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what would YOU like in a game fair - be sensible chaps


Pike
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Knowing you lot will always give an honest answer and have a point of view on most things :angry: I have a question for you.

 

I am co-ordinating the game and countryside area at the 2008 Essex Young Farmers show and am currently looking for exhibitors. What I wanted to know is

 

Who or what would you guys like to see in a game area, and how can i encourage those not already into fieldsports to atleast have a look and a chat with those that are?

 

Your suggestions would be very welcome indeed

 

thanks guys

 

Pike

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You need to have a cross section of all country sports, and from what I have seen most Country fairs/game fairs seem to do this quite nicely. The one thing I have found (excluding the CLA Gamefair) is the lack of gun shop stands. Now nobody is expecting the gunmakers row scenario at every fair, but most of the ones up our way you're lucky to see one or two stands.

 

Also kick out the crappy carboot, non countryside activity type stands. I don't want chinese herbal medicine, flowery water sprayers that attach to hosepipes for the kids, or stalls selling handbags, jewellery, supposed antiques, helicopter flights. :angry:

 

Now that game can be sold all year round, more stalls doing exhibitions on how to prepare game dinners, game products. :unsure:

 

I realise that you are limited to the amount of space you guys have, but a have ago area on clays is a must to encourage more people into shooting, likewise pond, lake (temp or permanant) for fishing demo's. More long netting, ferretting, falconry, gundog training, pigeon decoying, wildfowing. Chris Green is the bloke to get in for the last two if he is available, good laughing, good commentry and good knowledge. :unsure:

 

Get each of the various organisations there, BDS, BASC, CPSA, BASA, NGO, NOBS, local and not so local wildfowling clubs, encourage people to learn what actually happens in the countryside rather than what certain newspapers, magazines, TV programmes like to believe happens.

 

Make sure they are plenty of have ago stands on all the various disciplines of country sports where possible.

 

Good luck and let us know when the dates are, Is this at Barleylands??

 

SS

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I agree with Suffolk Shooter, get all of that and it wud b a game fair I wudn't mind goin 2. I feel he "have a go" stands r a must at any game fair. I tried clay pigeon shooting at a game fair and thoroughly enjoyed it and I always try my hand at the air rifle stands. :angry:

 

sjk

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I agree with Suffolk Shooter, get all of that and it wud b a game fair I wudn't mind goin 2. I feel he "have a go" stands r a must at any game fair. I tried clay pigeon shooting at a game fair and thoroughly enjoyed it and I always try my hand at the air rifle stands. :angry:

 

sjk

 

Your quite right sjk, an air rifle have ago stand is a must for the smaller kids to get them into it. I know my daughter really enjoys the air-rifle stand at the Fenland gamefair. :unsure: My wife first fired a gun at the Suffolk Country Fair at Glemham hall.

 

SS :unsure:

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Things that let the uncommitted public get involved.

 

Clay shooting (at a reasonable cost) with guns supplied, plus the airgun range.

 

Gundog demonstrations if possible, or at least have a good selection there.

 

My favourite is as large a ferret court as you can set up, with "petting" opportunities and people prepared to talk about keeping and working ferrets.

The setup at the Kent Game Fair this year was excellent, it had a big crowd round it all the time we were there.

 

If you have the chance of some food tasting , where the main ingredients are pigeon, rabbit, game etc.

Perhaps even having some product for sale.

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Some great suggestions here, I want to go already :D

 

I agree with SS that you should leave out the ****. I went to a small game fair in Cheshire this year and there was a double glazing company there :unsure: :lol: :lol: :good: :unsure:

 

A proper army surplus stand would be good though, lots of animal demos, working dogs etc. Food tasting :no: Love it - can't get enough of that, cheeses, sausage, game produce, bring it on :angry:

 

All the have-a-go stuff, air rifles, clays, archery, fly casting etc

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uve got gun dog training but ide like to see lurcher and long dog

training events i no they do the showing, the full stretch, and simulated

hare coursing .but i think if you showed folk the basics of training them

then you might get more poeple into the sport its gotta be worth a try

its still a feild craft at the end of the day.

 

 

paddy.

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Each and every one a rock solid suggestion, without exception.

 

It's the have a look / go with stuff that would work the best for example (and I know you would never get the HSE and police clearance) but who wouldn't want a go on that massive rifle that we keep seeing bowling over various people with turbans on in the glass shooting range on You Tube. A tenner a go and you get it back if you can keep on your feet.

