Huntex 2020 – 10 Years On
The Huntex expo, celebrating its 10th year, will be held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng, from 24 – 27 April. Huntex first opened its doors here as a 3-day event in April 2011, featuring three hunting destinations and seven firearm dealers as the main attractions. More than 16 000 visitors attended that year. Within two years, visitor numbers had more than doubled and exhibitors increased to 400. Now Huntex features 40 hunting destinations and outfitters, 35 local firearm dealers, plus a growing number of foreign firearm and optics manufacturers, and other exhibitors.
Huntex’s Adriaan Woudstra says the expo enables exhibitors to present their products in a world-class environment. He says the average Huntex visitor has done the homework on prices and products and is not easily fooled by sales talk. Exhibitors using the expo to build rapport with potential customers benefit in the long term. “Where else can you potentially get 33 000+ people to see your brand and visit your stand in four days?”
To avoid long queues, the ticketing system has been streamlined. In the past, overcrowding in the halls has impeded interaction between visitors and exhibitors. “Should the need arise, we can temporarily limit access, as having satisfied visitors and exhibitors is more important than cramming people in,” says Woudstra. The average visitor spends about six hours at the show, and some return the next day, as they were unable to explore all 26 000m2.
One of the new attractions at Huntex 2020 is a shooting range under Hall 1, sponsored by Southern Sky Operations, enabling visitors to test-fire the smaller calibre firearms (.223Rem, 9mm, .22LR) marketed by this company. Having firearms on the premises requires much stricter security than found at other big expos. Visitors bringing firearms in order to ask advice of exhibitors can make use of gun safety zones in the halls; specially trained security and emergency medical personnel will be present.
Well-aware that the firearms and hunting industries, like all others, are affected by the Eskom power crisis, Huntex’s organisers have approached purveyors of alternative and renewable energy-generating equipment to exhibit this year. Likewise, crime has increased awareness of personal safety, increasing the need for security products and services, which will be well represented, as will self-defence firearms. Don’t miss the ATA Arms exhibit representing Turkey’s firearm industry, or the exhibitors from France and USA. Several exhibitors will be launching new products this year. For newcomers to the sport, several hunting and shooting associations will be present to discuss all the requirements for participating in the shooting sports. Visitors can even take part in archery axe-throwing events!
Wildswinkel will present a timed online auction of specialised firearms and other products aimed at the serious enthusiast. On Saturday 25 April, Classic Arms’s 67th auction of 500 lots of rare and sought-after firearms will again take place. #Helpjag, a charity that is part of a feeding scheme for underprivileged children run
by Helpende Hand Kosblikkie Project, will assist hunters to bag an extra animal for donation to this feeding scheme.
Visitors are encouraged to make use of the Bulletbuying pass online ticket system, which is cheaper than tickets at the gate and also offers multi-day tickets at reduced prices. The exhibition halls open at 09:00 but the mai nga tes open at 07:00 to allow early visitors to enjoy coffee before official opening time. Visit www.huntex.net or Huntex’s Facebook and Instagram @huntexnow. – André Grobler