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Just some of the people and things I will be covering at the 31st Annual Fan Fair.  FAN FAIR 2002 Thanks for checking in. Please sign our guest book

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31ST ANNUAL FAN FAIR

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THE FAN FAIR CELEBRITY ARCHERY SHOOT-OUT

PICTURES FROM THE SHOW.

Lots of people from across United States come to Fan Fair to meet their favorite Country Music Artist.	All under the beautiful skyline of Nashville, Tennessee.
Country Music Artist Chad Simmons keeps busy signing Autographs at Fan Fair.	Country Music Artist Chad Simmons always makes time for his fans! Just ask the Andrew Sister from Virginia.
Interview on  6-14-2002 with your host horntagger on the road at Fan Fair in Nashville - with one of country music biggest artist and true sportsman/conservationist. Chad Simmons Listen with Real Player.	Segment One Segment Two
Country Music Artist Chad Simmons fans get to see and hear his latest single Heaven Sent - Co-written by Garth Brooks and Jennifer Pierce.	More fans and more pictures, with thousands of fans waiting to see Country Music Artist Chad Simmons, always with a smile.
In the shadows of the Adelphia Coliseum the Fan Fair Celebrity Archery Shoot-Out was about to take place.	Hunting, Fishing, and Conservation have a strong showing at Fan Fair - with the Celebrity Archery Shoot-Out, which makes for great practice on the road before Deer Season starts this fall.

Providing the targets for the Celebrities.	Joshua Ragsdale and Blake Shelton get some practice in before the shoot-out starts.
Andy Griggs looks on as Gary Levox of Rascal Flatts takes aim with his Matthews bow.	Rusty Tabor and Tracy Byrd getting some practice in also.
The competitions was stepped up a notch when Brad Paisley started warming up with his Bear bow.	Dave Watson takes time out from Bushnell's Secret of the Hunt to be master of ceremonies at the Celebrity Archery Shoot-Out.
No rookies in among this group of Bow Hunters as the practice was over and the scores started adding up.

When a line up of celebrities like this stand up and let the world know that the heritage of hunting is strong, and bow hunting is a sport that all should enjoy. They all should congratulated for their effort.  Back Row - Kris Marcy, Blake Shelton, Darryl Worley Middle Row - Joshua Ragsdale, Neil Thrasher, Tracy Byrd, Rusty Tabor, Gary Levox Front Row - Brad Paisley, Jeff Carson, Andy Griggs
Line up of celebrities are listening to the rules.	Dave Watson takes his place as we get under way.
Dave Watson giving a little ribbing as any good hunting buddy will do.	Andy Griggs hosted this Fan Fair Celebrity Shoot-Out and for good reason. Out shooting the best of the best.
Tracy Byrd avid Bow Hunter  is also top in his field when is comes to shooting his Matthews Bow.	Interview on  6-14-2002 with your host horntagger on the road at Fan Fair in Nashville at the Celebrity Archery Shoot-Out - with one of hunting's finest spokesman and country artist  Tracy Byrd. Listen with Real Player. Segment One

Tracy Byrd only left handed bow hunter in the group.	Everyone takes aim for another round.
Darryl Worley takes careful aim with his Bear bow.	Dave Watson showing the crowd a release that Gary Levox is using with his Matthews bow while Rusty Tabor nocks a carbon on his PSE.
Darryl Worley with is Bear bow goes head to head with Gary Levox and his PSE.	Blake Shelton  waiting on Joshua Ragsdale to take his shot.

Kris Marcy taking aim.	Brad Paisley looks on as Neil Thrasher shoots.
Final score shows Andy Griggs taking first place followed by Tracy Byrd, Neil Thrasher, Brad Paisley, Gary Levox, Rusty Tabor, Kris Marcy, Blake Shelton, Joshua Ragsdale and Darryl Worley.
Andy Grigss host of this Shoot-Out thanks the crowd and the celebrities for celebrating the great sport of bow hunting today.	Darryl Worley taking time for the kids and pictures.
Rusty Tabor also giving the kids his time.
Dave Watson from Bushnell's Secret of the Hunt - Master of ceremonies on  6-14-2002 with your host horntagger on the road at Fan Fair in Nashville at the Celebrity Archery Shoot-Out - Listen to the entire event on-line. Listen with Real Player.	Segment One Segment Two Segment Three Segment Four Segment Five Segment Six

Archery and bow hunting is very much alive in the souls of country music and country music artists as the first ever Fan Fair Celebrity Archery Shoot-Out that took place in Nashville, Tennessee on June 14^th of 2002.

As Fan Fair representatives ask country music artist Andy Griggs if he would consider hosting a golf tournament, he said no but would be willing to host an archery tournament. Archery is an American tradition and is strong in this Monroe, Louisiana native as his first arrow was released and found its mark.

