Challenging weatherconditionsfailto dampenspirits
as thousandsflockto enjoyHatfieldHouse event
ALAMY / A. WARD
The61stGameFairhasbeenhailed
a success,despiteanextraordinary
rangeofweatherconditionsand
controversyovertheline-up.
Therewastorrentialrain,hailand
temperaturesthatsoaredashigh
as38ºCduringthethreedays.
Thecontroversiallast-minute
decisiontowithdrawinvitations
toanti-shootingcampaigners
ChrisPackhamandDrMarkAvery
didnotdeter114,203people
fromvisitingthefairatHatfield
HouseinHertfordshire.
Theeventfeaturedalmost
1,000exhibitorssellingeverything
fromgunstosunglasses.Roughly
200 exhibitorswereattendingthe
fairforthefirsttime.Totalsalesfor
theweekendarebelieved to have
topped £60million.
Themajorcountryside
organisationswerealso
represented,withBASC,the
CountrysideAlliance,theGWCT
andtheKennelClubamong
thoseattending.
SarahLee,headofpolicyatthe
CountrysideAlliance,said:“Wehad
a greatweekendattheGameFair,
welcomingoldandnewmembers,
friendsandpeoplewhojustwanted
tolearnmoreaboutwhatweare
doingandcampaigningon.”
SusanRought-Whittafrom
Staffordshire,attendingwithher
husbandSteveforthethirdtime,
said:“WewentonSundayandhad
a wonderfulday.Themuddyand
drizzlyconditionscertainlydidn’t
spoiltheevent.Wesaweverything
we wanted to — hounds parading,
a demonstrationonhowtobutcher
a wildboar,gundogdisplays
—aswellasmanagingsome
seriousretailtherapy.”
Butthefairwasn’tallfunand
frivolity.Politicalissuesaffecting
thecountrysideandfieldsports
werediscussedintheCarterJonas
Theatre.Thereweredebatesona
rangeofissuesincludingwhether
a deer-stalkingstylequalification
is a goodideaforgameShots.
TheGameFairmanaging
directorJamesGowersaid:“I have
workedintheeventsandexhibition
industryfor 30 years,buttheGame
Faircontinuestobethehighlight
formepersonally.Thisyearhas
beenanothergreatsuccess.I am
excitedandproudtobepartofthe
wonderfulcollectionofindustries,
businessandcommunitiesthat
weserve,andI lookforwardto
welcomingthemalltoRagleyHall
in Warwickshire nextyear.”
Matt Cross
Heat and rain fail
to faze fair-goers
EVENTS DIARY
1 2 A U G U S T
GROUSESEASON
OPENS
Getreadyforthe
Glorious Twelfth
25-26AUGUST
FENLAND
COUNTRY
FAIR
Stow-cum-QuyPark,
Stow-cum-Quy
fenlandfairs.com
31 AUGUST
DEVONANNUAL
AUCTIONOFPROMISES
InaidoftheGWCT
HonitonShowground,
StockersFarm,Gittisham
gwct.org.uk/events
5 SEPTEMBER
LADIES’BEGINNERS
ANDNOVICECLAY
TARGETSHOOTINGDAY
Henrhydwaterfalls
WaunUchafclay
shootingground,Neath
basc.org.uk/events
7-8SEPTEMBER
SANDRINGHAM
GAMEAND
COUNTRYFAIR
Sandringham
estate,Norfolk
gameandcountryfair.co.uk
7 SEPTEMBER
LADIES’DRIVEN
PARTRIDGEAND
DUCKSHOOT
NaughtonEstate,
Balmerino,Newport-on-Tay
basc.org.uk/events
Morethan114,000peoplevisited
thisyear’sGameFairatHatfield
House, with sales topping £60m
“Themuddyconditionscertainly
didn’t spoil the event for us”
8 • SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRY MAGAZINE
NEWS