 

.22RF shooting gallery - I remember shooting these on ranges at Southend about 25 years ago, ah memories.

 

Animal petting for the kids, fun fair and steam engines. Oh and don't forget the food - tell the **** burger vans to b-off and get proper food in.

 

I guess the real problem is that the likes of the double glazing lot have very deep pockets and marketing budgets - if they sell 1 or 2 installations and generate say 50 leads then they can throw thousands and thousands at getting the plot / pitch at the fair. They would also pay more to make sure their competition don't get a sniff. Money makes the show go round.

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Knowing you lot will always give an honest answer and have a point of view on most things :angry: I have a question for you.

 

I am co-ordinating the game and countryside area at the 2008 Essex Young Farmers show and am currently looking for exhibitors. What I wanted to know is

 

Who or what would you guys like to see in a game area, and how can i encourage those not already into fieldsports to atleast have a look and a chat with those that are?

 

Your suggestions would be very welcome indeed

 

thanks guys

 

Pike

 

 

 

Pike, all of the above, but in particular, stands showing how to prepare and cook game and also the opportunity to taste it. I don't think I've ever been able to do this at any of the fairs so far!

 

Also, perhaps an area for farmers looking for help with pigeon / vermin control to meet the likes of us??

 

Iaindp

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Thanks for all your suggestions chaps and keep them coming

 

The show is on SUNDAY 18 MAY and HAS MOVED to Boyton Hall Roxwell

 

We will hopefully getting Simon Whitehead back to do all things ferret and I have arranged some friends to put on some coursing demo's although due to space restraints It will only be a 150yd straight dash.

 

I completely agree re: have a go stands and this year it is my intention to have a 'hands on' element to each and every stand within the Gamefair area. As far as double glazing etc. is concerned all the exhibitors on site have to be linked to agric/shooting/countryside and they certainly will not be getting into gamefair!

 

If anyone knows of a group/company/club who would be interested in putting on same game prep demo's and sales (or anything else you would particularly like to see)please do pm me as I would love to talk to them .

 

Look forward to seeing some of you there - might even catch up at the bar for a pint or two

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Pike, I shall definitely come along, as half of my firm seem to have some (past or present) involvement in Essex YFC. I'm not sure whether you can convince a local RFD (Leech & Sons, Roding Armoury, Essex Gun) to set up a trade stand for the show, if that hasn't already been done/considered?

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Pike, I shall definitely come along, as half of my firm seem to have some (past or present) involvement in Essex YFC. I'm not sure whether you can convince a local RFD (Leech & Sons, Roding Armoury, Essex Gun) to set up a trade stand for the show, if that hasn't already been done/considered?

 

 

Cheers Baldrick,

 

Will be speaking to Neville at Essex this week and letter winging it's way to they boys at Roding. Be good to see you there

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Thanks for all your suggestions chaps and keep them coming

 

The show is on SUNDAY 18 MAY and HAS MOVED to Boyton Hall Roxwell

 

We will hopefully getting Simon Whitehead back to do all things ferret and I have arranged some friends to put on some coursing demo's although due to space restraints It will only be a 150yd straight dash.

 

I completely agree re: have a go stands and this year it is my intention to have a 'hands on' element to each and every stand within the Gamefair area. As far as double glazing etc. is concerned all the exhibitors on site have to be linked to agric/shooting/countryside and they certainly will not be getting into gamefair!

 

If anyone knows of a group/company/club who would be interested in putting on same game prep demo's and sales (or anything else you would particularly like to see)please do pm me as I would love to talk to them .

 

Look forward to seeing some of you there - might even catch up at the bar for a pint or two

Simon Whitehead is a good bloke and it was he who told my Mum that it was always the women who wanted more ferrets once you got them. At this point we had no ferrets and My Mum wouldn't let me. I got some anyway and further additions to my menagerie have been because of her. :angry:

 

FM :yes:

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Pike, I shall definitely come along, as half of my firm seem to have some (past or present) involvement in Essex YFC. I'm not sure whether you can convince a local RFD (Leech & Sons, Roding Armoury, Essex Gun) to set up a trade stand for the show, if that hasn't already been done/considered?

 

 

Cheers Baldrick,

 

Will be speaking to Neville at Essex this week and letter winging it's way to they boys at Roding. Be good to see you there

 

Try Alan at Eastern Sporting in Baddow. Those two at are Essex Gun are miserable *******

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