Game Fair - 2018

[Commando]

Anyone attend the Game Fair at Ragley Hall this year?  I had Fri/Sat up there, generally thought it was pretty poor this year, lots of exhibitors not there; no Landrover, no Edgar Bros, no Riko, No Stihl Sports and not much in the way of land maintenance generally.

Also thought that the events in the main arena were pretty poor... there is only so much wildfowling demo I can handle!

On the up-side I though the general layout was good as was the cider!!

Interested in others thoughts.....

[EEHL]

Stihl sports are taking place at BBC Countryfile live, thats probably why they weren't there

[Commando]

3 hours ago, EEHL said:

Stihl sports are taking place at BBC Countryfile live, thats probably why they weren't there

Well if thats not a good reason to with to Husky!!! 

[Robbo90]

I went Saturday. It was expensive to get in and didn't think much to the layout. I thought there wasn't much to do with the countryside unless you wanted cheap crap clothing that was neither use nor ornament if it was going to be used for what it was originally designed for. But it would be ok to pose in down the pub.

I know a few stall holders that refuse to have anything to do with it nowadays due to the expense of the plot.

The fishing section was no better than what you would get in your high street.

If you had half a mill going spare you could get a bloody big tractor and there was next to nothing compared to previous years for anything to do with Trees/Wood/logs.

There was plenty of shooting stuff whether you were browsing, killing clays or shooting bits of tin with your airgun, but I lost interest in that stuff years ago.

Years ago I used to think that there was always a good balance and mixture of countryside pursuits and interests, but for me this one was very poor and I don't think I will be going again unless theres a drastic change. Whether because it's no longer a CLA sponsored event maybe a lot has changed with the way the organisers vet and offer plots to stallholders has stopped a lot of exhibitors from going I don't know

[rovers90]

Similar post on a Facebook group I'm on. Somebody who used to exhibit reckoned average cost for a stall was £10-14k. Add to that your staff costs, travel, accomodation, security etc he reckoned he would have to sell £100k worth of gear to break even.

 

I think the internet has killed such shows as everyone can see what is available and at what price.

[Steve Bullman]

On 30/07/2018 at 20:27, Robbo90 said:

I went Saturday. It was expensive to get in

All these types of shows are expensive to get in, and rarely do you walk away thinking you got value for money.  Turning up with a family is astronomical.  Been to a few dog shows round this was recently, the last one we got to the gate and they wanted £8 each to get in...Now im not exactly tight, but you could see the entire area of the show from outside the cordon and it basically would have taken 10 minutes to walk around it.

[Ironbark]

If you think Game Fairs are expensive try going to an airshow. Farnborough was £47 or £67 if you wanted to be nearer the runway.

[woody paul]

It was free entry for BASC members 

[Steve Bullman]

11 minutes ago, Ironbark said:

If you think Game Fairs are expensive try going to an airshow. Farnborough was £47 or £67 if you wanted to be nearer the runway.

i'd want to be in the cockpit for that!

[mawsonarb]

Commando, is you like a real tough sexy man?