Master of ceremonies for this event was country music artist, and host of Bushnell’s Secret of the Hunt, Dave Watson who has great respect by the hunting community and country music artists worldwide. Dave Watson did a great job telling the hundreds of fans on hand watching, how the archery shoot-out was to take place, and how this compared to hunting, and some of the great benefits of archery and hunting and how it is American heritage.

With each release of an arrow by the fans favorite celebrity, applause and cheers could be heard as the arrow found its mark more than once in the shadows of the Adelphia Coliseum and the skyline of Nashville, Tennessee.

Andy Griggs took first place followed by Tracy Byrd, Neil Thrasher, Brad Paisley, Gary Levox, Rusty Tabor, Kris Marcy, Blake Shelton, Joshua Ragsdale and Darryl Worley. This dedicated group of country music artists and bow hunters with the mutual desire to ensure that archery and bow hunting and the ideals of wildlife conservation will survive, expand and flourish to be shared, enjoyed and passed onto future generations to come. Which was more prevalent as Rusty Tabor, Darryl Worley, Andy Griggs, Blake Shelton, and Gary Levox made it a point to sign autographs for the young boys and girls that watched the archery shoot-out. All of the country music artists on hand put on a great archery exhibition for hundreds of fans on hand and should gain the respect of every hunter.

Whenever a celebrity that is in the spot light shows and tells the world, that he is a hunter, that celebrity is making this American heritage that much stronger and each celebrity on hand earned my respect in doing so. As with Tracy Byrd during my interview with him just before the archery shoot-out took place, he said. “I am a bow hunter”

That split second right before the releasing of each arrow made me very proud to be able to witness that hunting has some great ambassadors for a long time to come. That was confirmed when talking with Andy Griggs who hosted this archery shoot-out after the event and he said, “It will only be bigger next year.”

Also another great ambassador of hunting, was country music artist Chad Simmons, as he took time and made it a point, out of his very busy schedule just to talk hunting. When it comes to hunting Chad Simmons is the Ted Nugent version on the country music side and hopes to get involved in the archery shoot out next year.

Everything that stands tall has a solid foundation, and hunting has that in country music and in it’s country music artists.

Hope to see you in the woods or on the water. Horntagger

Andy Griggs makes no secret about being an avid outdoorsman, but a golfer he ain't. (That might explain all of the "misplaced scorecards" and unused golf lesson certificates...) So, it was natural for Andy to devise the first-ever Fan Fair Celebrity Archery Shoot-Out -- an interesting alternative to the many golf tournaments celebrities typically take part in.

Griggs hosted the event during Fan Fair weekend (Friday, June 17) under sunny skies in the parking lot of Nashville's Adelphia Coliseum. Fans attended by the hundreds to see Andy and friends Tracy Byrd, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Darryl Worley, Rascal Flatts' Gary LeVox and others participate in what is hoped to be an annual event at Fan Fair. The group loaded their bows and shot at ten 3D targets, with a bullseye worth 12 points.

Before things got started, Worley said he hadn't used his bow in over six years and Shelton admitted he was more adept with a gun than a bow and arrow. Even so, when it was all over, everyone fared pretty well -- there were no errant arrows, and no injuries!

As for the host, Andy scored 106 out of a possible 120 to take first place. Byrd came in second, followed closely by songwriter/artist Neil Thrasher, Paisley and LeVox.

After the showdown, Griggs said that he thought at least half of the contenders were better bow-hunters, but added that he was grateful for the win. He noted, "All of us are rusty, all of us are out of practice because it's tour season. I was just hoping we'd hit a few targets and raise money for charity."

LeVox said, "The competition was great, and it's funny because we all try and get together and hunt throughout the year, and it was good we were able to get together here. [From now on], it'll be in my schedule every year."

Dee Falks and The Old Hickory Lake Bowmen Club with the Cheatham Archery Club graciously manned the event, supplying the judges and scorekeepers and Wisconsin's Rinehart Targets supplied the 3D targets. Dave Watson took time out from Bushnell's Secret of the Hunt to be master of ceremonies. Adair's Wilderness Lodge in New Brunswick, Canada, Mossy Oak, Mathews Bow, Hunters for the Hungry and Allen "Horntagger" Morris from Missouri Sportsman's Information Network all helped sponsor and cover the shoot-out.

Reflecting on the event, Griggs said, "Not only are we supporting charity, but we're also doing what we all love to do and that's being a part of the outdoors. For as long as I live, I will fight to keep the rights that God and our grandfathers gave us. It's not as much about harvesting game as it is medicine for the spirit. Hunting is one of the most positive things that I do for myself. I'm all about God, my family and the woods and water."

Net proceeds from the event will be donated to a yet-to-be-determined charity of Andy's choice.

