AlbertJ 569 Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 TERRIER and LURCHER OWNERS WELCOME TO COMPETE WITHIN OUR FAIRS NOT OUTSIDE OUR FAIRS We at the Great Game Fairs of Ireland would like to make it clear that we provide first class showing and racing facilities for Terrier, Whippet & Lurcher enthusiasts inside our fairs. I have to admit that prior to me coming on this forum and receiving, the sometimes robust comments about prizes and entry fees, I had rather left both up to our organising club and prizes had certainly fallen behind my own interests of shooting and gundogs. Now my colleagues think I am in danger of giving terrier and lurcher enthusiasts PREFERENTIAL treatment and they rather expect me to turn up any day with a brace of lurchers and terriers! I have always made it clear that I think that all country sports enthusiasts should be an integral part of the fair and I have made it clear that so long as I am a director of the Great Game Fairs of Ireland, Terrier and Lurcher owners will have their own competition area WITHIN the confines of the Main Fair. IRELAND's Most Prestigious Terrier & Lurcher Events will be staged at Shanes Castle. For those who have not been before this is sited on one of the two main exhibition areas with a superb and well cut course and good ringside parking. Similar conditions prevail at our fairs at Ballywalter and Birr. The event at Shanes Castle includes : The 24th anniversary Barbour/Irish Countrysports and Country Life All Ireland Terrier and Lurcher Championships Show and Racing. With a Barbour Coat plus the opportunity to win the coveted All Ireland Champion Title - this is and has been since its inception Ireland's largest gathering of terrier and lurchers , the REAL All Ireland Championships and indisputably the blue riband event of its kind in Ireland. Racing will take place on Saturday with the Show on Sunday. Prizes: Overall Show Champion Barbour Coat worth £400 – This will be judged from Champion Terrier, Champion Lurcher and Champion Whippet. Top Terrier & Lurcher qualify for the Midland Game Fair Championships. Show Prizes : Champion Lurcher £50 plus Tankard; Champion Terrier £50 plus tankard; Champion Whippet £50 plus tankard plus bags of dog food. Good Trophies & Rosettes for Each Class. Racing : Over 23" Lurcher, Under 23" Lurcher and Whippets All winners £40 plus bags of dog food. The New REDMILLS INTERNATIONAL LURCHER CHAMPIONSHIPS HEAT The Champion Lurcher qualifies for the Five Nations International Championship Final to take place at the Irish Game & Country Fair on Sunday 28th August 2011. The prize fund for the winner of this championship is expected to exceed €1,500 and the winner of the Shanes Castle heat qualifies for €50 towards at Birr. The REDMILLS MASTER McGRATH CHALLENGE TO FIND THE FASTEST LURCHER IN THE UK and IRELAND This is a competition that has excited great interest all over Ireland and the UK. A number of qualifying heats have taken place and others are planned for the GRAND FINAL over 150 yards to take place at Shanes Castle on the 25th June 2011. Please note there will NOT be a heat at Shanes Castle but after the final, the normal ALL Ireland Terrier & Lurcher Championship racing will take place over the normal longer distance. The Winner of the Master McGrath Challenge will win a prize package worth between £1500 and £2,000 plus of course a very prestigious title . It will be at least €500 cash, a Barbour Coat worth €500 plus a portrait of their dog by well known canine artist David L Prescott plus dog food and other ancillary prizes. We trust that you have seen that I have responded fully to criticisms and that it is our intention to provide terrier, whippet and lurcher owners with first class show & racing conditions; innovative competitions with good prize structures; good ringside parking ; fair entry fees; good admission charges and to have them as an important and integral part of our fairs. Of course it is not only in terms of terriers and lurchers that the Great Game Fairs of Ireland lead the field - if you look at our web site www.irishgamefair.com you will see the fantastic range of other attractions and competitions( still being added to as we speak. AlbertJ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tango 221 Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 Have to say albert all credit to you,when we first spoke two years ago it was about the problems with the fair and youve taken some stick on here since then but i mean it when i say well done on that prize fund and hats of to you Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlbertJ 569 Posted May 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 Have to say albert all credit to you,when we first spoke two years ago it was about the problems with the fair and youve taken some stick on here since then but i mean it when i say well done on that prize fund and hats