2008 Lehigh Valley Hunting and Fishing Extravaganza
Show Follow Up & Event Winners & More
The 2009 Extravaganza will début its new fall flavor August 28th ,29th, 30th of 2009.
With beautiful weather and great temperatures our 3rd Annual Extravaganza was a huge success. Visitors to the show found themselves enjoying a myriad of activities and displays spread throughout the 60 beautiful acres of the Kempton fairgrounds. All of our 60 plus volunteer staff did and awesome job and worked very hard we would be lost without the help of these wonderful outdoor enthusiasts.
Though the show was great this year, we have been trying very hard to put big smiles on our vendor’s faces. We need to draw lots more people to make the Extravaganza endure. This year we advertised BIG TIME we truly expected to see our attendance double. But it did not; our show has a great venue and should certainly draw tons of outdoorsmen together. Some people say it’s the high gas prices and the economy that many functions are suffering this year. And then others say it’s the time of the year, June has many people leaving on vacations, going on weekend fishing outings and lots of graduation party’s, plus many people just aren’t thinking about hunting season yet. . Though we would like to, we can’t change the gas prices or fix the economy. But we can change the date for next years show. Next year the Extravaganza will take on a new light as an Early Fall Show, just prior to fall hunting & fishing. The 2009 Extravaganza will début its new fall flavor August 28th ,29th, 30th of 2009.
Our first time ever SPORTSMEN SHARING THE HARVEST CONCERT was really great, but again we need more people!! All of our bands were truly awesome!! We gave away close to $800 dollars in door prizes. Valerie Borman has agreed to stay on as our Master of Ceremonies, and hopefully sing again next year along with the STARLITES. In all our dreams we could not have come up with a better person to MC this concert she was absolutely spectacular. Though we took in a generous amount of goods for the Allentown Rescue Mission and other Charities, as sportsmen, we need to do better. Next year the Concert will be on Saturday night of the show. !! Plan it & attend it!!
MANY!! MANY!! Thanks to these three great bands!!
VALERIE BORMAN WITH THE STARLITES & the Lizard Creek Band & Leech boy in Concert
Saturday’s Mr. Lehigh Valley Outdoorsmen’s Competition was a huge success. Competition organizers Matt Bednar and Jen Rapchak along with their staff really worked there tails off and it really showed. Though competitors found themselves in the midst of a serious competition, they really had a lot of fun and enjoyed themselves. Most of them thought the deer dragging and slippery slimy fish toss were the toughest but also one of the most fun parts of the competition. One of our Mrs. MLVO competitors suffered a severe ankle sprain during the Deer Drag and she and her husband/teem mate had to leave early for medical attention. She has promised to come back next year as one of our MLVO staff members. Our thoughts are with her and we hope for a speedy recovery.
By next year 2 of my best friends Matt Bednar and Jen Rapchak Will be Mr. & Mrs. Matt Bednar. They are going to be one awesome team as husband & wife. BEST WISHES!!
After the tough competition the scores were added, we had our winners & trophies and prizes were awarded
Out of our competitors
1st place won a Trophy, A 10 trout fishing package to Limestone Springs Trout Nursery &1 year membership to Lehigh Valley Safari Club, & Bragging Rights for a year
2nd place won a trophy, A 5 trout fishing package to Limestone Springs Trout Nursery &1 year membership to Lehigh Valley Safari Club, & Bragging Rights for a year.
3rd place won a trophy, A 5 trout fishing package to Limestone Springs Trout Nursery & 1 year membership to Lehigh Valley Safari Club, & Bragging Rights for a year
The women’s final results were as follows.
Laurie Wellington- -1st Place with a score of 287 Allentown PA
Lorrissa Lazarus — 2nd Place with a score of 268 Breinigsville, PA
Sue Transue ——– 3rd Place with a score of 233 Walnutport, PA
The men’s final results were as follows.
