The Country / Game Fair Season

armo.

Well-Known Member
What's the appeal of these country fairs to the average punter?

I went to the CLA game fair at Blenheim 10 or more years ago and apart from costly entrance fees, queues to park (horrendous), queues to depart (horrendous), a long walk to the 'action', there wasn't really much to whet the appetite once in. There were rows and rows (and more rows) of retailers selling their wares - I wasn't buying, so that was of zero interest. There was a demo of fly fishing, which I've been doing since I was ten, so that was a bit of a yawn, an airgun gallery (!), a clay pigeon have-a-go bit (I can shoot clays anytime I want, but never do), a guy with a massive wolfhound expounding on deer-stalking - I'm sure there are stalkers that use deerhounds, but I'm unlikely ever to be one. Then I went home.

All in all, I'd have been better off every way had I just picked up the rifle and went for a quiet stalk.

Oh, just remembered I had a venison burger, but that wasn't much of a treat, given that venison has been a staple of my diet for a long time.

Am I the only one that fails to notice a quickened heartbeat when the 'country/game fair' season is breathlessly announced? What is the attraction of these events for the non-stallholders amongst us?
 
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What's the appeal of these country fairs to the average punter?

I went to the CLA game fair at Blenheim 10 or more years ago and apart from costly entrance fees, queues to park (horrendous), queues to depart (horrendous), a long walk to the 'action', there wasn't really much to whet the appetite once in. There were rows and rows (and more rows) of retailers selling their wares - I wasn't buying, so that was of zero interest. There was a demo of fly fishing, which I've been doing since I was ten, so that was a bit of a yawn, an airgun gallery (!), a clay pigeon have-a-go bit (I can shoot clays anytime I want, but never do), an a guy with a massive wolfhound expounding on deer-stalking - I'm sure there are stalkers that use deerhounds, but I'm unlikely ever to be one. Then I went home.

All in all, I'd have been better off every way had I just picked up the rifle and went for a quiet stalk.

Oh, just remembered I had a venison burger, but that wasn't much of a treat, given that venison has been a staple of my diet for a long time.

Am I the only one that fails to notice a quickened heartbeat when the 'country/game fair' season is breathlessly announced? What is the attraction of these events for the non-stallholders amongst us?
cheerful chap aren't you :p just what would have made it interesting for you ? :lol:
 
Lmao.... thats exactly what i was thinking kenny until i scrolled down to your post..:lol:

Usually theres the opportunity to meet up with some like minded folk off this site for one and share a pint and a chat..

I like going round the stalls wether i buy anything or not, yet usually come away with something or other..

Sure the long wait to get out the car park can be a drag but my family and i still like to go..
 
Im with Pheasant sniper..I like a mooch, enjoy taking non shooting friends and thier children who get to have a go with top end air rifles, get a bit of clay instruction, watch the gun dogs working and I love looking at guns and scopes I cant afford :)
 
For me, it's a get-together with mates (shooting and non-shooting) that I don't see as much as I would like to, a wander around together looking at things and having a laugh, a bit of inappropriate competiveness with air rifles/clays/archery/fly casting, and generally spending time in an environment that doesn't make me feel as though I'm completely out-of-place because I like being outside and I'm not interested in celebrity culture.
 
:lol::lol: We have gone as a family for as many years as i care to remember, my other half gets plastered with my sister and mother on pims in the sun myself and my father drool over old London Guns we meet up with people we seldom see in the summer months, talk to people with mutal interest and genrally enjoy having a day out as a family at an event that has something we all have an interest in whether its Guns,Gundogs,Fly fishing, hunting, horses and being with friends!!
i grew up with both rod and gun in the countryside surrounded by country sports everyday of my life and i still manage to find something that interest me every year!
 
Oh well, we'll have to agree to differ.

Take local agricultural shows - they're usually reasonably purposeful, e.g. with stock & produce displays and awards, so they're fine, but the game shows seem to be overly commercialised with not much in the way of action that I couldn't do elsewhere for nowt. I'd still much rather spend the day stalking.
 
The Dubarry stand, oh yes... but you just know when they are giving away champagne you're gonna get fleeced :D
 
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