Sussex Game and Country Fair

Date: 14th-15th June

Location: Parham Park, Storrington, West Sussex, RH20 4HS

Website: www.countrymanfairs.co.uk/sussex-game-and-country-fair

What is happening?


Now celebrating the 23rd year, the Sussex Game and Country Fair is renowned across the South of England for showcasing the counties fine rural heritage. Offering a unique blend of family entertainment, country sports and working vintage displays, the Sussex Game and Country Fair is a great place to relax and enjoy the countryside. Set in the heart of the South Downs, the Sussex Game and Country Fair has one of the most spectacular settings of any countryside event. In it’s permanent home at Parham Park. The intimacy and atmosphere make this event one of the most enjoyable fairs in the UK.

Why is it such a special event?

  • The Sussex Game and Country Fair is a great family day out, and features something for everyone. Four feature arenas; live music and children’s entertainment provide a fantastic backdrop to world-class displays and demonstrations.
     
  • For competitive field sportsman, the Sussex Game and Country Fair offers world-class championship events in clay shooting, gundogs, airguns, and terrier & lurchers. Featuring the Mitsubishi Motors World Series Clay Pigeon Shooting and Gundog Championships offer the largest prizes ever seen in their sports including two brand new Mitsubishi vehicles and cash prizes worth over £10,000! If you’re new to country sports, you will find expert tuition and advice on how to get involved in some of the most enjoyable and rewarding pastimes.
     

The Main Arena


  • Music, colour and spectacle: the Main Arena has all of these in abundance. Visitors will find that each display offers new insights into rural life and history, presented by some of the most famous names in countryside entertainment.  The Main Arena at this year’s Country Fair guarantees audiences a day to remember.
     
  • The South Downs Gundog Display Team is a gundog display with a difference as it does a formation display set to music with a team made up of working gundogs - golden retrievers, springer spaniels, labradors, flat coated retrievers and cocker spaniels - and their handlers. The team performs at game fairs, village fetes and country fayres to raise money for charity, and this year is proud to support the Sussex Air Ambulance.
     
  • There are few sounds more stirring than the call of a huntsman’s horn, and the baying of a pack of hounds in full flight. Meeting on horse back in the Main Arena, both the Chiddingfold, Leconfield & Cowdray Hunt and the Southdown & Eridge Hunt bring their stunning performance to visitors at Sussex this weekend. As well as being a true celebration of country sports and life, the hunt and hound parade is a perennial crowd favourite so make sure you catch the remarkable sight of a traditional hunt in full flight as they pursue their hounds.
     
  • The Suffolk horse, affectionately known as the “Suffolk Punch”, is East Anglia’s only indigenous breed of heavy horse and as it dates back to at least 1768 it is also the oldest breed of heavy horse in existence. Beloved by millions, the breed has nevertheless dramatically declined in recent years to such an extent it is in critical danger of dying out with only 450 breeding animals left. The show features horses from the Horkesley Park Suffolk Punches, a division of Bunting & Sons, a firm which has been in the ownership of the Bunting family for almost 200 years.
     
  • The Sussex game and country fair is proud to welcome back Ye Olde Red Tail Falconry, one of the most well known display teams in the UK. Ray and Wendy Aliker present a falconry display using music, costume and showmanship to illustrate the grace and majesty of the birds in flight. Marvel at the speed of the falcons and be amazed at Archie and Elsie the Vultures. Learn about Kestrels, Kites and the Snowy Owl as they glide effortlessly from above. Find out what it's like to be a mouse, as they fly Hibou, the European Eagle Owl – a truly unforgettable experience!
     
  • Returning to the Sussex Game and Country Fair by popular demand is the famous terrier racing display by Cyril the Squirrel. These crazy canine stars run riot in the ring as they perform their hilarious display. They race on the flat and over jumps, also are occasionally joined by enthusiastic miniature jockeys! Witness the unique highlight of the show when these little daredevils perform the famous "Ring of Fire." For pure entertainment this display is top of the list. These tenacious little terriers will amuse and delight with their unpredictable antics as they race around chasing that illusive hare.
     
