I will second Echodive's motion here...

TH

Well a disappointment as usual.
The only positive from the show was meeting up with some friends for a drink.
The lack of illegal imports is really starting to show. A good thing i suppose though.

So what was everyone's thoughts on the show?

Very quiet. But seems that the marketing for the event could have maybe been a bit better? Didn't seem like there was a good flow of public traffic like at the previous shows. Just my observation.

There were some very nice exhibits with some decent effort put into the layout and stock available at the stands. Not as Many Tarantula stalls as I remember from last events though... I think?

However, some people really need to get their acts together, it was clear that some people were there to make a killing from un-knowing public. How can a P.Cambridgei sell for R80 at one stand and R180 at the stall directly opposite? Thats R100 extra for a the same spider at the exact same size??

Got to meet a few people I have not met as yet, and picked up some Holothele Incei, Cyclosternum Schmardae, and a new P.Cambridgei as I gave my last one away as a prize and then regretted it...

Otherwise the show was quite nice and prices were pretty good if you spent the time to shop from stand to stand, for example some very nice arboreal tanks with wooden lids I guess the sizes at about 25cm x 25 cm x 40cm for R75.00, very decent for a show i think. The reptile stands were also very good and as I said quite a nice variety of stuff on offer.

Ciao for now,

HS

Oh PS: There was a call to have one of the shows in Pretoria, I may be able to help with a venue at the Showgrounds for this, so whoever is in touch with Arno or the organising committees for these events let me know.

HS

I haven't attended an expo in 3 years and i must say this 1 was the biggest let down.
Not only the tarantulas but lack of reptiles as well.
I was shocked to see people paying R595 for B.smithi slings.
Lack of imports is unfortunatly getting a lot of people ripped-off.
The stand in the front collecting R30's seemed to be doing ok :laugh:

On a plus side got to meet a few new people

I agree, a lot of the guys just wanted to make money. I have a friend thats just getting into the hobby and went on saturday to buy some slings for the first time and bought a normal 4cm curly from a stand but was told its a South American golden curly hair and was charged R200 for it!!! big rip off. I felt sorry for him because he was taken advantage of.