Does anyone have information on the African Sporting Expo (ASE) in Charlotte NC 20 - 22 January 2011.

Does anyone plan on attending?

Thank you in advance.

No info, but would rather go to Charlotte than Reno. Would like info also.

PHASA sent out an email with information pertaining to the event. The entry fee for attendees is $25.00 per day. Below is what was in the PHASA email.

"Charlotte, North Carolina – May 18, 2010: A new concept in consumer sports expositions will be launched in Charlotte, North Carolina January 20-22, 2011 at the newly remodeled Blake Hotel in the heart of the city’s financial and cultural district. The African Sporting Exposition (ASE) is an immersion into the wonders of Africa featuring a "who's-who" collection of the finest photo, hunting and fishing safari outfitters direct from the African continent as well as purveyors of exclusive sporting equipment, optics, African wildlife art, clothing and everything for the African aficionado.

The inaugural African Sporting Exposition is produced and presented by Cody, Wyoming based Inyathi Productions, an event and show management company with nearly three decades of combined experience hosting and producing some of the most respected and successful sporting expositions and events in North America. The Inyathi Productions management team of Kelli Thornton and lead consultant, Gray N. Thornton, the former Executive Director of Dallas Safari Club and presently the President & CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation, is synonymous with Africa with more than twenty years experience working with and promoting the finest outfitters and associations on the African continent. Inyathi Productions President Kelli Thornton stated, “This is not your typical "big box" outdoor expo but rather an intimate one-on-one opportunity to meet with the best in the business and experience the essence of Africa with her finest. Whether you are dreaming of your first African adventure, or are a dark continent regular, the African Sporting Exposition is for you!” “Our mission is to bring Africa’s best to the southeast with our one-of-a-kind expo.” Thornton added.

The Thursday afternoon through Saturday evening open to the public event is the first of its kind in the southeast and offers an intimate private show format so attendees can meet Africa's premier and most respected outfitters face to face, ask questions and learn in a comfortable, exclusive atmosphere, and plan their dream safari. ASE exhibitors are the finest hunting, fishing and photo safari operators in Africa and all must be members in good standing of their respective country’s professional safari operator associations. The African Sporting Exposition will feature only the best safari operators from Cameroun to South Africa and from Tanzania to Zimbabwe.

In addition to safari operators and unique sporting equipment, the African Sporting Exposition will showcase premier wildlife artists from North America, Europe and Africa displaying the very best African wildlife art and will include a “Meet the Artist” cocktail reception Friday evening for exhibitors and reception registrants.

Inyathi Productions is dedicated to wildlife conservation and has pledged a minimum of 2% of the event gross revenues to African conservation initiatives."

Seems like an affordable alternative to Reno.

Additional info.

"The African Sporting Exposition show hours are: Thursday: 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm; Friday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm - Meet the Artist Cocktail Reception: 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm and Saturday: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm. Daily admission is only $25 with multi-day passes available.

For more information on the inaugural January 20-22, 2011 African Sporting Exposition, an exhibitor listing, admission pricing and registration or to become an exhibitor or sponsor, visit www.inyathiproductions.com or email at info@inyathiproductions.com."

between dallas and reno i wonder if there is anyone left to go there

Sounds interesting and close enough for a look.

butchloc - My thoughts exactly. It's seems it's just cutting the pie into smaller pieces and leaving a smaller part for each player. Also it will really streeeetch the vendors to try and make 3 shows in a very short timeframe. As a former show vendor and booth worker, it's a lot of work and stress to put together a booth, man it, tear it down and move on to yet another venue that quickly three times in a row. It's a lot more FUN to be a Show Goer than a Show provider believe me.

Personally I won't go, but good luck to all that do and hope the Show in Charlotte works out.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
between dallas and reno i wonder if there is anyone left to go there

I was told that the Safari operators were getting "tired" of "donating" hunts to DSC and SCI and that Phasa was thinking of doing its own show. Is that this?

Dave

Slightly unrelated but having just come back from the NRA Meetings in Charlotte there would be no better place to have a show. Incredibly friendly people, good food and accomodations, clean and very pleasant city. We had a great experience along with 72000 of my NRA colleagues. I hope happens, I'll consider it just to get back to Charlotte again.