  • Discover the secrets behind one of the most skilled forms of field craft in the Sussex Country Fair Main Arena as Master Nets man Brian ‘Brin’ Brinded demonstrates the ancient art of long-netting. Long-netting is one of the oldest methods of controlling rabbit populations, and is considered by many to be the most efficient and humane way. Brin’s twice daily display shows the use of long-netting systems, with intrepid toy rabbits putting the nets to good use. Whether the terriers will co-operate as well is anyone’s guess! You’ll also get the chance to try long netting for yourself.

What can we do there?

Gundogs

Gundogs play an important role in many shooting sports. Whether hunting and flushing game, or tracking and retrieving, gundog breeds come in all shapes and sizes, each specifically bred for a purpose. Despite having outstanding working pedigree, gundogs still like to have fun.

The Gundog Scurries and Working Test provide exceptional have-a-go opportunities, and the Mitsubishi Motors World Series Gundog Championship rewards excellence with the world’s largest gundog prize fund!

  • The Mitsubishi Motors World Series Gundog Championship is one of the most popular competitions of all the championship events. Year on year it continues to draw in hundreds of handlers and their dogs, eager to take part. The only competition of its kind, this championship aims to discover the finest talent in the world of Scurry and Working Test handlers, and proves quite lucrative for the winning competitor too.
     
  • The Final will see the top handler in each discipline compete head to head in order to be crowned Mitsubishi Motors Gundog Champion 2012 and drive away in a brand new Mitsubishi ASX worth over £20,000! The 2012 Mitsubishi Motors World Series Gundog Championship is set to introduce an exciting new format too, opening the competition up to a much wider audience. The biggest change to the competition is to the qualifying stage on each day, with this year's events now set to put through qualifiers in both the Top Spaniel and Top Retriever categories, giving more handlers and their dogs a chance to take part and go through. All you need to do to enter the 2012 Mitsubishi Motors World Series Gundog Championship is enter the Gundog Scurry Victor Ludorum or Working Test at the game fair.
     
  • The Mitsubishi Motors Junior Gundog Championship will test the handling skills of gundog scurry and working test handlers under the age of 14. Junior handlers can qualify for the Grand Final, which is held in the Working Dog Arena at the Midland Game Fair on Sunday 16th September 2012. The top junior working test handler and the overall junior gundog scurry victor ludorum from the Country Fair will go through to the Grand Final.  The Junior Gundog Championship Grand Final will take place alongside the Mitsubishi Motors World Series Gundog Championship in the Working Dog Arena.  The 2012 Junior Champion will receive a Diamond award trophy, a days tuition with one of the UK's finest dog trainers and a supply of Skinners Dog Food.
     
  • New for 2012, Mark n Blind is fast, fun and highly competitive. Designed to test your dog's natural hunting ability, Mark n Blind will challenge your dog to retrieve both a straight forward ‘marked' retrieve and one blind retrieve. To make this scurry a little simpler, the blind retrieve will be placed in the same place as the marked retrieve. However, all is not what it seems as the blind retrieve will actually be a tiny dummy! Testing your dog's intellect. Great fun and highly competitive, Mark n Blind will give you and your dog the chance to show off your quality training, and of course be in with a chance of qualifying for the 2012 MMWS Gundog Grand Final too. Enter Mark n Blind today to compete in the MMWS Gundog Championship, and you could be in with a chance of winning a brand new Mitsubishi ASX 2 worth up to £20,000! Mark n Blind is also open to all those who simply want to have-a-go! Just ask the stewards about entering, they’ll be more than happy to help!
     
  •  Double Double is fast, fun and highly competitive. Designed to test your dog's ability to retrieve whilst fighting distraction, this scurry will put your dog through its paces and challenge him/her to two straight forward ‘seen' retrieves. Double Double will test your dog's ability to fight distraction in the way of a double mark, including two low fences that will test memory and marking ability. Both dummies are to be picked in either order and the clock will be stopped in between retrieves. Great fun and highly competitive, Double Double will give you and your dog the chance to show off your quality training, and of course be in with a chance of qualifying for the 2014 MMWS Gundog Grand Final too. Enter Double Double today to compete in the MMWS Gundog Championship, and you could be in with a chance of winning a brand new Mitsubishi ASX 2 worth up to £20,000!
     
