Season’s first expo brings big crowds

By Tony Vindell

For Lone Star outdoor newS

They say records are made to be broken.

That’s what happened at this year’s Texas Hunters & Sportsman’s Expo. The annual threeday event that has called McAllen home for the last 32 years surpassed attendance expectations in only the first day.

Many attendants expressed a sigh of relief during the second and third days, citing lighter, more manageable crowds.

“I have been coming here since the first year — some 30 years ago,” Harlingen resident Martin Zamora said, as he stood in front of one of the many exhibitors. “And I have never seen so many people like this.”

Marsha Green, who was representing one of the Rio Grande Valley car dealerships, was shocked by the turnout.

“This is awesome,” she said, passing out A La Barbie pink-colored koozies. “Friday was a mega opening.”

Although the expo is one of the state’s largest events, catering to seasoned brands in the outdoors industry and their enthusiastic consumers, it’s also a place for those who want to debut their products or services for the first time.

Among those newcomers was TXQ Rubs.

The numbers, which represent Texas area codes, serve as the names for different seasonings.

“We all know hunting and fishing folks love to cook,” Lou said. “Why not introduce them to a product they can use at their respective camps?”

Castro said the rubs come in five different blends, and that each can has everything one needs for meat, chicken or fish.

All rub products are sold at more than 200 H-E-B stores in Texas and at some 60 independent shops all over the country.

“This expo is the place to be,” he said Sunday.

At another end of the expo, Pete Garcia talked to people behind the counter of Rancho Pisto Pesca, a business that sells outdoor apparel.

Rancho stands for hunting. Pisto for spirits. Pesca for fishing.

Another newcomer to the show was the Quail Coalition.

Founded in 2009, QC is looking to expand its reach in Texas, as it plans to open a new RGV chapter.

And why not? Some of the state’s best quail numbers come out of South Texas.

Today, QC has more than 3,200 members in Texas and Oklahoma, raising more than $3.8 million in the last 14 years.

“We sold 43 annual memberships and three life memberships,” said Jay Stine, executive director at QC. “Good show.”