Paul

http://forums.accuratereloadin...1411043/m/8141077131

Are these the same people having a show in Atlanta Georgia the 14th and 15th Jan 2011?

quote:

Originally posted by Thomasjohn:
http://forums.accuratereloadin...1411043/m/8141077131

Are these the same people having a show in Atlanta Georgia the 14th and 15th Jan 2011?

Kinda my thought, too. Man that's jamming 4 shows right on top of each other. I can only go to 1 show a year, and went to Dallas last time. I would go again to DSC, unless most of the African outfitters pull out. Because of $$s, Sci would be the one I won't go to.

Mad Dog

I think they are seperate efforts. It appears that both are targeting vendors and attendees that have been priced out of DCS and SCI conventions. 47% of the entire US population lives in the Eastern time zone. If they are anything like the Eastern Sportman's show in Harrisburg PA, they may do very well.

I'm anxious to find out what PH's/exhibitors will be at this show, then will make my decision. I've already got my room booked for the DSC show, but with Charlotte only 3 hrs away by car I'd be willing to cxl the reservation if the people I'm interested in speaking with will be in attendance in Charlotte.

Hopefully a list of exhibitors will be on the website before I need to get air travel reservations made for the other show.

I received a fast response this morning from the people putting on the show. There should be an initial exhibitor list available on their website in June.

For the benefit of everyone here, I hope somebody posts the exhibitor list here on AR, as soon as they find it.

Mad Dog

As I am only an hour and a half from Charlotte, I would definately attend!

The time I lived in Charlotte, the only sport they had was NASCAR.

I would be very interested in the CLT show as I am only an hour and a half away. Please post any new developments. Thanks.

I'll go either way because it is only 2 hours away..

NRA Charlotte saw a lot of new faces and the city was extremely friendly, reasonably priced, and easy to get around a new record attendance crowd for NRA seems to indicate the demographics are there.

I sat next to Gray Thornton at a dinner event and also spent some bar time but he did not mention it. (He's a pro so it might have been that he was on Sheep foundation time clock and expense account.)

Smaller regional shows and also new shows are both tough calls for vendors. Potentially lots of new faces but also additional expense and time in unproven/secondary markets.

As a consumer it makes sense to go to small, close, inexpensive shows especially if they are modestly attended as you have plenty of time to talk to the vendors. The caveat being “if there are quality vendors present”. That said; big is not always the determining factor in best for show, vendor or crowd!

Best regards
Mike Ohlmann
Mike's Custom Taxidermy Inc.
4102 Cane Run Rd.
Louisville KY 40216
502-448-1309
Mike@mikescustomtaxidermy.com

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
between dallas and reno i wonder if there is anyone left to go there

If I lived in Charlotte, for sure I would go, DSC and Reno are both a long way from there. I lived in Charlotte for a few years after college, I don't know if there are enough big game hunters there to support a very big show. Some of the guys I knew hunted deer; don't recall anyone I knew had a trophy room. Here in Texas, seems like there are a lot more big game hunters; I know a lot of guys that hunt Africa and have trophy rooms. Think the bigger problem is if enough PH's and outfitters could fit in a third show, or fourth - there is a big one in PA every year too.

I lived in Charlotte for 30 years. I think it is the perfect location for a show like this. Big city, but not too big. Nice airport, plenty to do while there. Count me in.

