The Game Fair 2019: what to see and do

What to see, do and enjoy at the Game Fair 2019. A blackout tunnel and Gin Makers Row are among the new attractions for this year – and don’t forget to come and visit us on The Field’s stand

The Game Fair 2019 is back and bigger than ever, with a fresh look and more than 140 new exhibitors for 2019. This year, the fieldsports festival returns to the spectacular grounds of Hatfield House, Hertfordshire, home of the seventh Marquess of Salisbury. Having played host for the first time in 2017, the stunning 10,000-acre estate will be taken over again by the Game Fair from 26-28 July.

Visit The Field’s stand at M1250 for our best subscription offer – and get a bottle of champagne or pair of shooting socks. Plus view The Field Gundog Awards’ shortlist for Gundog Photograph of the Year and place your vote. Read Gundog Photograph of the Year: VOTE NOW to find out more and vote today.

THE GAME FAIR 2019

Easily accessible by road and less than half an hour from London by train, Hatfield House will welcome Game Fair favourites alongside first-time exhibitors, offering clothes and equipment, demonstrations, talks and entertainment. The Game Fair Gardens Experience, Gin Makers Row and a state-of-the-art blackout tunnel for testing night-vision equipment are among the attractions debuting this year.

As ever, The Field will be there to welcome sporting friends, readers and new subscribers. Don’t miss The Field’s stand (M1250), where you can meet the editorial team, pick up a complimentary issue and take advantage of our show subscription offer: save 40% and receive a bottle of champagne or a pair or shooting socks. We very much look forward to seeing you there.

GUNMAKERS’ ROW

A stalwart of The Game Fair, Gunmakers’ Row is a must visit. Renowned gunmakers from around the world will be in attendance to showcase their best and latest products, including Boss & Co, Longthorne Guns, GMK, Browning and ASI.

The Subaru Shooting Line is back, run by EJ Churchill and featuring a new 40-bird Sporting clay competition designed by multi World and European Clay Shooting Champion George Digweed MBE. At a staggering 558 metres, Europe’s longest shooting line will host competitions – including the Game Fair Challenge, Champion of Champions and Colts Challenge – have-a-go booths and demonstrations. Plus, with a secure gun safe on Gunmakers’ Row, bring your own gun for the best chance at beating the competition.

For airgun enthusiasts, brands such as Crosman, FX and Kral will showcase their latest gear, with the chance to test potential purchases on the smart ranges. The Daystate Challenge is back and once again you could win a £1,000 Daystate Huntsman Regal airgun. The exact format of the competition is a closely guarded secret but we can reveal it will combine long-range shooting with speed – so you’ll need to get your eye in quickly.

FISHING VILLAGE

The Game Fair has put fishing centre stage in recent years and in 2019 the Fishing Village will remain at the heart of proceedings, positioned prominently at one end of Gunmakers’ Row.

Two casting pools will host demonstrations from experts such as Charles Jardine, Hywel Morgan and Scott Mackenzie. If you are in the market for a rod you can try before you buy and, with professional help, find the right flies. Or, if you’re keen to tackle the skill of fly-tying, join Veniard’s talented team who will be standing by to provide demonstrations. In addition, vintage tackle specialist Victor Bonutto will be on hand to offer advice on antique gear, for all those Hardy lovers out there.

Once you have perused the collection of rods, why not head down to the picturesque River Lea for even more fishing demonstrations, tuition and competitions. Learn about fly-casting with the Game Angling Instructors Association, have a go at hooking a fish with the help of National Fishing Month coaches or, if you are feeling competitive, enter the British Fly Casting Club competitions for the chance to win fabulous prizes.

GUNDOG ROW

There is plenty on offer all weekend at the biggest event of the year for gundogs – featuring more canine companions than Crufts.

Visit Gundog Row for the best products and information, tips from top trainers in the Working Dog Arena and more than 20 gundog breeds in the Sporting Dog Pavilion. To see how the professionals do it, don’t miss the UK’s top gundogs and handlers going head-to-head in the hotly contested Home International Team Gundog Competition, a highlight of the Game Fair since 1969. Teams from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will compete in a purpose-built arena across two days, complete with an authentic cover crop, jumps and water.

If you and your gundog are itching to have a go, BASC will be running scurries all weekend. It’s been a few months since the end of the season, so you had better get the training revision underway.

SHOPPING

With 140 new exhibitors joining the Game Fair roster this year, adding to the hundreds of stands already on offer, the Game Fair is the perfect place for pre-season shopping. The showground will cover a staggering 179 acres, a walk around it will measure just under five miles and all of the key country brands will be there with exciting launches and tempting deals.

Don’t miss The Field’s stand at M1250 to pick up a complimentary issue and take advantage of our super subscription offer.