Casey Hoffman —– 1st Place with a score of 300 Kempton, PA
Stephen Batarick Jr. – 2nd Place with a score of 283 Kempton, PA
Keith Weaver ——- 3rd Place with a score of 275 Whitehall, PA
Most of the competitors have vowed to return next year and defend their titles or try to better them selves. But wait till they see what we have in store for them, next year it’s a whole new game!!
OUR TROOP CHALLENGE WINNERS
1st Place Troop 104 of Krumsville, PA “Lashed Wooden Camp Table”
2nd Place Troop 72 of Fogelsville, PA “Lashed Wooden Deer Drag”
Scout Challenge
Our clubs and organizations did a great job with the youth events. We received lots of emails and comments how great the enthusiasm was from these mentored stations. We all owe them a big THANK YOU, for a job well done.
1. Pennsylvania Federation of Black Powder Shooters, Inc.
TOMAHAWK CHALLENGE
TOP GUN LAZER SHOOTING CHALLENGE
PA TRAPPERS ASSOSIATION
TRAPPERS CHALLENGE
NWTF Jerry Zimmerman Memorial & Walking Purchase Chapters
TURKEY HUNT CHALLENGE
Federated Sportsmen’s Clubs of Berks County
SPORTSMENS LAZER SHOOT CHALLENGE
Cabela’s
FISHERMEN’S CASTING CHALLENGE
US Coast Guard Auxiliary-Flotilla 10-2
SAFE BOATER’S KNOT CHALLENGE
Daisy pellet gun challenge by Lehigh County Federation Of Sportsmen’s Clubs
MARKSMEN CHALLENGE
United Bow Hunters of PA.
JR. BOWMEN CHALLENGE
Scout Challenge Winners
1st Place Jonathan Rarick of Troop 101 Kutztown PA with 353 Million Points Wins $100
2nd Place Dillan King of Troop 84 Stroudsburg PA with 347 Million Points Wins $50
3rd Place Jeff Heminitz Troop 72 Fogelsville PA with 346 Million Points Wins $25
Lehigh Valley Safari Club International Top Gun Scout Competition
Michael Walters and the rest of his staff from the Lehigh Valley Chapter SCI offered two $250.00 prizes to the Top Gun Award winner’s Troop. For the best Lazar Shot scores during the Scouts competition. Each Top Gun from the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts won $250.00 for their troop. LVSCI really came threw with their involvement in promoting the sports and we look forward to working with them again.
LV Top Gun Winners
Top Gun Girl Scout Jordan Hoffman Troop 6549 Score of 155/200
Top Gun Boy Scout Casey Schneck Troop 184 Score of 158/200
JUNIOR MR. LEHIGH VALLEY OUTDOORSMEN COMPETION
Lehigh Valley Chapter of Safari Club International
TOP GUN LAZER SHOOTING CHALLENGE
Federated Sportsmen’s Clubs of Berks Co.
SPORTSMENS LAZER SHOOT CHALLENGE
CABELA’S
FISHERMEN’S CASTING CHALLENGE
Daisy pellet gun challenge by the Lehigh County Fed. Of Sportsmen’s Clubs
MARKSMEN CHALLENGE
United Bow Hunters of PA
JR. BOWMEN CHALLENGE
JUNIOR MR. LEHIGH VALLEY OUTDOORSMEN WINNERS
1St Place Winner with 297 Million points
Tom Hudak of Orefield, Pa will receive a LVHFE Prize pack
2Nd Place Winner with 292 Million points
Bennet Fenstemacher of Strosburg PA will receive a LVHFE Prize pack
3Rd Place Winner with 286 Million points
Jason Niemiel of Glenn Gardner NJ will receive a LVHFE Prize pack
Any one that didn’t get down to the EHRIG SETTELMENT Primitive Encampment surely missed something great. Charles Sumpter from the PA Black Powder Federation and his friends had an awesome encampment filled with lots to do and see and taste. This is one wonderful group of people I love these people and made some great friends down there; they all want to return next year. They expect to enlarge the size of their encampment; I say the more the merrier!