  • We are delighted to announce the Short Fence Gundog Scurry will also be one of the gundog scurries at the Sussex Game and Country Fair. A skill often overlooked in other gundog scurries is the ability to leap over fences or into pens, which is an essential part of any gundog's repertoire. Out in the field, some of the obstacles faced can be quite difficult, and in some instances even dangerous to scale. However, the Short Fence Gundog Scurry is merely a fun representation, and is achievable by gundogs of all breeds and skill levels. It has been introduced along with the Hopping Hare Gundog Scurry in place of some of our more complicated gundog scurries. These are often favoured by more experienced dogs. This fast and furious gundog scurry is similar to the Long Retrieve Gundog Scurry, but we have added a small fence midway for your dog to jump. A dummy will be launched from a static dummy launcher and will land the other side of a low fence. Your dog must retrieve the dummy, jumping the fence on both the outward and inward journey. The Short Fence Gundog Scurry is a new addition to the portfolio of gundog scurries that qualify for the 2012 Mitsubishi Motors World Series Gundog Championship.
     
  • The Long Retrieve Gundog Scurry is all about speed at the Sussex Game and Country Fair. Although it looks easy, your dog needs speed, stamina and a good memory to mark the long retrieve and bring it back fast. This is one of the most visually spectacular of our gundog scurries, and gives you a great perspective on the vast distances over which gundogs are expected to work. As you would expect, this long distance gundog scurry usually favours the retriever breeds, simply because they have longer legs! However, some pretty fast times have been posted by tenacious spaniels over the years. It is also important to remember that the Mitsubishi Motors World Series Gundog Championship counts your qualifying times from across all of our gundog scurries, so every second counts!
     
  • In the Up & Over Gundog Scurry it’s a fast and furious scramble to bring back two retrieves over the obstacle course in the fastest time at the Sussex Game and Country Fair. The Up & Over is a little different to our other gundog scurries as it is run over a compact course, and usually only takes the fastest dogs a handful of seconds! However the compact nature of the Up & Over makes it a great scurry for novice handlers and younger dogs. The Up and Over Arena is approximately 6 metres wide by 12 metres deep. The ‘obstacles’ take the form of 4 straw bale “walls”, which are 2 bales high and span the width of the arena. Two ‘seen’ dummies are thrown in between these walls, and the dog with the fastest time for both retrieves wins. This frantic gundog scurry always attracts a crowd, and is also a favourite with none gundog breeds. Smaller breeds such as terriers aren’t well suited to our other gundog scurries, but there tenacious temperament usually sees them thrive in the Up & Over!
     
  • The Novice Gundog Scurry at the Sussex Game and Country Fair is open to ALL breeds of dog, not just gundogs. This scurry is run in the Partridge Pen Arena and involves two simple retrieves, which aim to encourage the novice dog and handler. Don’t worry though, the dummies will not be thrown into the pens, but will still use the features of the arena to make the retrieves more interesting for you and your dog. As with our other gundog scurries, there are prizes available for the top 3 places on each day. However, these are only open to novice dogs and handlers so you have a great chance of taking away a memento of your first competitive outing.
     
  • Gundog Working Tests are competitions that artificially simulate shooting day conditions, in order to assess the working abilities of gundogs. Gundog Working Tests are effectively a simulated Field Trial, although our Working Test has subtle differences from other gundog events. Field Trials have been developed to test the working ability of gundogs in competitive conditions, and resemble, as closely as possible, a day's shooting in the field including the use of live game. No live game is shot during a working test, but organisers can choose to use cold game. Countryman Fairs Working Test is different in that it involves a compact test area, and is timed, rather than judged. This takes away the subjective nature of judging, which would be difficult to apply over the shorter format. The working test is both fun, and intense and really gives handlers the chance to show off the quality training that goes into a top class working gundog. Competitors can enter the Working Test to compete in the Mitsubishi Motors World Series Gundog Championship or simply enter as a have-a-go event. Detailed rules will be available at both the registration tent and the Working Test site. Please feel free to ask the stewards about the working test if you are new to the sport.
     

