This was my first time to attend the ICRBE and all I can say is wow we had a great time meet a lot of great people and learned a lot also..... I would like to thank Tom for the show I know there is a lot of work that goes into this so thank you very much for your time....Thank you to all the Instructors and Demonstration for all your time also...... Just to let everyone know why I said my daughter and I ... About 2hr before my dad and I were fixing start the long 21 hr trip to the show my oldest daughter "who is 10yrs old" asked if she could come which made my heart melt .. she has been helping me build rods and has been learning how to do it also ..... The best part was when we walked into the expo and her eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store .... A few hour after being at the first day of the show she told me she wanted to buy everything to build her first rod for herself I told her, I have tons of stuff at the house to build your rod she told me she wanted to pick it herself "who can ague with that" .... She had already scoped everything out and knew where we were starting...We went to the Rod Fathers booth she wanted one of there discounted rod blanks and reel seats.. When she picked it out and went to go pay for it Andrew charged her half of the already discounted price and also let her pick 3 colors of thread for free.... Next we went to Swampland booth because she wanted tour star grips... then to the mudhole booth for the discounted Pac bay guides..... But later on in the day that all changed when Billy Vivona gave her one of his custom built eva grips "she really had a great time at Billy's booth and I think Billy had just as much fun as she did" ... Chuck Brown at Decal Connection also gave her decals for her rod....Then right before we were leaving the show Sunday Christianna wanted to go @ and tell everyone she had met bye and as we were leaving the Baston booth telling Gary Land bye he asked her if she had a reel for the rod she was going to build, As he reached into his bag and handed her a Shimano Stradic reel she super excited about that.... She also wanted to thank Lana Preston for the hours of conversation they had and anyone else she talked to at the show......She had a great time at the show and it also made it more memorable for me being she was there and never once did she ever say she was board or wanted to go... She has the passion and I hope she stays with it .... It was hard for me to keep my composer why we were at the show seeing how much fun she was having had me all choked up... This is one trip I will cherish forever..... So once again we would like to thank everyone at the show for everything and we will post pictures of the rod when she finishes it .....

P.s. On the way home she decided she wanted to use Microwave guides... So I traded her the tour star grips and her pacbay guides for a set of Microwaves so she made out on that deal to....lol

Thanks,
Brandon Clingerman and Christianna @ BCRAZIE CUSTOM RODS

Brandon, I had a lot of fun with you guys hanging out at the booth, she was a trip!!! She laughed at everything I did wrong - hahah!! I'm glad that you guys came to the show and were treated the way you were. I love seeing kids involved, especially when they are really into everything. I was pretty surprised that she didn't get bored when I was talking abotu wraps and grips for such a long period of time.

What a wonderful story! It is really neat that she has got the enthusiasm for hobby that is mostly done by "older men!" When she is finished, it would be great if you can post photos of the finished rod! I bet she would be thrilled to see it on the forum!

It's easy to get sidetracked and judge the Expo solely on the business end (which I certainly have to deal with) but a report like yours reminds me of what really counts - the experience the rod builders have there.

................

Outstanding! This will probably be a story that she will pass on to her children.

Excellent story
just reading it i got chocked up made me think of mine
You and her will have a great time building that rod
That is what it is all about -- The Kids -- You will Never Forget this Guaranteed !!!

I hope some one took pictures of you and her at the show ???

Bill - willierods.com

Great to see kids getting involved and that type of thing is what it's all about, meeting new people and finding out what they do. All the goods and discounts are a bonus!! I hope she gave Billy a good workout.
Tom does a great job and it's not easy making every show better than the last. Would have loved to have been able to get there again.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

Being just average Joe Rod Builder I have no idea what the vendors take is. All I know is what I experience as a rod building consumer and traveling about 3000 miles for this event this year. I can honestly say that I get better value traveling 3000 miles to the Expo than the 200 miles I once traveled to another rod building event right here in my own state. The Expo is every bit that much better than any other rod building happening. I can see where you guys behind the scenes may be looking at dollars and cents, but for us rod builders it's about a lot more than that and every year the Expo has delivered in spades, at least for me. Sounds like this gentlemen and his daughter would agree.

great to hear how generous everybody was, she's gonna have an awesome setup with that stradic!! doesn't get much better than that. was my first show too and I wish I'd been able to spend more time there

Brandon,

What a wonderful experience with your daughter. Thank you for sharing your memorable moments.

I am just going to have to somehow scrape together the air fare from CA and add a EXPO Attendance to my Bucket List!

Don Campbell
don@sensorfishingrods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2014 09:56AM by Donald R Campbell.

I have to agree with Billy. regardless of fishing or rod building itself, i like seeing kids involved.

Brandon - im glad the two of you stopped by the Rod Father booth. when the rod is done please send me a picture.

AK

Southside Custom Rods, LLC
Chesapeake, VA.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2014 01:37PM by Andrew Kumjian.

Brandon -
Your daughter made the show for Lana! She really enjoyed speaking with her. We're both glad that you and she had a great time.