To offset all the unhappy reports about this year's EPIC and Vintage Cup events, I am offering an unreservedly glowing endorsement of the previous week's event, the Orvis Cup Shoot & Game Fair, held at Orvis Sandanona in Millbrook, NY.
The weather was ideal. Sunny with a hint of cool fall breeze.
Upon arrival, instead of extracting a nasty gate fee and patting you down for contraband lead shot, there were friendly people offering a chance to register to win a $250 Orvis gift certificate and a choice of apples from a large basket.
Once inside, there were almost 30 vendor tents including gun dealers like Gary Herman, Galazans (Tony & Lou F. were both there), Roger Bain, Chris Batha, British Sporting Arms, Safari Outfitters, Holland & Holland, Beretta, and many others; along with other vendors offering clothing, books, hunting trips, dog stuff, etc. A nice selection all around.
In the middle of the tent village was my favorite spot, a covered outdoor lounge shared by Davidoff Cigars and the Single Malt Society, who offered free cigars and Scotch tasings throughout the entire weekend.
Cigars, Scotch, and firearms - a true ATF event.
There were plenty of free activities including a Land Rover Riding Course, fly casting instruction, dog training, birds of prey demonstrations, etc.
Perhaps the best free activitiy was the twice daily game cooking class offered by a Scotish chef who teaches at the nearby Culinary Institute of America, the Harvard of cooking schools. In addition to some fun Scottish humor, he and his students prepared and served up free samples of cooked venison, duck, shrimp gumbo, chukar partridge - almost a meal's worth at each session.
If that didn't fill you up, there was an excellent food tent on site which featured huge pastries that would have invited testing for steriods if they had been entered in a baking contest.
There were lots of good shooting opportunities - sporting clays, five stand, and an especially fun high bird flurry. And there was free instruction given to new shooters, young and old alike.
It is true they allowed in shooters whose gun barrel alignment represent an alternative orientation compared to my side by side (I think that's a new law in NY), but I'm open minded enough to mingle with that type from time to time. I figure some of them were just born into that lifestyle or were never presented the true gospel, so its sort of an evangelical mission to reach out to them. Still, the shooting was great fun.
As always, the Orvis Sandanona staff offered warm hospitality and a great time. They made you feel like they were there to insure you were having a nice time, not pick your pocket. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, even those grumpy vendors!
This event seems to be growing each year. I've enjoyed myself the past two years and look forward to going again next year.
I hope next year you can find time to come along as well.
