The CLA Game Fair

Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire
Friday 24 – Sunday 26 July 2009

The world’s biggest showcase for country sports, The CLA Game Fair, will be held at Belvoir Castle, near Grantham, Leicestershire on Friday 24 to Sunday 26 July. Our stand, complete with our own members’ area, will once more be located adjacent to the main arena.  We are holding a  special Members Only Reception on Saturday 25 July at 3pm.

Following the success of The CLA Game Fair’s 50th anniversary last summer where 150,000 country sport enthusiasts gathered for a three day extravaganza, this summer the show returns to Belvoir Castle where it was last held in 2005. As always, the organisers of The Game Fair ensure that the show remains fresh and exciting with new events, features and display areas. 

As usual, our stand will have a wide cross-section of displays illustrating the very best aspects of game management and the broader aspects of wildlife conservation and research, including our remarkable study on the origins of woodcock.  The new woodcock study aims to gain a much clearer understanding of the seasonal and regional variation of our wintering woodcock population and how this is influenced by over-wintering migrant birds.

We are also  are keen to explain our ground-breaking new Salmon and Trout Research Centre, based on the River Frome in Dorset.  Please click here to read our press release.  It is widely accepted that a global decline has occurred in Atlantic salmon since the 1970s and our state-of-the-art catchment-based natural laboratory on the River Frome will enable researchers to answer many of the important questions relating to salmon and sea trout populations. This is a really fascinating project and the research findings will have international implications.

Do come and talk to us about this project or get involved.  We are currently running a major salmon fundraising appeal and your support of this cutting-edge research will be greatly appreciated.

Our stand at The Game Fair would not be complete without celebrating some of our noteworthy achievements and this year we are organising a birthday party to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Partridge Count Scheme (PCS).  The PCS is one of the largest farmer-led monitoring schemes in Europe. Currently around 1,000 farmers, gamekeepers and landowners are supplying counts on the number of grey partridges on their land. Those involved in the free scheme receive considerable support and advice from us and encouragingly, many PCS members are recording a healthy increase in their partridge populations.

The history of the scheme is fascinating and can be traced back to the early 1930s when a research grant enabled Doug Middleton, from the Bureau of Animal Population at Oxford, to set it up. At that time, it was a rather single-handed affair that involved Doug Middleton travelling the country by motorcycle to visit most of the major partridge estates to count their birds.

Since then, the count scheme has grown considerably and it seemed an appropriate time in its long history to celebrate its achievements. So do come along and join the party. In addition, to mark this very special occasion, we will be presenting special awards to three worthy contributors. The party will be held on our stand at 3.00pm on Friday afternoon. We are extremely grateful to Ruffer, Strutt & Parker, Jas Martin & Co, Gray’s Chartered Surveyors, Carter Jonas and CastleAcre Insurance for supporting our PCS birthday celebrations.

Other attractions at The Game Fair include the clay line, which is having a complete overhaul with new competitions and events in the John Bidwell Shooting Arena, and the CLA and the Trust’s members’ shooting enclosure, sponsored by Bentley Cars and Fieldsports magazine.

Belvoir Castle offers a wonderful location for the fishing events, competitions, demonstrations and rod testing. Don’t forget to visit the Trust’s extended members’ area, which is the best place to meet friends and enjoy fine food. Also look out for the superb GWCT Jacket that Musto are launching at the Fair. This along with all the countryside features, amazing regional food show and the very special atmosphere throughout the 500 acres, is why The CLA Game Fair enthrals enthusiasts and their families’ year on year.

If you are a member of the Trust you can enter our free prize draw for entrance tickets.

You can order entrance tickets in advance (at discounted rates) using the CLA's online booking facility.