African Hunting Show – (Atlanta, January 15 -16, 2011)
Seeing through the mist
There is no doubt going to be confusion with the recent announcement of Gray and Kelli Thornton’s
(Inyathi Productions) “African Sporting Exposition.” Folks, this is NOT our show! Below is a brief
overview and sequence of events so you are all crystal clear concerning the facts, which hopefully
will avoid further confusion. Since Gray’s years at DSC and now Wild Sheep Foundation, I have kept
in contact – both in person and in writing – about how and if we could ever work together on an ‘All
and Only’ African hunting show. There was real potential and an exciting combination of skills - he
with his experience in America and ourselves, on the ground in Africa, with our long term contacts
and collaboration with the outfitters and professional hunters.
As you know, in January 2009, we successfully launched our “African Hunting Showcase” in Toronto.
Although we started small, this was the first African hunting show in Canada. With plans underway
for Toronto 2010, many outfitters approached us and said – “C’mon let’s start a show now in
America.”
In February of 2009, I got a mail from Gray expressing his interest in teaming up – wishing he could
team up. You can imagine how excited we were? In good faith, on February 23rd of 2009, I sent Gray
my entire business plan and objectives for the American show, exactly as you know them today. It
was based on some changes we’d be introducing from the Canadian show experience. This included
a model with some unique aspects, the most important being that the event was going to be owned
40% by the exhibitors. Starting a new All and Only Africa hunting show in America was a huge step
for us, and during 2009 we did much planning and talking to and getting input from outfitters. Thank
you to those who gave your input.
Gray and I started exchanging ideas in earnest. The stumbling block was his employment with the
Wild Sheep Foundation.
As you know, in 2009, our magazine was still called the African Sporting Gazette and the show was
going to be called, “The African Sporting Expo,” after our magazine. However, and coincidently, we
had decided to change the name of the magazine to the African Hunting Gazette and subsequently
call the event “The African Hunting Show.” We sent the brochure and all marketing material to Gray
in November 2009. We were all systems go.
At the NAPHA and PHASA conventions in late 2009 we launched the show, which was greeted with
much enthusiasm from the market. We went on to promote the event at Dallas and Reno in January
this year, having discussed the event with both the DSC and SCI associations. Those of you who were
at the PHASA convention will recall Gray publicly talking about “The African Hunting Show” and how
this event needed to be supported and, in fact, how he was going to be involved.
At that time, however, Gray and I had not agreed upon his stake in the show and how, exactly, this
would work. As recently as February this year, Gray said he then wanted 50% of the show, wanted to
move it from Atlanta, wanted Kelli - not Future Publishing - to run the event, and that he would still
remain a full time employee of WSF. While not closing any doors to this idea, I wanted some clarity
on how this would work, particularly given what we had invested, committed to, plus the bookings
that we had started taking from exhibitors. The line of communication with Gray went quiet.
Imagine my surprise when I heard that Gray and Kelli had launched an identically formatted event,
copying everything from my plan! You only need to compare our material to see blatant and
unapologetic plagiarism of our unique, never been done before, ideas:
 Stakeholder sharing with the exhibitors
 Hosting an All & Only Africa show in the Southeast and why we choose that region.
 Booth and marketing material supplied – exhibitors just arrive and sell.
 No point system or auctions or obligatory donations
 Management team to run the event
Why am I writing this for you to read now? Obviously, we are disappointed – in fact I have never felt
more deeply let-down both personally and professionally. Yes, sharing our plans and ideas was a
risk, but we thought Gray a man of integrity who would never betray our trust.
Worse still is the confusion this is bringing to the readers, advertisers, exhibitors and friends. And
what Africa does not need right now is more confusion.
More than ever Africa’s hunting industry needs a clear, strategic plan and direction for the future.
We have dedicated years to promoting hunting in Africa: publishing a first-class magazine that is
befitting of the hunting experience in Africa, travelling to expos around the world, opening up a
market in Canada. We have consulted with and worked for over 50 outfitters and taxidermists,
helping with their marketing and communications – designing and publishing brochures, websites
and booths – helping Africa’s hunting industry succeed and prosper. We know that a secure and
prosperous hunting industry means we will have our place in the mix - and we’re comfortable with
that.
I hope this clears things up for you, and we look forward to continue serving you all, as we head into
what is going to be one very, very exciting 2011. Please feel free to contact me if you need any
further information. I welcome your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Richard Lendrum – Publisher and Director
African Hunting Show – Atlanta – 15 & 16 January 2011
African Hunting Showcase – Toronto – 21 & 22 January 2011
www.africanhuntingshow.com

Thank you Martin. This clears it up. I will pass your information over to my friend Pieter-Louis Le Roux of Wild Footprint Safaris. I think Atlanta is a great location for a show. Good luck with the show.

Now we have two more African Shows that started off as one, but went seperate ways before ever even getting started!! As I stated prior, just cutting the pie into smaller and smaller pieces so everyone ends up starving to death. You see this same scenerio play out in most all business ventures whether it be video stores, big electronic stores and other "box" stores. Someone sees a successful operation and figures it must be an easy mark, jumps in with several other like minds and all of a sudden the market is flooded and most of the newbies and some established ones go down the drain.

