Orvis Sandanona Game Fair

[edgarspencer]

It was a beautiful, crisp fall day in Millbrook for the annual Game Fair at the Orvis Shooting Grounds. For the first time in a few years, there were several gun vendors in attendance.

Robbin Hollow and Steve Barnett Fine Guns were side by side (see what I did there?) and both had wonderful displays. August Morris had an exceptional display of fine Parkers, in addition to many beautiful English and Continental guns. His two 000 frame .410s attracted a lot of attention, as did the 000 frame G grade in Bill Hadfield's (RHO)booth.

I was completely smitten by one particular gun in August's rack, to the extent that I texted my banker, who stayed home to bake apple pies, for a credit check. Oddly, my text messages went unanswered. Must have been poor cellphone coverage.

Attendance at the Game Fair was the highest I have seen in years, to the extent that all parking was full, and they were shuttling in people from an off-site parking lot. The crowds were a mix of Sloan Rangers, and die-hard old men. There was no end to the displays of posh clothing and footwear. As always, they had loads of spectators watching the working dogs. Land Rover had all their new models on display, which mostly left me unimpressed, having cut my teeth on the real ones 50 years ago.

The only downside to the great day was finding, in my absence, that The Fall Leaf Fairy had stopped by and dumped a load of maple leaves everywhere.