The CLA Game Fair – a world class event

As regular visitors to The CLA Game Fair will know, one of the charms of the event is that it is held at a different prestigious Estate each year. This year it is being held for the first time in its 47 year history at Belvoir Castle, Nr. Grantham, Leicestershire on Friday 22nd – Sunday 24th July – and the hosts the Duke and Duchess of Rutland are very much looking forward to welcoming everyone to what promises to be yet another fabulous location for this world class event.

This spectacular venue presents a perfect site particularly for core areas of the show where the castle sits high overlooking the whole of The Game Fair and the layout for the fishing championships, competitions and events is extremely well located in the centre of the show on the large attractive lake.

Although The Game Fair has introduced major new show features over the last 5 years, no area has grown faster than Fisherman’s Village. Fisherman’s Village is the largest most comprehensive Game Fishing show in the UK. The exhibition area is a must with all the leading rod and tackle manufacturers stands stretching along the lake in 2 long rows. Although the main onus of the exhibition is Game Fishing, anglers of all disciplines will find lots to interest them through the demonstrations and features. Michael Evans leads the line up of demonstrations by an array of much admired angling personalities including Hywel Morgan, Henry Gilby, Nick Hart, John Bailey, John Wilson, Andy Murray, Pat O’Reilly and Sue Parker. Daily competitions, Game Fair championships, tuition and rod testing are all laid out for visitors to take part in including Salmon and Trout Distance events sponsored by Daiwa, the Knight Frank Trout Accuracy, the International Spey Casting Championship, Hardy Adult Tuition and the Orvis Junior Tuition.

Added events and displays this year will include a fantastic exhibition of Pike images from Fred Buller’s researches over the years plus pike fishing history with graphic and striking images! A central meeting area will incorporate a history display, book signing area, ‘meet the stars opportunity’, coffee bars and refreshments plus a forum for various political and informative debates on the future of Angling.

Whilst in its own right the leading angling event in the UK, The CLA Game Fair has a great deal more that will appeal to all country sport enthusiasts and countryside lovers. Gunmakers Row and the clay line in themselves warrant a trip to Belvoir. There are over 140 exhibitors including all the leading gunmakers. The clay line is made up of competition stands, with entries for all levels, 10 ‘Pay and Clay’ stands offering a great variety of sporting birds with guns and cartridges available on them all, 15 tuition stands by BASC, CA and CPSA, and the renowned John Bidwell Shooting Arena.

In the gundog section there will be the greatest line up of different gundog breeds on display in the Sporting Dog Pavilion, and the programme of displays in the Gundog Ring and championships in the International Arena will fill your day.

The newer show areas which include The Totally Food Show, Elegant Gardens and Hooked on Horses are all growing in importance as well. These areas offer families and newcomers the opportunity to enjoy a great day out, whilst at the same time introducing them to traditional country sports through the many Have a Go features, tuition areas, and advice stands.

If you haven’t visited The Game Fair for a while, or indeed if you have never been, make a point to do so this year it really is the king of Game Fairs.

To find out more visit The CLA Game Fair website www.gamefair.co.uk. For advance tickets telephone 0870 126 1751. For hotel bookings telephone 0870 290 3030, or for caravan and tent bookings contact by telephone or fax on 01908 588051 or email gamefaircampsite@hotmail.com