Terriers and Lurchers

  • Our flagship event, the Midland Game Fair, is home to the world’s premier event for earth and running dogs, The Countryman’s Weekly Champion of Champions. The Sussex Country Fair offers 2 qualifying events for this prestigious Championship, one on each show day. The Sussex Game and Country Fair offers a wide range of Terrier and Lurcher showing classes and field events, professionally organised by the Coursing Crew. Simulated coursing, hurdles, straight racing, 23" and under, over 23" and puppies and terriers. Entries taken from 8.30am to start as soon as first card is full. The full lurcher and terrier show will start around 1pm. The Terrier breeds were developed for hunting vermin of all shapes and sizes, and therefore priority was originally given to their working abilities rather than to appearance.  They are an extremely tough and hardy group of dogs, and generally small in size to enable them to work underground.  The term “terrier” derives from “terra”, the latin word for earth. For more information please call Paddy Weaver of the Coursing Crew on 07737 765999

Clay Shooting Festival

The Bramley Family has been running Doveridge Clay Sports for over 12 Years. Doveridge Clay Sports is one of the few CPSA Premier Plus Shooting grounds in the country, and has successfully hosted some of the worlds most prestigious clay shooting events including English, British and World Championships.  Clive Bramley will be setting the targets and running the 2014 Mitsubishi Motors Clay Shooting Festival at the fairs in the uk.
  • Fast, furious and incredibly addictive, pool shoots are one of the most fun clay shooting activities. At the Sussex Game and Country Fair, Doveridge Shotgun Academy is pleased to present a 10 Target Pool Shoot, offering a variety of targets from 4 traps. The pool shoot is one of the simplest forms of clay shooting. The first 3 pairs of clay targets will be presented on report, meaning you must call for the first, and the second will be sent automatically when you fire your first shot. The next 4 targets are simultaneous pairs, with 2 targets sent at the same time. But don't worry, there's a handy board provided showing the sequence in which the targets will be thrown. If you straight, or hit all of the first 10 targets you will need to turn the sequence board and shoot an additional 10 targets in reverse, for no extra charge! Usually a score of 17 will be good enough to see you in the money! Cash prizes are paid twice per day, with 30% of the total income from the pool shoot going into the prize fund. Whether you are new to clay shooting, or a seasoned competitor, the pool shoot offers great fast-fire fun!
     

Price List

  • £5 per entry for 10 targets (20 if the first 10 are straightened).
     
  • After the successes of the 2013 season, the Mitsubishi Motors World Series Clay Shooting Championship is very much welcomed back for 2014, with the same award-winning clay shooting line, a superb Mitsubishi L200 Trojan worth over £20,000 up for grabs and, as always, the chance to walk away with the 2014 Clay Shooting Championship title.
     
  • Clive and Louise Bramley of Doveridge Shotgun Academy will once again take the helm and bring the ground-breaking competition to the masses. Clive looks forward to bringing the championship back to the Countryman Fairs showground and encourages every age and ability to give the sport a go. The championship invites a broad cross-section of people, and as previous years have shown, winners are not always those that have racked up many years shooting on the Clay Line, with the championship witnessing a great deal of talent from new and improved shots. Qualifying rounds will be contested over a 50-bird sporting layout, with competitors shooting against those of a similar ability. Cash prizes will be paid out on each day, with a guaranteed £100 for the high gun in each lettered class (AA, A, B, C) - the remaining cash prizes will be subject to the number of entries per class. Sponsored prizes will be given to Ladies, Juniors and Veterans. Interested in entering? Why not visit the Doveridge Shotgun Academy website at www.doveridgeshotgunacademy.co.uk Here you will be able to pre-book discounted clay shooting packages and find further information about the competition rules.
     
