Ireland Irish Game & Country Fair Birr 25th & 26th August

[AlbertJ 569]

Just putting the finishing touches to the plans for the Irish Game & Country Fair at Birr which promises to be one of the best yet in terms of attractions, competitions, prize funds and range of trade stands. The largest sporting organisations in Ireland have pulled out all of the stops to mount their best ever exhibits with the largest organisation the NARGC mounting the largest exhibit they have ever mounted at any event; Countryside Alliance Ireland will also have a major presence as will FISSTA the main salmon fishing association. These will be supported by a host of other organisations including the fast emerging IWTF who we welcomed at Shanes Castle for the first time earlier in the month.

 

The Terrier & Lurcher events are being organised by the Roscrea Club and the prize fund is building nicely for both showing and racing with the final event the Five Nations Lurcher Championship being given pride of place in the main arena at 5.00pm on Sunday 26th. There are two more chances to qualify for this event in Ireland at Tom Barry's show or the Lawrencetown event. The terrier & lurcher events will as normal be staged within the fair with their own dedicated car parking.

 

Racing will take place on Saturday and the showing Sunday. Full details will be posted next week. For those who are making a weekend of it I am happy to supply two day passes at a discount but you must contact me before 12th August at irishgamefair@btinternet.com to acquire these.

[Irish Lurcher 1,013]

Albert, I wont be paying into Birr this year when I can attend a national show in Borris for free.

 

 

best of luck with the show.

[AlbertJ 569]

Albert, I wont be paying into Birr this year when I can attend a national show in Borris for free.

 

 

best of luck with the show.

 

Your choice and it is always good to have a choice provided.

 

If you think it is better for terriers, lurchers and whippets not to be part of the fair like the other sports such as shooting, angling etc then that is your opinion and you are entitled to it.

 

BUT so long as we have terriers, llurchers and whippet competitions at our fairs they will be an integral part of them with first class facilities inside, good prize funds, good judges and be part of our PR and advertising. We view the terrier & lurcher fraternity as an integral and normal part of the whole country sports community at our fairs not a group that has to be or should be treated differently. If you think the terrier, lurcher and whippet cause is best served in a field outside the fair rather than being part of it, you and I will just have to agree to disagree on this one!

 

Albertj

Edited July 26, 2012 by AlbertJ

[miss the fox 10]

Albert, I wont be paying into Birr this year when I can attend a national show in Borris for free.

 

 

best of luck with the show.

 

Your choice and it is always good to have a choice provided.

 

If you think it is better for terriers, lurchers and whippets not to be part of the fair like the other sports such as shooting, angling etc then that is your opinion and you are entitled to it.

 

BUT so long as we have terriers, llurchers and whippet competitions at our fairs they will be an integral part of them with first class facilities inside, good prize funds, good judges and be part of our PR and advertising. We view the terrier & lurcher fraternity as an integral and normal part of the whole country sports community at our fairs not a group that has to be or should be treated differently. If you think the terrier, lurcher and whippet cause is best served in a field outside the fair rather than being part of it, you and I will just have to agree to disagree on this one!

 

Albertj

i will agree with you there Albert. at moira this year it was the first big fair since that crap on bbc that tried to make out that every1 who owns a terrier or lurcher is a badger baiter, next thing we are pushed out of the main fair ground. and not many general public got to see any racing or showing were it may have changed their minds on us hunting folk rather than the propaganda that would have been fresh in their minds from the bbc. we do not need to be hid (out the back door) at game fairs we are as much a part of country life as an angler or a gun dog man or a clay pigeon man e.t.c.. it is nice to get in for free though most seemed to pay in and view the main fair on the day.

[AlbertJ 569]

That is how I see it. The reasons why I continue to run game fairs is to promote and protect all legal country sports. I am in the happy position that I do not need to take a salary from the fairs and that is why we invest the money necessary to make them successful first and profitable secondly. Our team all feel similarly about our fairs which is why we put back more into prize funds than any other organising team either here or in the UK.

 

We have concentrated on giving value for money through ticket offers such as if you purchased a ticket for Ballywalter you got admission to Shanes for a £5 or £10 a family and Birr for €5 or €15 a family. Or of your purchase a subscription to our magazine at £15 you get a free ticket for Birr or Shanes woth £10 or €15. Or if you want to get a two day ticket for Birr contact me on irishgamefair@btinternet.com before 12th August and I will arrange a discount for you.

 

As organisers we don't really see the point of having events outside of the fair but as you say it does give you the opportunity to compete for free if you are happy to simply drive to the field outside the fair and then go home.

 

Albertj

[ROCKO 1 6]

I was at birr last year and the terriers and lurchers were away from the main fair out on their own at Moria there are actually closer to the main fair now how can u say at birr u keep them part of the main fair

[jf1970 328]

I was at birr last year and the terriers and lurchers were away from the main fair out on their own at Moria there are actually closer to the main fair now how can u say at birr u keep them part of the main fair

i agree, well about birr anyway as i havn't been to moira, albert i was at birr 2 years ago and swore i would never go back again but after you said that there would be big changes, i decided to give it a go, the lurcher and terrier area couldn't be any more hidden out the way and there were more food stalls than any other, i'm finding with every year there are less and less country sport stalls, i certainly won't be buying into any of the over inflated prices and 15euro entry fee ( which must be one of the most expensive fairs ) this year, which is a shame as my young lad is getting to the age where he would be tagging along, but not at those prices...........

