Poultry and game keepers are being advised to keep a lookout for signs of avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu, in both wild bird populations and kept birds this winter. The advice is being issued following two confirmed cases of H5N1 Avian Influenza, one near to Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire and more another close to Wrexham, North Wales. In both cases control zones have been put in place. It is believed that wild birds have been the cause in both cases but now countryside organisations are urging members to remain vigilant. Glynn Evans, the British Association ...

If you fancy a day’s partridge shooting for nine guns at Caerhays Castle in Cornwall worth over £12,000, then you are in luck! The Countryside Alliance’s draw offers an exceptional prize, with the day hosted in person by the owners, Charles and Lizzie Williams, who have extremely generously donated this 250-bird partridge day. Caerhays seldom advertises or uses agents to fill its shoot days, as those not filled by year-on-year repeat bookings are rapidly filled through word of mouth so this is an amazing opportunity, with the day scheduled to take place in September or October ...

‘Microregulation’ of shooting is being prioritised over crucial restoration and enhancement projects, according to a new paper by leading rural and shooting organisations. Published by the Aim to Sustain partnership the white paper, titled ‘Shooting for a Level Playing Field’, highlights the legal irregularities that impede shooting activities within the Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) process in England and Wales. HRA’s are undertaken by regulatory authorities on protected sites to assess whether a ‘plan’ or ‘project’ proposal could ‘adversely effect’ the designated features of the site. With many shooting activities currently requiring HRA’s the paper summarises the ...

With hospitality at the heart of any field sport experience, Bond Fabrications’ British designed and manufactured structures provide the perfect blend of warm ambience and distinctive style for your location. Based in Stroud, Gloucestershire, Bond has been creating unique and exclusive structures for the outdoor hospitality industry for more than 30 years and a number of these have featured at The Game Fair over the years. Its bespoke, luxury safari tents and lodges boast robust steel frames with full structural engineers’ reports and high-performance technical fabrics and are designed to be in place permanently. Bond offers ...

Leading rural organisations have welcomed the High Court’s dismissal of Wild Justice’s ‘speculative’ attempt to judicial review Defra’s most recent burning legislation in England. The attempted judicial review had sought to disrupt the Heather and Grass Burning (England) Regulations 2021. The regulations ban heather burning on our most protected sites with peat of more than 40cm, unless under licence for special beneficial circumstances. What is judicial review? The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary defines judicial review as follows: “Judicial review is a type of court proceeding in which a judge reviews the lawfulness of a decision or action made by a public body. ...

Crow and Jester is showcasing its new ready to wear ladies’ and men’s collections, exclusively designed by its founder, Simon Horsley. This has been a busy year for Crow and Jester so far, with the launch of its new website (www.crowandjester.co.uk), two successful exhibits at both The Game Fair and GWCT Scottish Game Fair and upcoming shows including next week’s World Gunmakers’ Evening. Crow and Jester designs and tailors make-to-order ladies’ and men’s luxury tweed country wear, shooting attire, shirts and coats, to suit your personality, using the finest fabrics to create one-of-a-kind pieces that will ...

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) has announced the appointment of law academic Dr Marnie Lovejoy as its new head of environment law research. Marnie has a PhD in law and is the former associate head of Portsmouth Law School. Gamekeeping runs in her family and she is a keen beater alongside her two springer spaniels. Her work at BASC will focus on reviewing and researching the regulatory framework governing wildfowling, wildlife licences, gamebird release and habitat management with the aim of promoting and strengthening sustainable shooting. Marnie said: “I wanted to follow my ...

British luxury watch brand Bremont has been confirmed as the official timepiece for the up-coming World Gunmakers’ Evening next month. Taking place at 6pm on Wednesday 3 November in the New Armouries at the iconic Tower of London, the exclusive indoor event brings together the very best gunmakers and shooting brands in front of 500 guests for an evening of game canapés and Champagne. Founded in 2002 by Nick & Giles English, Bremont men’s watches are British-made luxury mechanical timepieces, carefully constructed in line with our uncompromising principles of durability, legibility and precision. Classically designed to ...

Gun and rifle maker I S Sweetman has been working on a built-from-the-ground-up 9.3 x 62 bolt action rifle, designed specifically with driven boar hunting in mind. Built on an original Mauser .98 action, the rifle features a front-mounted Aimpoint optic, leaving the top of the rifle clear for fast reloads. Photographed part-way through the build process, it is now nearing completion and is adorned with fine scroll engraving throughout. The final few details will include a driven boar vignette on the floor plate, gold name, numbers and safe and colour-hardened action and furniture. Stop by ...

Auctioneers Bonhams, a longstanding exhibitor at The Game Fair each July is putting the personal sporting rifle of ‘The Tiger of Mysore’ under the hammer next week. The 18th century ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in South India, Tipu Sultan, was ferocious and uncompromising in battle, earning him the nickname. He was also a great administrative reformer, introducing a new coinage system and calendar and laying the foundations of the Mysore silk industry. Hailed in India for his implacable and spirited resistance to British rule, Tipu built up not only a formidable arsenal for his armies ...