  • If you are new to clay shooting our 'Have a Go' lessons at The Sussex Game and Country Fair are just what you're looking for if you want some great fun! 'Have a Go' lessons are ideal for those who have little or no clay shooting experience - We have three different sessions available. The first is for children up to age of 14 years giving you 10 shots.  The second being for anyone over the age of 14 years which gives you 15 shots and the third session again is for over the age of 14 years which gives you 25 shots. During the session each individual will be given a safety briefing and an introduction to the sport of clay shooting before breaking some clays! All equipment will be provided including shotgun, clays, cartridges, safety glasses and hearing protection. 'Have a Go' lessons from the Doveridge Shotgun Academy are a great way to take your first steps into the sport of clay shooting. Simply turn up, and 'Have a Go'!
     

Price List

  • £10 for 10 shots (under 14's only)
     
  • £18 for 15 shots
     
  • £25 for 25 shots
     
  • £38 Family Package 1 (2 adults + 1 child) - adults 15 shots and children 10 shots SAVING £8!
     
  • £45 Family Package 2 (2 adults + 2 children) - adults 15 shots and children 10 shots SAVING £11!
     
  • £15 Group Package 1 (minimum 4 persons) - 15 shots each. SAVING £3 per person!
     
  • £22 Group Package 2 (minimum 4 persons) - 25 shots each. SAVING £3 per person!

You can book in advance to avoid disappointment.  Please email info@doveridgeshotgunacademy.co.uk or call 07795 143116.
You can also click here to find out how to pre-book discounted clay shooting packages from Doveridge Shotgun Academy.

Exhibitors

With an audience in excess of 25,000, the Sussex Game and Country Fair enjoys strong connections with local societies and organizations, who stage their annual exhibitions of local cottage industries, rural hobbies and countryside past times. Parham’s well-preserved landscape and cliff face’s provide an impressive backdrop for this country lifestyle showcase. Our exhibitors form the most valuable interface we have with our visitors.  The following A-Z listing provides a sample of the exhibitors joining us at this year’s Sussex Country Fair creating the unique atmosphere for which the Sussex Country Fair is renowned.

Food Festival


  • Whether through traditional farming, specialist rearing or sporting endeavour, the Great British countryside provides some of the most exquisite culinary delights imaginable. In the age of hypermarkets and imported foodstuffs, it is sometimes easy to overlook the fact that some of the best tasting and wholesome foods are produced on our very doorsteps. At the Sussex Game and Country Fair we have been working closely with the world famous Game Chef and Director of Game For Everything, Mark Gilchrist. Not only is Mark a purveyor of fine quality game cuisine, but he is also an avid field sportsman who shoots much of the game he uses himself. Mark will be demonstrating game preparation and cookery throughout the day and you will be able to try his legendary rabbit pasta, venison sausage rolls and game pies. Mark will also be delighted to offer advice on how to source, prepare and cook game yourself. Game for Everything will be joined by a wide range of quality exhibitors including local butchers, cheese manufacturers, bakers and wine merchants. Feel free to ask any of the exhibitors about their manufacturing methods and the source of their ingredients.
     

Falconry


The history of falconry can be traced back as long ago as 2000 BC, to the Middle and Far East. It was perhaps most popular in medieval England though, where it was the favoured field sport for over four centuries, and the first “Sport of Kings”  At the Sussex Game and Country Fair we bring together a range of interactive displays that educate and inform visitors about the birds and their heritage.

Family entertainment


Sussex Game and Country Fair offers plenty of action and entertainment for the whole family, with children’s features including crossbows, countryside workshops and traditional funfair.  There are over 200 top-quality trade stands selling everything for the home and garden, and visitors can also take time out to relax at the picnic area and enjoy superb live entertainment.

Either choose to sit and watch world-class demonstrations in one of our 4 feature arenas, or browse the myriad of displays showcasing our rural heritage. There really is something for the whole family to enjoy.


  • Fun packed children’s entertainment from Banana Brain Fun Show offers traditional Punch and Judy shows, Face Painting, the Tallest Magic Show in the World and balloon modelling throughout the day. If that doesn’t keep the children busy then there is plenty of other ways to keep them amused including the pet dog and have-a-go agility, inflatable fun, fly casting tuition and much, much more.
     
