!! B) :wacko: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjimmer Posted August 6, 2003 Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 I met a chap who told me that, from 4 years time, all night shooting of wildfowl will be banned. It's already been passed in Brussels apparantly. Stanley Duncan and the other founders of WAGBI must be turning in their graves. He also told me that WAGBI(2) is now being formed by people who are fed up with BASC's inability to protect our traditional sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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