of to you Tango, Thanks for your comment - I didn't mind the stick because out of it came several positive ideas and even more positive ideas for the future. Although Ballywalter ran on a bit ( as did Mourne) due to the number of dogs - both shows enabled me to spend time, meet and talk to a lot of enthusiasts (and I mean enthusiasts) about what they want from their sport, shows etc. I am always willing to listen to positive ideas and even address negative ones! We have come a long way with our terrier and lurchers over the last couple of years but anyone who knows me realise that I seek constant impriovement - that is why our events continue to grow even in a recession. Albertj Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlbertJ 569 Posted May 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 (edited) TERRIER and LURCHER OWNERS WELCOME TO COMPETE WITHIN OUR FAIRS NOT OUTSIDE OUR FAIRS We at the Great Game Fairs of Ireland would like to make it clear that we provide first class showing and racing facilities for Terrier, Whippet & Lurcher enthusiasts inside our fairs. I have to admit that prior to me coming on this forum and receiving, the sometimes robust comments about prizes and entry fees, I had rather left both up to our organising club and prizes had certainly fallen behind my own interests of shooting and gundogs. Now my colleagues think I am in danger of giving terrier and lurcher enthusiasts PREFERENTIAL treatment and they rather expect me to turn up any day with a brace of lurchers and terriers! I have always made it clear that I think that all country sports enthusiasts should be an integral part of the fair and I have made it clear that so long as I am a director of the Great Game Fairs of Ireland, Terrier and Lurcher owners will have their own competition area WITHIN the confines of the Main Fair. IRELAND's Most Prestigious Terrier & Lurcher Events will be staged at Shanes Castle. For those who have not been before this is sited on one of the two main exhibition areas with a superb and well cut course and good ringside parking. Similar conditions prevail at our fairs at Ballywalter and Birr. The event at Shanes Castle includes : The 24th anniversary Barbour/Irish Countrysports and Country Life All Ireland Terrier and Lurcher Championships Show and Racing. With a Barbour Coat plus the opportunity to win the coveted All Ireland Champion Title - this is and has been since its inception Ireland's largest gathering of terrier and lurchers , the REAL All Ireland Championships and indisputably the blue riband event of its kind in Ireland. Racing will take place on Saturday with the Show on Sunday. Prizes: Overall Show Champion Barbour Coat worth £400 This will be judged from Champion Terrier, Champion Lurcher and Champion Whippet. Top Terrier & Lurcher qualify for the Midland Game Fair Championships. Show Prizes : Champion Lurcher £50 plus Tankard; Champion Terrier £50 plus tankard; Champion Whippet £50 plus tankard plus bags of dog food. Good Trophies & Rosettes for Each Class. Racing : Over 23" Lurcher, Under 23" Lurcher and Whippets All winners £40 plus bags of dog food. The New REDMILLS INTERNATIONAL LURCHER CHAMPIONSHIPS HEAT The Champion Lurcher qualifies for the Five Nations International Championship Final to take place at the Irish Game & Country Fair on Sunday 28th August 2011. The prize fund for the winner of this championship is expected to exceed €1,500 and the winner of the Shanes Castle heat qualifies for €50 towards at Birr. The REDMILLS MASTER McGRATH CHALLENGE TO FIND THE FASTEST LURCHER IN THE UK and IRELAND This is a competition that has excited great interest all over Ireland and the UK. A number of qualifying heats have taken place and others are planned for the GRAND FINAL over 150 yards to take place at Shanes Castle on the 25th June 2011. Please note there will NOT be a heat at Shanes Castle but after the final, the normal ALL Ireland Terrier & Lurcher Championship racing will take place over the normal longer distance. The Winner of the Master McGrath Challenge will win a prize package worth between £1500 and £2,000 plus of course a very prestigious title . It will be at least €500 cash, a Barbour Coat worth €500 plus a portrait of their dog by well known canine artist David L Prescott plus dog food and other ancillary prizes. We trust that you have seen that I have responded fully to criticisms and that it is our intention to provide terrier, whippet and lurcher owners with first class show & racing conditions; innovative competitions with good prize structures; good ringside parking ; fair entry fees; good admission charges and to have them as an important and integral part of our fairs. Of course it is not only in terms of terriers and lurchers that the Great Game Fairs of Ireland lead the field - if you look at our web site www.irishgamefair.com you will see the fantastic range of other