Sandanona Game Fair
 

Anyone go last year? I talked to Bill Hadfield and he said it was amazing they will only be going to that and Sanford this year. I will take the time off if it's a good event.

Lots of discussion about this, all over this site and probably others.

After going to the VC there for years, when it left Sandanona, a hunting buddy and I made the trek a couple of years later. We came over from Binghamton and spent late morning and the rest of that day at the Orvis grounds, then stayed in a nice hotel in Fishkill (forget the name) for a decent price, had a nice steak dinner, then went back over for the next morning and left at noon for home. Perfect way to see it all, return for items of interest the next day, drive home while its still daylight, etc. Weather was great and saw some nice stuff; neat way to spend a couple of days.

Some of us are hoping that next year will be a Sandanona event for PGCA.

That is in the works. Steve Cambria suggested a joint AHF and PGCA tent. The two Brians have had discussions.

Yes, I was there this past year, as well as most years. It was excellent. RHO was in the tent next to Steve Barnett Fine Guns. Lots of other activities to entertain the rest of the family.

Several of the clickity clack gun people displayed. Orvis had a tent of guns and related. Ammo people. Geoffrey Gournet was there as well. Loads of Sloan Ranger clothing people. Generally a fun outing.

You won't Harry so don't bother : )

I haven't shot the Sandanona course in a couple years, but as I recall, it's a fairly challenging course. They require you to shoot with a trapper, and cart, so it is on the higher expense end, especially compared to Addieville and Peacedale, my regular venues.
I could hear lots of activity on the course from the game fair, and would guess it was fairly crowded.

I can see that venue would do well for vendors and “shoppers”. Plenty of $$ in the Hudson Valley. My take is they would trend more towards Eurotrash guns than American Classics for the SxS style. It’s not a shooting event per se so it has no appeal for guys like me. I don’t attend events to shop, I’m there to shoot and shoot a lot. It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent’s fritters.

That’s why I asked Mike. Thanks.

Well, I gave Andy an honest reply. It is a good venue to sell wares and see a lot of other items that may or may not be shooting related.

It isn't intended to model itself after the Southern, and the Vintagers isn't as much like it either. It's modeled more like the fall Game Fairs in England, more like the Chatsworth Game fair. Being held in the fall, it has more of a hunting theme, as opposed to fishing, as are the spring fairs in England. There may be more English and continental guns on display, but there are ample American specimens also. I did see a near mint .410 GHE change hands.
From the nearly non-stop shooting heard from the tent area, and reports of lengthy wait times to shoot, I think it's fair to say it is more of shooting venue than you suggest, but don't get your feathers ruffled, it isn't intended to copy Hausmann's Hidden Holler, or Kona Koneski's Ka-Boom Kingdom.
One thing I think that sets it apart, is there are instructors aplenty, and a simple course for people who have never shot before to get to shoot, and that is hugely popular. Seeing faces light up breaking possibly their first clay is a good thing on many levels, and yes, they were shooting two barrels of both orientation.

Thank you Edgar. I'm going to give it a shot this year and bring the missus if there are things nearby to see and do too. She ain't a shooter which is probably ok too.

She might enjoy the Innisfree Gardens, or the Mary Flagler Cary Arboretum. It's practically next door to Sandanona.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_F...Cary_Arboretum

What is the date for the Sandanona Game Fair? And what is the nearest town? Just trying to see if a trip from NE OH makes sense……

Thanks,
Dave

Usually held in late September. Nearest "real" town/city is Fishkill/Poughkeepsie area of NY - lots of good hotels & restaurants - further into the hinterlands you get you run into the smaller, spookier joints - think sets for a Toby Hooper movie.

Nothing to be afraid of Kevin, you've been to M E S H O P P E N

:shock:

The Game Fair link says nothing about gun vendors. Oh, well. That does it for me.

There will be gun vendors. I know Robin Hollow is only doing sandanona and Sanford this year he said game fair last year was fantastic

Who cares about what vendors will be there? We can go anyway and kick back beforehand with Niles and Kim at Sand Point and wash down our free hors d'euvres with Ponsard Orange Label Veuvre Cliquot, to which you are so accustomed!!

[QUOTE=Andrew Sacco;423344]Nothing to be afraid of Kevin, you've been to M E S H O P P E N

Didn't they film a couple of settlement scenes there for "Dune" there??

Kevin, is that a pilsner urquell or a belgian wheat? Sounds like it would be good with some slim jims and wheat thins.:)

An overpriced real Champagne. Good with salted peanuts in the shell, or Five Guys french fries. I remember early Vintage Cup at Sandanona. Our group furnished a full smorgasbord of food and unlimited mediocre wines in proper glassware for the full four days for anyone who would care to participate. Our prices, "free", competed well with the seven dollar beer at the vendors' tents.

Salt point?

[QUOTE=Kevin McCormack;423377]DELIVERENCE

August at Steve Barnett's told me he had a great show at the '24 Game Fair and was planning to do the 2025 event.

I heard the same from August, he told me to just be there it's going to become bigger and better each year. And HARRY you're going to keep seeing it go this way. Two big shoots with big vendors who spend MONEY on a table because the price they pay is recovered very quickly with good sales. If you want a garage sale go find one I guess. Mike's shoot is different, it's all about the SHOOTING and really bad shirts. Either way you're gonna have to get off your wallet at some point Harry : )

No, no - you have to get out of the routine "coal tipple" lunchroom menu these back country outfits subject you to. Beers and ales are fine with these scrapple-like snacks and cholesterol-laden high-sodium killers. I'm talking about the sublime pure combination of essential bounties of land and sea; sparkling wine and oysters on the half shell. And don't forget a fine imported cigar afterwards!

Edgar, did they change the name? I'm old now and can't remember!

No Harry I actually bought a gorgeous Turnbull restored Parker from Robin Hollow, and have bought more than a few guns at Mikes, and many in private sale. You just have your diaper in a knot because I won't buy from you. I have cash, but you ain't getting it.

Bill Hadfield and August Morris both had grins on their faces because one just sold the other a really (really really) nice gun.

No, they didn't, but you did. I like Sand Point better.

You know I’ve always believed a person oughtta sell their stuff on its merits and not by knocking their competition . I’ve never heard Josh say anything negative about the competition or Allgood or August or Fuetrel or any of them for that matter except YOU !

There's an idiom about mud wrestling with a pig Craig so I choose not to mud wrestle with him here. I'll just say that the price becomes reasonable when a person likes you and you treat them well and have repeat business. And the fact of the matter is that sometimes they just have what you WANT. 28" IC/M VHE Turnbull restored with a factory mid bead for a price south of any of Harry's pedestrian guns he tried to unload on me. Oh, and $200/flat Gun Clubs. :rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf:

I am not much for buying from dealers, but I have bought from Bill, Phil, Josh, and Honest John.