Midland Game Fair hailed as success at Weston Park

Hunting, shooting and fishing were on show to visitors whether they were dedicated enthusiasts or those seeing them for the first time.

Visitors travelled from around Shropshire, as well as from Staffordshire, across Wales and from as far afield as Norfolk and Yorkshire.

Jerome Roberts, one of the organisers, said: "We are very, very pleased with how it has gone. The running of the event went smoothly and the weather was very generous to us and it has been a success.

"It is quite a unique event, one of the last true game fairs in the country.

"It is too early to know the exact numbers yet but last year we had 80,000 people come and I cannot see why it was not that again this year."

He added: "There was too many highlights to list them all but we had the Great Wall World Series Clay Shooting Championship finals which was great and won by Martin Myers."

One of the most popular categories was the gun dog section where owners could enter a series of competitions the dogs retrieving objects to commands.

The gundog scurries including novice retrieve, short fence, the duck distraction and an up-and-over obstacle course.

Watching were David and Tania Hatton from Cosford with their11 month old dog, Alfie, a cocker spaniel. The couple only moved to Cosford four weeks ago and say they already love Shropshire.

"This is a great fair and we hope that we will be back next year to enter Alfie in the competitions."

One of those taking part in the gundog championship finals on Sunday was Neil Dutton, from Maer Moss, near Market Drayton, and his seven year old black Labrador, Sweep.

"There are heats around the country throughout the year and the finals are held here," he said. "The prize for the winner is a new car, which I won three years ago."

He said he had been visiting the fair for the last 20 years.

Mike Cox, from Penkridge, at the fair with Labrador Ed, said it was a great show.

"It's the last one of the season and its very well attended. People come along to buy supplies for the start of the shooting season."

The country theme was carried through to the food at the fair with cookery demonstrations in the food marquee and in many of the food outlets.

Calfyn Ap Bryn was one of the chefs demonstrating the use of game in cookery. His dish was a breaded partridge sub.

He and his younger brothers Cai and Ceri run the Wild Food Catering Company that offers more unusual fast food, such as wood pigeon wraps, venison burgers and pulled boar sandwiches.

"People do love our food and they appreciate something very different. We are becoming a popular choice for public and private events and also for weddings," he said.

Meeting up at the fair and enjoying the Wild Food were sisters, Ros Davies and husband Mick, from Madeley, and Sue Jones and husband Malcolm, from Llandudno.

"We are really enjoying ourselves," Ros said.

"There is so much to see, good food and of course we haven't started on the shopping yet. Its a great place for a family reunion."

Sue said: "The falconry displays are wonderful but the men don't like them as they are pigeon fanciers."

Lorna and Nigel Haddock, from Horsehay, Telford met up with son Paul and daughter in law Aimee, who live in Leeds.

"We have come as part of Aimee's 30th birthday celebrations, it's such a good day out," Lorna said.

Nigel said he was particularly interested in the fishing village at the fair.

They also met up with friends Jeanette and Graham Boulter, from Norwich, who took along their cockerpoo, Bob.

"There are not many places that you can take the dog along," Jeanette said.

The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust's stand at the game fair was busy throughout the weekend answering queries and giving advice to all, from game keepers to a woman with foxes in her garden.

Austin Weldon from the trust said it was a scientific based body which strived to conserve species from water voles to the grey partridge.

"This includes dealing with the predators, such as the mink, which wiped out water voles."

Hereford Owl Rescue was another popular stand. Baroness Sasa von Barth und Kippenruer has been caring for rescue owls for many years.

"We release 94 per cent of the owls back to the wild, two per cent don't make it, two per cent are so injured they remain with me for the rest of their lives and the other two per cent are captive birds who can not be released."

Some of these were on show at the game fair including a huge eagle owl that was rescued from living in a cupboard in a house.

"I was given an injured buzzard recently that had been hit by a car.

"The vet told me he would have to be put down but something in his eyes told me to take him home. I cared for him over the weeks and last Monday he was well enough to be freed. It was a marvellous feeling."

Visitors were surprised to see a terrorism message on a police stand.

The police stand, Prevent, took the terrorism message into the countryside.

Sergeant Calum Forsyth said: "Terrorism can take many forms including involvement in anti-country pursuits and more recently the badger cull.

"Prevent aims to prevent the radicalisation of vulnerable people before they become involved in terrorism."

"These people are victims who are in a way groomed into radicalism."

Sergeant Forsyth added: "We are asking gun clubs and members to be aware if anyone in the club begin acting differently."

Prevent is also urging farmers to be away of the dangers of the theft of fertiliser.

"So few people will report the theft of fertiliser.

" But if they realised that it is an important component of explosive, along with fuel such as diesel, then they may be more likely to let us know."