attractions and competitions( still being added to as we speak. AlbertJ Our brand names and trade marks of the Irish Game Fair and Irish Game and Country Fair are important to us not only because we have spent a great deal of money in promoting them but also because they are very personal statements of what we believe is the best way to organise an Irish game or country fair and its associated events and competitions. They are also a personal statement of the commitment and high standards that we bring to these events. The brand name of an event that has similar attractions and is staged at Moira is the National Countrysports Fair. We don't mind competition if that competition sticks to promoting their own brand name and not using variants of ours. While there are some similarities in the events we try to create a different identity by bringing in new attractions and upping the level of attractions/competitions where there are similarities and of course stressing the different philosophy behind our approach to our events, attractions and competitions. Our focus is both all Ireland and international - that is why we have international gundog events ( not just North/South events) and we have been organising International Terrier & Lurcher events. We also believe that all events should be inside the main fair not outside of it. On both counts the organisers of the NCF apparently disagree. That is why people attending the Shanes Castle event on the 25th & 26th June will see quite a different event than that put on at Moira. I hope they enjoy both as different events. So all I ask from the Moira organisers is that material including posters for the Moira event should be branded National Countrysports Fair - we will not be using that branding on any of our literature or posters. Albertj Edited May 24, 2011 by AlbertJ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pigsy 34 Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 (edited) Have to say albert all credit to you,when we first spoke two years ago it was about the problems with the fair and youve taken some stick on here since then but i mean it when i say well done on that prize fund and hats of to you Tango, Thanks for your comment - I didn't mind the stick because out of it came several positive ideas and even more positive ideas for the future. Although Ballywalter ran on a bit ( as did Mourne) due to the number of dogs - both shows enabled me to spend time, meet and talk to a lot of enthusiasts (and I mean enthusiasts) about what they want from their sport, shows etc. I am always willing to listen to positive ideas and even address negative ones! We have come a long way with our terrier and lurchers over the last couple of years but anyone who knows me realise that I seek constant impriovement - that is why our events continue to grow even in a recession. Albertj Can not get my head around why every show seems to be in competion with the last You Albert lead the field on this in the opening coment in this topic you seem to be having a pop at Moria for having their lurcher event out side the main fair ,This has some good points and bad points suits some but not others ie some folk love the spot light with their race bred dogs in hope to win a masive cup a £500 COAT and a baseball cap with qualifer wrote on it if racing and showing your thing then fair enough Then there in the event where the dogs are mot in the main event where you have young lads not working giving one of their mates a few quid for fuel to get there and a limited amount of money their dogs out to the early hours working with all the scars on the dogs to be match the work they have done and the game and quarry they have dispatched It would be my opion that most of the bestworkin dogs have never deen a game fair Shanes and Ballywalter are favouring the race bred and show bred dogs with with a title at stake your goimg to get trophie hunters coming into the ring and with the heat of GENTLEMAN HANDLER & LADY HANDLER next you will have whippets stand tables Can we not get back to basics where yhis is abit of craick abit of fun raising afew quid for charity Edited May 24, 2011 by pigsy 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlbertJ 569 Posted May 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 Have to say albert all credit to you,when we first spoke two years ago it was about the problems with the fair and youve taken some stick on here since then but i mean it when i say well done on that prize fund and hats of to you Tango, Thanks for your comment - I didn't mind the stick because out of it came several positive ideas and even more positive ideas for the future. Although Ballywalter ran on a bit ( as did Mourne) due to the number of dogs - both shows enabled me to spend time, meet and talk to a lot of enthusiasts (and I mean enthusiasts) about what they want from their sport, shows etc. I am always willing