Winterfest
It is time once again to celebrate the sport of kings at the 9th annual Winterfest. This event is designed to allow all falconers from apprentices to seasoned masters, to come have fun, fly birds, and see a wide variety of birds up close. This is also meant to be a very public friendly event to allow up and coming falconers as well as the generally interested public a chance to observe raptors. In recent years we have noticed an increase of wildlife photographers attending as well as college biology students, etc. Feel free to invite anyone who might enjoy such an event. Just make sure that anyone invited is encouraged to bring food to the potluck.


If you have any questions, contact Ben at skymasterswildlife@hotmail.com


January 29, 2011

Cost: FREE but please bring food for the potluckWhen: Winterfest starts at 10:00
Where: Fairfield Utah
Fairfield is pretty much a 2 street town. When you first get there check in at the old school house. If you don’t know where that is, then ask at the old Camp Floyd/stagecoach inn museum. It is just one street down from there. If you just show up at Fairfield you will have no trouble finding the old schoolhouse.


Events:
-Timed flight contests
-Exhibition flights
-potluck
-beauty contest
-raffle
-Bird yard
-Camp Floyd Museum

Details and rules

Potluck
Everyone loves to eat free food. Winterfest has always been free, and we hope to keep it that way. The potluck only works if everyone brings food. So please help out and come bringing some food and a healthy appetite. There is not a kitchen at the school house, but there are plugs if you bring a crock pot. There are bathrooms as well.

Bird yard

Please bring your bird and let everyone enjoy seeing it in the bird yard! This is the one event of the year where we can have a huge bird yard. Many birds are brought to the Sky Trials, but cannot all be put out as the flights occur right overhead. Since the Winterfest flights will not be by the bird yard, we are free to be able to have the birds out where all can enjoy them. The bird yard will be manned, and will be outside of the Fairfield schoolhouse. If you have a bird, please don’t be too cool to bring it. We all love raptors. Come show off your gorgeous bird in the bird yard. The more birds the better, and we have a lot of room this year.


Raffle
Every year we have a small raffle to help cover the costs associated with the event. Again, Winterfest has always been free, and we hope to keep it that way. We always go in the hole on it, but the raffle helps offset the cost. Please bring an item to donate to the raffle and please be willing to buy a few tickets. You can donate falconry and non-falconry items to the raffle. This has always been a fun part of the event.



Beauty contest
This has been a humorous part of Winterfest since the first year. Guests choose different funny categories and vote on the birds in the bird yard. This is all done in good fun, and is not a serious beauty contest.

Timed flights
The timed flight competition is separated into three categories: red-tailed hawks, kestrels, and harris hawks. There is no fee to enter the contest, and we encourage even the most unseasoned apprentice to enter. This is meant as a fun event, and there is no reason not to enter. That being said, we encourage all participants to make sure that their bird is at weight so the flights can run smoothly. Each bird entered is allowed two flights. They can be to the fist or to the lure. All flights will be the same distance. Judges will be timing the flights and awards will be given during the potluck. If the weather is good and not windy than the flights will be held at the field next the old Camp Floyd cemetery. If it is too windy, we will fly at the Camp Floyd Park. Either way, when you first arrive at Fairfield, stop at the school house to find out where the flights are taking place and put any birds not flying out in the bird yard.

Exhibition flights
Even though the timed flights are geared to red-tails, kestrels, and harris hawks, we always encourage anyone flying a different species to do a demonstration flight for the enjoyment of all. In years past we have had falcons stooped to lures, eagles flown, etc. We would all love to see your bird do it’s thing just for fun.

CampFloydMuseum
While you are in Fairfield, be sure to stop at the museum and learn of the towns fascinating and surprising history.

Hunting
Winterfest is not a true meet or a hunting event. But this year for the first time, Winterfest is being held on the edge of prime game-hawking land. After the event is finished it is expected that some falconers may wish to form hunting groups to go out and fly in the desert