In this economy this will simply not work as it is hard pressed to do so in a strong one. Good luck to all out there involved, but don't be surprised if your expectations fall short.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by 375LVR:
Thank you Martin. This clears it up. I will pass your information over to my friend Pieter-Louis Le Roux of Wild Footprint Safaris. I think Atlanta is a great location for a show. Good luck with the show.

OK, if I understand Martin's post, the show will be in Atlanta, January 15-16; and not in Charlotte, January 20-22? This makes a lot more sense. Atlanta is a great location. I would certainly consider adding this to DSC and SCI. I have traveled to Atlanta on business, there is a lot going on there, lots of great restaurants, sight seeing, shopping for the wife, easy to get to, lots of flights in and out. I lived in Charlotte for a few years; clean, pleasant Southern town; visit from time to time; my wife and I still have relatives there, but the last time I was there, they still roll up the sidewalks every night.

My name is Kelli Thornton and I am the President of Inyathi Productions who is putting on the African Sporting Exposition in Charlotte, North Carolina January 20-22.

As you have read in earlier postings there was an announcement of this new show in Charlotte which I feel is an exciting new incredible market for Africa. I have researched that region extensively and the demographics are exceptional. This show is not intended to compete with other shows such as DSC and SCI but rather serve as a compliment to the USA show circuit for our valued exhibitors.

The African Sporting Exposition includes unique never before tried marketing and promotional concepts, some tried and true concepts, some concepts that have been used for years in other industry shows and some concepts pioneered by Game COIN 30 years ago, and many concepts hundreds of professional and volunteer show managers have developed over the years for special events.

There was also another posting regarding a completely different show, the African Hunting Show which will be held in Atlanta earlier in January. The posting claimed that the African Sporting Exposition is “identical” to or a “copy” of the African Hunting Show. This claim is inaccurate and was an certainly affront to my professionalism, and the many Africans and Americans who made suggestions on what the “new paradigm” of African shows could be. Many people contributed by offering ideas and suggestions for years to the parties involved in this claim.

Both the Atlanta show and Charlotte show are excellent opportunities for exhibitors to market and I and Inyathi Productions will continue to take that position and hope that exhibitors and attendees will support both.

For more information on the African Sporting Exposition please visit the website:
http://www.inyathiproductions.com/african-sports-expo

OK, guess there will be no excuse for anyone not making at least one of the Safari shows next January:

January 6-9, DSC, Dallas TX
January 14-16, Houston Safari Club, Houston TX
January 15-16, African Hunting Show, Atlanta GA
January 20-22, African Sporting Expo, Charlotte, NC
January 26-29, SCI, Reno NV

For those of you who are interested in meeting up with us, Shona Hunting Adventures will be attending the African Hunting Show in Atlanta on the 15th - 16th of January.

Regards

quote:

Originally posted by Shona:
For those of you who are interested in meeting up with us, Shona Hunting Adventures will be attending the African Hunting Show in Atlanta on the 15th - 16th of January.

Regards

Depending on my schedule, I may try to make it down.

Hope things are well, there.

quote:

Originally posted by RBHunt:
OK, guess there will be no excuse for anyone not making at least one of the Safari shows next January:

January 6-9, DSC, Dallas TX
January 14-16, Houston Safari Club, Houston TX
January 15-16, African Hunting Show, Atlanta GA
January 20-22, African Sporting Expo, Charlotte, NC
January 26-29, SCI, Reno NV

What I'd like to know is how in the deuce are all the exhibitors going to make all those shows? Looks like somebody is going to get left out. I think my boy and I will be going back to DSC, in January.

Mad Dog

quote:

Originally posted by Mad Dog:

quote:

Originally posted by RBHunt:
OK, guess there will be no excuse for anyone not making at least one of the Safari shows next January:

January 6-9, DSC, Dallas TX
January 14-16, Houston Safari Club, Houston TX
January 15-16, African Hunting Show, Atlanta GA
January 20-22, African Sporting Expo, Charlotte, NC
January 26-29, SCI, Reno NV

What I'd like to know is how in the deuce are all the exhibitors going to make all those shows? Looks like somebody is going to get left out. I think my boy and I will be going back to DSC, in January.

Mad Dog

Mad Dog, I for sure will be at DSC, might make one of the others, but schedule doesn't look like it right now. I think you will be glad you chose DSC, because of the big AR get together. If we run into each other, say hello and I'll buy you a drink.