to listen to positive ideas and even address negative ones! We have come a long way with our terrier and lurchers over the last couple of years but anyone who knows me realise that I seek constant impriovement - that is why our events continue to grow even in a recession. Albertj Can not get my head around why every show seems to be in competion with the last You Albert lead the field on this in the opening coment in this topic you seem to be having a pop at Moria for having their lurcher event out side the main fair ,This has some good points and bad points suits some but not others ie some folk love the spot light with their race bred dogs in hope to win a masive cup a £500 COAT and a baseball cap with qualifer wrote on it if racing and showing your thing then fair enough Then there in the event where the dogs are mot in the main event where you have young lads not working giving one of their mates a few quid for fuel to get there and a limited amount of money their dogs out to the early hours working with all the scars on the dogs to be match the work they have done and the game and quarry they have dispatched It would be my opion that most of the bestworkin dogs have never deen a game fair Shanes and Ballywalter are favouring the race bred and show bred dogs with with a title at stake your goimg to get trophie hunters coming into the ring and with the heat of GENTLEMAN HANDLER & LADY HANDLER next you will have whippets stand tables Can we not get back to basics where yhis is abit of craick abit of fun raising afew quid for charity Pigsy, Thanks for your comments which I can see are honestly felt. Because of the confusion about the two fairs being close to each other geographically and in time and with Moira using posters with GAME FAIR - our brand name - on them there is some confusion eg Cheesegrater on the other thread accused us at Shanes having the Terrier& Lurchers outside the fair the same way as Moira has. I have heard similar allegations elsewhere. I wanted to make it quite clear to T&L owners that Shanes is different to Moira - it is up to T&L owners to decide whether they want to show and race outside a fair or inside it. They have a clear choice. I upped the prizes in response to comments on this forum and to bring them in line with other events at our fairs plus if you want to bring international competition to Ireland you have to have good prize money. I cannot see that Ballywalter, Birr and Shanes will attract a different type of owner than those who will go to Moira but as the owner of working golden retrievers and gordon setters I have always thought 'horses for courses'. I don't expect to win with my golden retrievers if I attend a show! I am delighted when I do occasionally bring them out and they do well at the odd show. But I don't expect show organisers to handicap better show specimens. That's what working classes are for! The children's. ladies and gents classes are a bit of fun and do not have large prize funds the more serious competition does. Albertj Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ant dog 1 Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 Have to say albert all credit to you,when we first spoke two years ago it was about the problems with the fair and youve taken some stick on here since then but i mean it when i say well done on that prize fund and hats of to you Tango, Thanks for your comment - I didn't mind the stick because out of it came several positive ideas and even more positive ideas for the future. Although Ballywalter ran on a bit ( as did Mourne) due to the number of dogs - both shows enabled me to spend time, meet and talk to a lot of enthusiasts (and I mean enthusiasts) about what they want from their sport, shows etc. I am always willing to listen to positive ideas and even address negative ones! We have come a long way with our terrier and lurchers over the last couple of years but anyone who knows me realise that I seek constant impriovement - that is why our events continue to grow even in a recession. Albertj Can not get my head around why every show seems to be in competion with the last You Albert lead the field on this in the opening coment in this topic you seem to be having a pop at Moria for having their lurcher event out side the main fair ,This has some good points and bad points suits some but not others ie some folk love the spot light with their race bred dogs in hope to win a masive cup a £500 COAT and a baseball cap with qualifer wrote on it if racing and showing your thing then fair enough Then there in the event where the dogs are mot in the main event where you have young lads not working giving one of their mates a few quid for fuel to get there and a limited amount of money their dogs out to the early hours working with all the scars on the dogs to be match the work they have done and the game and quarry they have dispatched It would be my opion