Are game fairs wor
Shooting Times & Country|July 19, 2023
In the age of ubiquitous internet retail, what magic does the summer game fair still hold for those of a rural inclination, asks Felix Petit
Felix Petit
Are game fairs wor

In a sense, what’s the point? Why go to a game fair? Why go to considerable effort to be hot and tired and end up spending more on the latest carbon fibre fishing reel than you spent on your car? You can get nearly everything from infrared scopes to wood-fired hot tubs at a better price online or elsewhere, but there’s more to it. The Scottish Game Fair in 2022 attracted over 32,000 people so this is no village fete; something draws them in. It might seem a world away from Glastonbury, but surely there is something similar; a sense of familiarity, intimacy and that intangible sense of togetherness?

It’s not about consumerism or nostalgia, although these are certainly factors. Whether you are an urbanite with rural tendencies or a professional stalker; like Cure Salée, the yearly Saharan ‘Festival of the Nomads’, this is a chance for a short time to plug in and feel connected to a normally dispersed but passionate community. To see and be seen, to reconnect with old friends, to share stories and news with new ones.

Allan Farquharson, a keeper I met from the west coast, said coming to the Game Fair helped him feel “part of a way of life”.

Cultural touchstones

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRYView all
United we stand
Shooting Times & Country

United we stand

Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors

time-read
5 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Serious matters
Shooting Times & Country

Serious matters

An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning

time-read
3 mins  |
August 02, 2023
They're not always as easy as they seem
Shooting Times & Country

They're not always as easy as they seem

While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort

time-read
5 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Debutant gundogs
Shooting Times & Country

Debutant gundogs

There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting

time-read
4 mins  |
August 02, 2023
When the going gets rough
Shooting Times & Country

When the going gets rough

Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique

time-read
5 mins  |
August 02, 2023
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
Shooting Times & Country

The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition

In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make

time-read
4 mins  |
August 02, 2023
A step too far?
Shooting Times & Country

A step too far?

Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work

time-read
6 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Two bucks before breakfast
Shooting Times & Country

Two bucks before breakfast

A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem

time-read
6 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Stalking Diary
Shooting Times & Country

Stalking Diary

Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill

time-read
2 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Gamekeeper
Shooting Times & Country

Gamekeeper

Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside

time-read
3 mins  |
August 02, 2023