FOOD

As proper sporting types, what we eat, where it comes from and how to cook it is never far from our minds. Don’t miss the Kitchen Theatre, with talks and demonstrations by top chefs who know exactly how to get game from shot to pot. Juanita Hennessy will be demonstrating easy, fun game cookery for the smalls; Cyrus Todiwala will show how to add spice to your game; and Scott Rea and Chris Burt will be sharing their expert tips for venison. Jose Souto, Rachel Green and Esther Vermeer will also be there, cooking an enormous range of game meats, from pheasant to wild boar. And to tuck in yourself, visit the Totally Food area where you’ll find more than 100 artisan producers offering ‘field to fork’ fare.

New for 2019, the British Charcuterie Awards will be staging the finals of Britain’s Best Game Charcuterie at the Game Fair. Don’t miss the judging in the Kitchen Theatre on Saturday 27 July at 11am, where the country’s best salamis, pâtés and terrines will battle it out.

For the VIP package holders in the Game Fair Enclosure, celebrity chef James Martin will be cooking up a storm, with the menu featuring game and sustainably sourced produce. Guests will be able to mingle with Martin between sittings and enjoy the private bar and restaurant, as well as the best seat in the house for the daily entertainment in the Main Arena.

GET INVOLVED

There is plenty to get involved with at the Game Fair. For inspiring talks and thought-provoking debate, the Carter Jonas Theatre will see Charlie Jacoby from Fieldsports Channel compère panels with political heavyweights, countryside celebrities and sporting superstars. Headline topics to be discussed include Natural England revoking three general licences and the forthcoming grouse moor management report in Scotland. Other topics up for debate will include farmed salmon, social media, big-game hunting, grouse prospects, the future of game meat, the badger cull and the relationship between the hunting and vegan communities.

Visit the Pugs & Drummers stand to enter a fantastic competition to win a ferreting experience day for two worth £350.

For the smalls, the Go Wild Kids’ Zone will include a mini Land Rover driving course, zip wire, maze and bushcraft activities. Plus just next door will be the Falconry Village, with a huge selection of birds of prey, exciting demonstrations in the flying ring, specialist traders, artists and UK falconry clubs.

Support a cracking cause by donating to the Game Fair’s official charity for 2019, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT). Donations can be made while purchasing tickets, camping or packages in advance, or during the weekend donate at dedicated talks or at the GWCT’s stand.

WHAT’S NEW

Alongside long-held favourites, the Game Fair is launching more new attractions this year than ever before. The Game Fair Gardens will be the UK’s largest show-garden initiative in 2019. Designed by RHS Gold Medallists from Capel Manor College, the gardens with tell the story of the countryside. Visitors can expect kitchen gardens, traditional crafts, art, sculpture and superb design spanning an acre. A stage at the centre of the gardens will host Q&As, demonstrations and debates.

Visit the Travel & Destinations Area to learn about thrilling trips that’ll extend your sporting season. Top sporting companies will be in attendance, showcasing the finest lodges and hospitality across the world. Take advice from the experts on your bucket-list destination, whether it’s partridge shooting in Spain, fly fishing in the Pyrenees or hunting driven boar in Europe.

Test the latest night vision and thermal imaging technology in the state-of-the-art blackout tunnel. Sponsored by Pulsar and Yukon Advanced Optics, the 80ft tunnel will be part of a new, larger gamekeeping area. Complete with an upper viewing deck for testing scopes, range finders, thermal imagers and optics, inside the tunnel a series of realistic and life-size targets, supporting thermal and infrared technologies at varying distances, will be on show.

And for the country’s best artisan producers and their tempting tipples, don’t miss Gin Makers Row – dedicated to fine spirits for countryside connoisseurs. Just next door the Gin Quarter will be selling the featured brands by the glass. Expect to leave with bags that go ‘clink clink’.

THE FIELD AT THE GAME FAIR

The Field has attended every Game Fair since the very first and, as ever, we will be at Hatfield all weekend to welcome sporting friends, longtime readers and new subscribers. Visit our stand (M1250) to pick up your complimentary issue and take advantage of our show offer, the best ever deal on Britain’s biggest-selling fieldsports monthly: save 40% and receive a bottle of champagne or a pair of shooting socks.

Ticket offer for Field readers

Field readers can take advantage of a super, exclusive ticket offer. Use the code FIELD19 when purchasing your tickets in advance to receive premium parking and entrance to The Game Fair for just £30 (booking fees and postal charges apply). Premium parking is situated closer to the show entrances and is available at every car park.

Advance saver prices are available until midnight on 25 July. Book your tickets online at www.thegamefair.org or call 0844 858 6759. Lines are open Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. Calls are charged at 7p per minute, plus any network charges from your supplier.

Cafe society

Field subscribers are invited to enjoy a quality cup of coffee or speciality tea on us at our stand. Every day during the fair our barista will be brewing fresh coffee for you to enjoy in our exclusive hospitality area. To claim your coffee, simply download a voucher from our rewards portal: www.thefield.co.uk/rewards.

All takeaway cups will be fully compostable. And don’t miss The Field stand for super savings on your subscription, a free gift and your caffeine fix. See you there.