You also have to take into consideration that the new sponsor simply doesn't want to continue the event at that location. The Delaneys were at least 2-year veterans (as exhibitors) at Ernie's so I am fairly confident they paid close attention to the mechanics of hosting the event there and grilled Ernie as to the prats and pitfalls of putting something like that on. I am not privy to whatever contact and/or depth of conversation they may or may not have had with Mike regarding Rock Mountain hosting the event, so I cannot speak to that.
The choice of a location at Wellsville PA IMHO was a "testing the waters" experiment that failed for two reasons: First, the inherent naivete that everything would come off like clockwork as they had seen at Ernie's (and earlier venues like Sandanona and Pintail Point) per efficient range management and organization, and Second, the "unawareness quotient" of the local range management that when you advertise that shooting will begin at 9AM, YOU NEED TO BE READY TO SHOOT AT 9AM!!
Serious competitors (think Mikey, Daryl, the Defernelmonts & others of their ilk) are in an SUV train with ATVs on trailers or rented golf cars when the gates open at 9AM for an advertised day of cracking clays; there is little tolerance for the trappers for "Well, it was working great yesterday" for a balky trap or "the targets must be still wet from last night's dew" as bird after bird shatters into confetti coming off the plate.
Also, when you advertise a known major competitive event 6 mos. in advance, you plan ahead to NOT RUN OUT OF FOOD AT NOON ON DAY 2 (as occured at Pintail Point on the 2nd day of the event!).
Lastly, the non-shooting-related logistics (e.g., variety and quality of available food vendors, proximity and suitability of lodging (not to mention affordability) and overall attention to detail (clean Port A Johns!!) in providing shooters as well as spectators an enjoyable day afield play a crucial role in making one want to return for another event.
I give the Delaneys a lot of credit for taking on this "Dark Side of the Moon" effort on a first- time basis. They are an established firm offering high-end driven bird shooting in Great Britain and Europe. Having been on a few of these (not with the Delaneys) I can appreciate the bifurcation of logistics required and the exhaustive attention to detail required to bring off both those and the Vintagers within the same year(s).
I would urge all interested parties to read Liz Delaney's eMail to Dr. Bob's Lefever group regarding this change of date and venue for the VGC. Also read Mike Franzen's comment a few posts ago that supporting this event is "good for our community." For those that can't wait to criticize the outcome of their first VGC effort, remember that the empty wagon rattles the loudest.
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