Visitors to the one of South West’s premier countryside events, the Westcountry game fair, will be offered an increased range of activities, attractions and competitions organised by the UK’s largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC). The Westcountry game fair will be held at the Royal Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet on the 9th and 10th of March.
BASC South West will be putting on new attractions including a gun-fit clinic, the chance to try out the Arrow Laser Shot training system, a hands-on gun safety exhibition and technical advice on shotgun range and patterning.
Gundog owners will be able to take part in a variety of competitions which will cater for all abilities from novice to seasoned handler. Top-three placed winners in the gundog scurry competitions, where dogs race the clock to retrieve a training dummy, will gain points for the national BASC Chudleys scurry league. Handlers can also enter working tests for retrievers & spaniels run by well-known Somerset trainers Martin Love & Martin Harris of M & M Gundogs.
Visitors can take a clay shooting lesson with BASC-accredited shotgun coaches and try their hand at airgun shooting as a novice or in a timed competition. As part of the BASC Taste of Game programme, chef Ralph Skripek and angling legend Charles Jardine will give cookery demonstrations in the food hall, showing how game can be used in quick, simple and delicious dishes. BASC will also host displays from leading wildlife artists.
Chris Green, the Cornish Countryman, will entertain the crowds with his unique mix of experience, knowledge and humour. BASC will offer expert advice on game and gamekeeping, pigeon shooting and deer stalking. Representatives from six of the South West’s wildfowling clubs will be there to give advice and talk about what their clubs can offer.
BASC members who bring a friend to sign up at the show will see both their name and the new member’s name entered in a free prize draw for a Browning B525 shotgun worth more than £1500. Young Shots who join BASC at the show will be given a free shotgun coaching lesson.
David Gervers, director of BASC South West said: “We are delighted to be bringing so many people together under the BASC banner at the Westcountry game fair. It is a very popular event and a great showcase for country sports. We look forward to welcoming everyone there over the weekend of the 9th and 10th of March.”
For more information please call BASC South West on 01823 480903