The Game Fair 2026: My Experience as an Official Supporter

This year, I had the honour of being asked to become one of only a handful of official Game Fair Ambassadors for 2026.

At first, I assumed it would mainly involve marketing meetings, media days, PR activities and creating content to help promote the show through my social media channels. While all of that was certainly part of the role, I soon realised it meant so much more than that to me, and to others.

Being an ambassador is about relationships. It's about trust. The PR team and organisers have watched me build Shooting Girl with an Afro over the past few years. They've seen me grow my website from scratch, develop genuine partnerships with brands I truly believe in, and spend countless hours talking to people at the show.

They've watched visitors stop me for selfies, ask for advice, and share those moments across social media. More importantly, they've seen that my audience values authenticity over perfection. They don't want overly polished marketing campaigns or stories that feel manufactured. They want real experiences, honest opinions and someone who genuinely enjoys being a part of the countryside community.

That's probably the biggest lesson I took away from this year's Game Fair. If you stay true to yourself, treat people with kindness and build genuine relationships, opportunities have a way of finding you. I'll be talking about more of those opportunities, both for myself and for others, over the coming months.

Although it was an incredibly busy few days, I had an amazing time. I've loved attending The Game Fair every year since 2021, and I already can't wait for next year's event - wherever it may be!

One thing I noticed this year was just how overwhelming the show can be, especially if it's your first visit. I brought one of my best friends along, and while she absolutely loved it, she quickly realised how much there was to do.

Thankfully, she'd already decided that the Gundog Arena was a must-see, so we made sure we planned time around that.

Watching her experience the show reminded me how important it is to have a rough schedule. Between filming, taking behind-the-scenes photos, chatting with followers, meeting brands, exploring new kit and equipment, attending the Gun Salute, appearing on stage with Charlie from Fieldsports Channel to talk about my upcoming book (and selling my books), and hosting my own stage demonstration (which was absolute chaos in the best possible way!), there wasn't much spare time left.

A huge thank you to everyone who volunteered during my stage demo. You made it hilarious, and congratulations again to the winners of the goody bags, I hope you're enjoying your personalised 'Shooting Girl with an Afro' Yeti cups and your Jack Pyke travel mugs!

There were also some fantastic moments away from the public stages. I spent a couple of hours catching up with a friend in the VIP area, met up with Charlotte from Clarkson's Farm (who I first met a couple of years ago discussing local venison supplies), to discuss an exciting opportunity for her future in fieldsports (more on that later this year!), I attended the BASC Ladies Lunch, and rounded things off on the Friday at the brilliant Field Party event at Ragley Hall; which I've been lucky enough to attend every year since writing an article for the magazine in 2023.

By the end of the weekend, I realised that planning my time had made all the difference. It meant I could enjoy the parts of the show that mattered most, while still fulfilling my Ambassador obligations, making time for friends and discovering new interests.

One thing I was determined to do was visit the Fishing Village. I wanted to improve my casting as I started learning to fish a couple of months ago, so I had a one-to-one lesson and it definitely helped. Now I just need to remember the tips....

If you haven't spotted it already, I've now launched Fishing Girl with an Afro over on Instagram, where I'll be sharing the highs, lows and obviously all the tangles of my new fishing adventure. I'd love you to come along for the journey!

As always, thank you to everyone who stopped to say hello over the weekend. Whether we chatted for five minutes, took a selfie or simply waved as we passed, those moments genuinely make my Game Fair experience so special every single year.

Now the countdown to 2027 begins. I'll see you there!

Keep an eye out for next week's blog, where I'll be talking about deer stalking in your 40s, what I've learned, the challenges I've faced, and why it's never too late to start something new.