that most of the bestworkin dogs have never deen a game fair Shanes and Ballywalter are favouring the race bred and show bred dogs with with a title at stake your goimg to get trophie hunters coming into the ring and with the heat of GENTLEMAN HANDLER & LADY HANDLER next you will have whippets stand tables Can we not get back to basics where yhis is abit of craick abit of fun raising afew quid for charity well said pigsy trophy hunters look at the whippet working ring id say 1 r two has seen work anything for a trophy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tango 221 Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 Have to say albert all credit to you,when we first spoke two years ago it was about the problems with the fair and youve taken some stick on here since then but i mean it when i say well done on that prize fund and hats of to you Tango, Thanks for your comment - I didn't mind the stick because out of it came several positive ideas and even more positive ideas for the future. Although Ballywalter ran on a bit ( as did Mourne) due to the number of dogs - both shows enabled me to spend time, meet and talk to a lot of enthusiasts (and I mean enthusiasts) about what they want from their sport, shows etc. I am always willing to listen to positive ideas and even address negative ones! We have come a long way with our terrier and lurchers over the last couple of years but anyone who knows me realise that I seek constant impriovement - that is why our events continue to grow even in a recession. Albertj no bother albert the digging championship added an hour and a half to the mourne this time round but we will start a little earlier next year to counter that,i hope you enjoed your time with us.and we raised 500 in total after costs which went to capaa and the community rescue service.hope to see you on the 7th Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlbertJ 569 Posted May 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2011 Have to say albert all credit to you,when we first spoke two years ago it was about the problems with the fair and youve taken some stick on here since then but i mean it when i say well done on that prize fund and hats of to you Tango, Thanks for your comment - I didn't mind the stick because out of it came several positive ideas and even more positive ideas for the future. Although Ballywalter ran on a bit ( as did Mourne) due to the number of dogs - both shows enabled me to spend time, meet and talk to a lot of enthusiasts (and I mean enthusiasts) about what they want from their sport, shows etc. I am always willing to listen to positive ideas and even address negative ones! We have come a long way with our terrier and lurchers over the last couple of years but anyone who knows me realise that I seek constant impriovement - that is why our events continue to grow even in a recession. Albertj The Master Mc Grath Challenge has stimulated such interest and such potentially tight competition that I felt that it might be fairer to have a prize for the runner up especially as he or she might have their dog besaten by literally inches. So through my good friend Tom Gardiner of Gardiner Bros Jewellers we now have a prize of a £250 watch for the runner up. Not being sexist but as I would like to have the watches there on the day it will be a gentleman's watch. Albertj Alberj 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlbertJ 569 Posted May 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 TERRIER and LURCHER OWNERS WELCOME TO COMPETE WITHIN OUR FAIRS NOT OUTSIDE OUR FAIRS We at the Great Game Fairs of Ireland would like to make it clear that we provide first class showing and racing facilities for Terrier, Whippet & Lurcher enthusiasts inside our fairs. I have to admit that prior to me coming on this forum and receiving, the sometimes robust comments about prizes and entry fees, I had rather left both up to our organising club and prizes had certainly fallen behind my own interests of shooting and gundogs. Now my colleagues think I am in danger of giving terrier and lurcher enthusiasts PREFERENTIAL treatment and they rather expect me to turn up any day with a brace of lurchers and terriers! I have always made it clear that I think that all country sports enthusiasts should be an integral part of the fair and I have made it clear that so long as I am a director of the Great Game Fairs of Ireland, Terrier and Lurcher owners will have their own competition area WITHIN the confines of the Main Fair. IRELAND's Most Prestigious Terrier & Lurcher Events will be staged at Shanes Castle. For those who have not been before this is sited on one of the two main exhibition areas with a superb and well cut course and good ringside parking. Similar conditions prevail at our fairs at Ballywalter and Birr. The event at Shanes Castle includes : The 24th anniversary Barbour/Irish Countrysports