The Canal & River Trust – which runs the ‘have a go fishing’ at The Game Fair, has revealed that 40 new miles of waterway, including iconic locks and urban canals, have been awarded prestigious Green Flag status by Keep Britain Tidy. Despite the impacts of the pandemic on plans and volunteering activities, the Trust was able to add new stretches across England and Wales to the 400 miles which already hold the quality mark. Julie Sharman, chief operating officer at the C&RT, said: “Our efforts to win Green Flags are founded on the principle of ...

The Missing Salmon Alliance leads a global coalition to bring the art installation Salmon School to the heart of the COP26 Summit in Glasgow. The art installation, Salmon School, is a community engagement project by the internationally renowned artist Joseph Rossano. Salmon School takes to the global stage at COP26 to communicate the message that, with the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, iconic wild salmon are on a path to extinction. Salmon School brings together a community of artists, scientists, educators and environmental groups from all over the world, all contributing to the ...

Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of Emirates Falconers’ Club (EFC), ADIHEX 18th edition is currently underway under the theme “Sustainability & Heritage… A Reborn Aspiration…” Within this unique partnership, ‘The Game Fair’ exhibitors participating in the pavilion include Holland & Holland, E.J. Churchill, Tom Hill Sculpture and Salcombe Dairy.  The companies are supported by the British Government and reflect the antiquity of British heritage and the special mutual relations with the United Arab Emirates. H.E. Majed Ali Al Mansouri, Chairman of ...

Will Robinson, the director of JM Osborne Rural & Sporting, is heavily involved in the management of some of both England and Scotland’s finest sporting estates. JM Osborne Rural & Sporting’s experience in sporting management is unparalleled, this puts the business in a unique position and gives it the ability to proactively manage changes to the industry. As well as specialising in holistic sporting property management, Will also makes time to oversee the William Powell Gunroom (which will be exhibiting at World Gunmakers’ Evening on November 3rdin London), leading product development, production and marketing. In his spare ...

Complementing AYA’s ‘English Game’ model, the Dominus sidelock has been produced to meet demand for a high pheasant side by side. The 12 gauge model is the latest launch from World Gunmakers’ Evening attendees Sportarm and ASI through Spanish manufacturer AYA. With a large number of Sportarm’s clients using English ‘Live Pigeon’ guns for shooting large, tall bird days, it became apparent that there was a gap in the market for a more affordable model. Working closely once again with the AYA factory in Spain and UK importer ASI, Sportarm chose to use the renowned AYA Model ...

The Countryside Alliance and Longthorne Gunmakers have teamed up to offer a prize package worth almost £20,000 in a raffle designed to raise money for the organisation’s Campaign For Shooting. Up for grabs is a Longthorne trigger-plate Acanthus Model 3003, a bespoke gun fitting at the firm’s Northampton workshop plus an ABS leather-trimmed gun case. The gun is made 100 per cent in Great Britain and is said to benefit from the world’s most progressive barrel technology, precision-made from one piece of steel with no soldered joints. Offered in a choice of 12g, 16, 20g or ...

Having grown up in rural North Yorkshire, spending his time fishing and shooting, Graham Turner has a strong background in the industry, having worked for Gilsan Sports in Richmond, before moving into distribution with another well-known Yorkshire company, Viking Arms, and then to his current position as brand manager at Edgar Brothers. Graham said: “I am fortunate to have worked for three excellent organisations and gained an insight and in-depth knowledge of the trade from all angles. “It is certainly the strangest of times for our industry, as it is for all industries. We are seeing ...

A partnership to place communities at the centre of efforts to manage deer on publicly owned land in Scotland was unveiled at the GWCT Scottish Game Fair last weekend y a partnership of eleven leading deer management stakeholders. Eleven leading deer management stakeholders want to see ‘community integrated deer management’ by establishing more opportunities for trained recreational deer stalkers to manage deer on publicly owned land in their local area. Despite an estimated deer population of around one million, many trained recreational stalkers in Scotland struggle to access deer management opportunities locally, especially for those living ...

The GWCT Scottish Game Fair returned for 2021 with a fantastic turn out Near on 32,000 visitors flocked to the 32nd GWCT Scottish Game Fair, sponsored by NFU Mutual, which took place from Friday 24 to Sunday 26 September at Scone Palace in Perthshire. Following the cancellation of the 2020 event and a later date for 2021, the excitement around the showground throughout the weekend was palpable. Gathering to celebrate the Scottish countryside, its vast array of exciting pursuits and the importance of conservation; people were able to come together once again to enjoy all that ...

We are sad to share the news that Campbell Thomson, an instructor and sales advisor for retail outlet Sportfish and a popular face at The Game Fair and GWCT Scottish Game Fair, has passed away. Alongside his work with Sportfish, Campbell was regularly seen on Scott Mackenzie’s stand as a member of Scott’s prestigious ‘pro team’ at The Game Fair and was present this summer as the event made a welcome return. Campbell has fished for salmon all over the world including the UK, Russia, Iceland, Norway and British Columbia in Canada. He has also fly ...