  • Self-professed entertainers of yester-year and specialists in old time fairground rides, Countryman Fairs are pleased to welcome the first-class Victorian fairground organisers to the Sussex Game and Country Fair. A true family favourite and a great attraction for keeping the little ones entertained, the Old Tyme Fun Fair brings back various rides and stalls that will certainly take you back to the good old days. From the vintage Helter Skelter and traditional Ferris Wheel to the Galloping Horses Carousel and the Chair-O-Planes, their unique collection of rides promise enjoyment for all ages, and of course all the fun of the fair!
     
  • Back by popular demand, the Gem Ferret Club and their fun-filled ferret races are pleased to announce their return at the Sussex Game and Country Fair over 18th and 19th June. The Gem Ferret Club team will be on site and at hand to offer comprehensive advice to anyone interested in caring for ferrets, providing support and an all-you-need-to-know point of call about the wonderful world of ferrets. Back with their action-packed program of activity, the team also organise a fantastic fast-paced ferret race that will certainly put your furry friend through its paces. Fun and always full of excitement, ferret racing welcomes all to take part, so make sure you bring your ferret along and cheer him on - just be sure not to blink or you could miss the nail biting finishes that always ensues!
     
  • The perfect place to let your dog showcase his talents and shine, the Dog Agility & Pet Dog Show is a celebration of all things canine, and better still it’s open to every dog and owner to take part, with no experience required! Organised and coordinated by the Up and Over Dog Training Club, the Dog Agility will put your dog through his paces, jumping and weaving through the course, whilst working their way through a range of obstacles including a tyre, tunnel, dog walk and see-saw... not only great fun the dogs, the Agility show provides great exercise for the owners too. In the Pet Dog Show, you can take things a little easier as you and your dog try to win the hearts of the judges. Only £1.50 per class to enter, why not see if your dog outshines the rest.
     
  • Wildlife Displays was formed by Bryan Paterson back in 1978. Bryan offered Falconry and Birds of Prey displays for game and country fairs at a time when there were very few similar display teams in existence.  Today Bryan is one of the most respected Falconry and Bird of Prey display presenters in the UK, and gives displays throughout the UK at many of the leading shows. Wildlife Displays has evolved over the years, and now presents an animal lecture service to schools and other interested groups, as well as appearing in many television programs. Bryan and his Wildlife Display travel across the UK to display and talk about some of the more unusual animals which he keeps in his collection, including Snakes, Spiders, Insects, Meerkats, Kunekune pigs, Pygmy goats, Rabbits, Guinea pigs etc, many of which can be touched enabling show visitors the opportunity of an experience they may not have had before. Bryan is very keen to get children involved in his presentations throughout the day as he strongly believes that giving children the opportunity to learn about some of these more unusual animals at close quarters will perhaps encourage some of them to become the conservationist of the future.
     
  • Sussex and Kent Weald Stationery Engine group are delighted to welcome a variety of exhibits to our vintage section at the Sussex Game and Country Fair. Alan and Lynn Cullen have been organising the vintage section at Countryman Fairs events for many years, and have built up an impressive showcase of vehicles and machinery from a bygone era.
     
  • The Sussex Game and Country Fair is a true celebration of the countryside,we take pride in showcasing our rural heritage. Alongside the Worlds foremost field sport competitions you will find ancient country crafts still being practiced by highly skilled craftsmen. A wide range of traditional crafts are demonstrated including rope working, forging, hurdle making, trug making, stick making, net making and much more. Each craftsman is on hand to offer their expertise and they are more than happy for you to learn from the vast knowledge they have accumulated.

Where it’s at!?

Parham Park is located on the A283 Pulborough to Storrington Road, equidistant from both the A24 and the A29. At Sussex Game and Country Fair there is a dedicated disabled car park.

Gates open at 8am, Gates close at 6pm (Last entry 3.30pm)

2014 Admission Prices:


On the day admission prices:

• Adult           £15.00

• Child (15 and under)       Free (when accompanied by a full paying adult)


 

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