WINNERS OF THE PRIMITIVE MUZZLELOADING 10 Shot AG MATCH
1ST Bob Broawsky
2nd Charlie Sumpter
3RD Barry Miller
Archers found the Weaknecht’s Bow Fair 50 target 3D Coarse to be great challenging fun. With very few bottle necks and no back ups the Weaknecht’s have it down to a science. Old BUBBA would be very proud of them. Young archers also found lots of enjoyment with all the fun novelty shoots set up by the United Bow hunters of PA their kids shoot for fun range was packed with eager children all weekend. This is one great group of guys having fun sharing their knowledge.
Our Official Show Tee Shirts for 2008 were made by Diane Heckman of Stitch or Stick. She did a great job making our shirts. She is planning to work with us for many years to come, if you missed out on and official show shirt you can custom order them from her at 610-767-9121 she will make you one up to order. They really are nice.
Our vendors at the show were great; many of them interacted well with the youth that attended. They all did super jobs on there booths and were a pleasure to deal with. We really do appreciate all the great support and suggestions they have given us and there willingness to help us expand and grow.
Many of the Outdoor Writers that did such a great job reporting to their readers about the show took time from their busy schedules to come check it out. Their words of support and encouragement about this new kind of show were greatly appreciated. Members of the outdoors community owe them a big thank you! And we look forward to their friendship in the future.
The Outdoorsmen’s Flea Market was also a big hit; Flea Market Dealers had tons of items to sell at fair prices, and sell they did!! Buyers were walking away with arms full of treasures myself included. Look for and even bigger and better flea market next year.
KIDS TROUT FISHING AREA was a huge success. It was loaded with 350 huge trout. Thanks go out to ROTHROCK MOTORS & RT33 SELF STORAGE, TREXLERTOWN SELF STORAGE, Keystone Self Storage & Limestone Springs Trout Nursery, for buying our trout. And a big thanks to all the great fishing mentors who came out to help the kids catch trout on good old cane poles. This was one of the most popular areas at the show. The kids caught lots of fish and were able to take 1 or 2 home per daily visit. For many of the kids this was the first time they ever caught a fish, there is no doubt we have hooked lots of kids on fishing.
OUR SPONSORS
All went above and beyond to help the show, we all owe them our respect and patronage.
As promised our friends at Rothrock Motors had some really great Trucks & SUVs. But when they heard we needed trout for the kids fishing area they opened their wallet and said; here go buy the kids some trout; lets really give them some fun!!
Our friends with Lehigh Valley Safari Club Worked overtime with the kids running their shooting simulator then decided to also donate a bunch of memberships to the outdoorsmen competition.
Our Show Staff were great we had over 60+ volunteers come out to help at the show and they did an absolutely wonderful job we cannot thank them enough.
To recapitulate our show, these are my thoughts. We did have a great show, some small mistakes may have been made, but we learn from them “that is a good thing” Our goal was to put together a new show that would bring our sportsmen together and create new friendships in the sporting community. To find new ways to promote our love of the sports and the environment to our youth, and do it in a way that is attractive to people as a family activity. My friends, we have achieved our goals.
Looking forward, Hopefully by changing the date to early fall, we will enable many more sportsmen to attend. We are very excited to start planning our next show. Now we have a whole year to put it together. And we still have an army of dedicated sportsmen sharing our goals and ambitions with us as friends.
Please keep an eye on our Website for our 2009 show info www.lvhfe.com
I have used this line before but nothing could be truer than my father’s words! My father once told me the richest a man can be, is to be rich in friendships, I feel blessed to be such a rich man.
Sincerely,
Co-Show Director
Bob V Danenhower Sr.
bobstaxidermy@nni.com
Phone 610-398-7609
Co-Show Director
Rick Weaknecht
Phone 610-683-7405