[darren247 40]

Best atmosphere than any of the other huntshow/fair. Plenty of stalls-we wont go hungry anyway . Loads for all the family. Albert can you pm me on how to go about getting a ticket bunch of 5-tickets?? Hope to go this year again

[jigsaw 11,863]

at 30 euro for 2 adults plus another 50 for diesel and then dealing with the fact the lurchers arent even in the show area,I think I'll wipe this one from my ''to do'' list also,

[AlbertJ 569]

I was at birr last year and the terriers and lurchers were away from the main fair out on their own at Moria there are actually closer to the main fair now how can u say at birr u keep them part of the main fair

 

Rocko,

 

I am sorry but you have it completely wrong - the Terrier & Lurchers at Moira were outside the main fair whereas at Birr they were inside the fair in the same area as the clays - both located in the best areas for them within the fair. There were trade stands and facilities in the same field and this was a short walk in beautiful gardens to the Angling Row. Huge difference . And of course day I say the facilities for the terriers & lurchers at Birr were superior to those at Moira.

[AlbertJ 569]

I was at birr last year and the terriers and lurchers were away from the main fair out on their own at Moria there are actually closer to the main fair now how can u say at birr u keep them part of the main fair

i agree, well about birr anyway as i havn't been to moira, albert i was at birr 2 years ago and swore i would never go back again but after you said that there would be big changes, i decided to give it a go, the lurcher and terrier area couldn't be any more hidden out the way and there were more food stalls than any other, i'm finding with every year there are less and less country sport stalls, i certainly won't be buying into any of the over inflated prices and 15euro entry fee ( which must be one of the most expensive fairs ) this year, which is a shame as my young lad is getting to the age where he would be tagging along, but not at those prices...........

 

The terriers and lurchers were NOT hidden away but were in a very good location in the same field as the clay area - which clay shooters think is the best area at any fair in Ireland! Anyone parking in the car park for clays or anything else had to pass the terrier & lurchers - some hidden area! The location for terrier & lurchers WITHIN the fair was chosen by the organisers because they wanted a SPECIAL DISPENSATION - the terrier & lurcher owners get to park beside their competition area. That is different to them being deliberately placed outside the fair.

 

There were not more food stalls than anything else at Birr - and there were more country sports stands at Birr than at any fair in Ireland. As I said above we have offered various discounts to take account of the recession in spite of continuing escalating costs to us. And we have kept up our investment in prizes. Where else in Ireland can you have a day out for the same money and the opportunity to compete for such good prizes? And the estate gardens normally €8 are part of the package. As I always like to encourage the young - you pay for yourself and the boy can come as my guest with a burger meal thrown in for him. Can't be any fairer than that!

 

Albert

 

albertJ

[AlbertJ 569]

at 30 euro for 2 adults plus another 50 for diesel and then dealing with the fact the lurchers arent even in the show area,I think I'll wipe this one from my ''to do'' list also,

 

Jigsaw - poor attempt to critcise the fair. All the fairs in UK or Ireland are similar or larger prices. As I indicated above there were and are ways to have had or have a substantial dscount. There is nothing I can do about deisel prices!

 

The terrier & lurchers are WITHIN the show area similar to the clay competition - this in fact is probably the biggest clay competition in Ireland this year - do the clay shooters whinge about their area - no they think it the best location of any clay competition of any fair with excellent drive in and park facilities beside their competition, some relevant trade stands and a short walk through beautiful gardens to the other trade stands. Are they in a better location than the terrier & lurchers - NO!

 

Why are the terriers and lurchers in the area they are in : very simple to give the space for good racing and for ring side parking - they have the prime position in that particular area of the fair and everyone using that or the town car parks or walking to and from the clays have to walk past them. Finally the main reason why they are in their location is because THAT IS THE AREA WITHIN THE FAIR CHOSEN BY THE EVENT ORGANISERS!

 

AlbertJ

[Irish Lurcher 1,013]

Liam will I be seeing you in Borris next week? All the lads are heading down, hope to see you there.

[dee mac 579]

i never understood that terrier lurchers free entry at moira as i see it if your going to the game fair you ll want to see all the other bits and peices of the fair and its not like there s one on every weekend so im with albert on this one everything inside the confines of the whole fair so everything is on a level pegging terriers and lurchers are as important as any other fieldsport on display so thats were it should be and everyone pays in as these things are nt the cheapest things to organise and stage if you dont want to pay and contribute to your sports future and public image then easy stay at home

[jigsaw 11,863]

yeah IL hopefully i'll make this one,Dee you heading to borris?Havent been to any shows yet this season really,be good to meet up with a few from around the country.