and Country Life All Ireland Terrier and Lurcher Championships Show and Racing. With a Barbour Coat plus the opportunity to win the coveted All Ireland Champion Title - this is and has been since its inception Ireland's largest gathering of terrier and lurchers , the REAL All Ireland Championships and indisputably the blue riband event of its kind in Ireland. Racing will take place on Saturday with the Show on Sunday. Prizes: Overall Show Champion Barbour Coat worth £400 – This will be judged from Champion Terrier, Champion Lurcher and Champion Whippet. Top Terrier & Lurcher qualify for the Midland Game Fair Championships. Show Prizes : Champion Lurcher £50 plus Tankard; Champion Terrier £50 plus tankard; Champion Whippet £50 plus tankard plus bags of dog food. Good Trophies & Rosettes for Each Class. Racing : Over 23" Lurcher, Under 23" Lurcher and Whippets All winners £40 plus bags of dog food. The New REDMILLS INTERNATIONAL LURCHER CHAMPIONSHIPS HEAT The Champion Lurcher qualifies for the Five Nations International Championship Final to take place at the Irish Game & Country Fair on Sunday 28th August 2011. The prize fund for the winner of this championship is expected to exceed €1,500 and the winner of the Shanes Castle heat qualifies for €50 towards at Birr. The REDMILLS MASTER McGRATH CHALLENGE TO FIND THE FASTEST LURCHER IN THE UK and IRELAND This is a competition that has excited great interest all over Ireland and the UK. A number of qualifying heats have taken place and others are planned for the GRAND FINAL over 150 yards to take place at Shanes Castle on the 25th June 2011. Please note there will NOT be a heat at Shanes Castle but after the final, the normal ALL Ireland Terrier & Lurcher Championship racing will take place over the normal longer distance. The Winner of the Master McGrath Challenge will win a prize package worth between £1500 and £2,000 plus of course a very prestigious title . It will be at least €500 cash, a Barbour Coat worth €500 plus a portrait of their dog by well known canine artist David L Prescott plus dog food and other ancillary prizes. We trust that you have seen that I have responded fully to criticisms and that it is our intention to provide terrier, whippet and lurcher owners with first class show & racing conditions; innovative competitions with good prize structures; good ringside parking ; fair entry fees; good admission charges and to have them as an important and integral part of our fairs. Of course it is not only in terms of terriers and lurchers that the Great Game Fairs of Ireland lead the field - if you look at our web site www.irishgamefair.com you will see the fantastic range of other attractions and competitions( still being added to as we speak. AlbertJ Congratulations to Denned for qualifying at the Duke of Buccleuch Hunt Show in Scotland for the Master Mc Grath final at Shanes Castle. This is shaping up to be the racing event of the year. AlbertJ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
the_stig 6,614 Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 info all here lock it now before the shit stirrers get on and ruin it .. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest jackpot Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Don't take this as a criticism Albert, but make sure you have no lurchers running in your whippet racing, it has already happened twice this year so far, and it just makes a mockery of the organisers who are publicising whippet racing. There were 20 odd whippets run at Moira, don't know how many at Ballywalter, but if it's advertised as WHIPPET racing, then that's what it has to be, otherwise it may as well be an under 20" lurcher race! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlbertJ 569 Posted May 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Don't take this as a criticism Albert, but make sure you have no lurchers running in your whippet racing, it has already happened twice this year so far, and it just makes a mockery of the organisers who are publicising whippet racing. There were 20 odd whippets run at Moira, don't know how many at Ballywalter, but if it's advertised as WHIPPET racing, then that's what it has to be, otherwise it may as well be an under 20" lurcher race! Jackpot, Will ask our organisers to make sure owners race in the corect class. Albertj 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Devil_bri 0 Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Is there any discount for BASC members attending the fair at Shanes Castle ?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fat-Ferret 857 Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Is there any discount for BASC members attending the fair at Shanes Castle ?? No, all BASC members must pay double and go to the back of the queue Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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