FREEDOM, the highly anticipated new album from Griggs, is available July 9. The project features the hit "Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man," which continues to climb the charts.

Other artists already confirmed to appear at Fan Fair 2002, include Trace Adkins, Alabama, Bill Anderson, Chad Austin, Sherrie Austin, Steve Azar, David Ball, Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash, Eddie Bayers & The Players, Bellamy Brothers, John Berry, Blackhawk, Jill Block, Brooks & Dunn, Lane Brody, Sonny Burgess, Chris Cagle, Kenny Chesney, Mark Chesnutt, Anita Cochran, Tammy Cochran, Kellie Coffey, Earl Thomas Conley, Elizabeth Cook, Rodney Crowell, Billy Ray Cyrus, Deryl Dodd, Diamond Rio, Joe Diffie, Len Doolin, Sara Evans, Jubal Foster, Radney Foster, Fox Brothers, Kristin Garner, J. Michael Harter, Eric Heatherly, Billy Hoffman, Steve Holy, Alan Jackson, Casey Jones, George Jones, Toby Keith, Joanie Keller, Hal Ketchum, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Tracy Lawrence, Little Big Town, Lonesome River Band, Lonestar, Marie Sisters, Daniel Lee Martin, McBride and the Ride, Martina McBride, Lila McCann, Neal McCoy, Mark McGuinn, Jo Dee Messina, John Michael Montgomery, Montgomery Gentry, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Oak Ridge Boys, Jamie O’Neal, James Otto, Allison Paige, Perfect Stranger, Pinmonkey, Eddy Raven, Collin Raye, Charlie Robison, Tim Rushlow, Leslie Satcher, Sawyer Brown, Earl Scruggs, Dan Seals, SHeDAISY, Shenandoah, Tommy Shane Steiner, Anthony Smith, Sons of the Desert, Jeffrey Steele, Marty Stuart, Doug Stone, Chalee Tennison, Cyndi Thomson, Travis Tritt, keith urban, Phil Vassar, Wayne Warner, Dale Watson, Gene Watson, Bryan White, Wild Horses, Walt Wilkins, Mark Wills, Lee Ann Womack and other surprise guests.

“Fan Fair’s reputation for having more artists than any other festival continues this year as we’ve added even more concert hours to the event,” said CMA Executive Director Ed Benson. “And we continue to broaden the musical appeal with the diversity of acts on the Riverfront Park Stages lineup.”

More names have been added to the growing list of dynamic performers appearing at Fan Fair, which was hailed as “the crown jewel of Country Music festivals” by USA Today, including: Gibson Brothers and The Whites at the Riverfront Stages Bluegrass Show; Brett James and Andy Griggs have been added to the RCA Show at Riverfront; Chad Brock, T. Graham Brown, The Great Divide, David Frizzell, Johnny Lee, Michael Mason, Delbert McClinton, Ronnie McDowell, Craig Morgan, Lee Roy Parnell, Joe Stampley, Trini Triggs and Billy Yates have all been added to shows at Riverfront; comedian Killer Beaz will host the Best of Texas Riverfront show and comedian Andy Andrews will host the Thursday morning Country Kick Start Show at Riverfront; Tift Merritt has been added to the UMVD Show at Riverfront and Pat Green has been added to the UMVD Show at Adelphia Coliseum; and The Derailers, Ty Herndon, Brad Martin, Michael Peterson and Pam Tillis have been added to the star-packed Sony Show at Adelphia.

Country stars aren’t the only ones drawn to Fan Fair. NBC Daytime Stars scheduled to appear from “Days of Our Lives” include Peter Reckell (“Bo”); Melissa Reeves (“Jennifer”); Matthew Ashford (“Jack”); Matt Cedeno (“Brandon”), who was recently named one of People magazines “50 Most Beautiful People;” Kyle Lowder (“Brady”); and Arianne Zuker (“Nicole Walker”). “Passions” stars include Lindsay Korman (“Theresa”); James Hyde (“Sam”); Andrea Evans (“Rebecca”); Christopher Douglas (“Brian”); Justin Carroll (“David”); and Bruce Michael Hall (“Reese”).

The “Wheel of Fortune” Wheelmobile will also be making a stop at Fan Fair to audition potential contestants for Wheel’s “Country Music Week,” which tapes in January at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.

For the complete Fan Fair schedule and information about tickets, visit www.FanFair.com. Fan Fair is organized and produced by the Country Music Association.  Ford Trucks is the official truck of Fan Fair.  Country Weekly and Country Music Magazine are official media partners of Fan Fair. MJI Programming, a division of Premiere Radio Networks, is the official radio packager. Promotional partners include Southwest Airlines, Georgia Pacific Sparkle Paper Towels, CMT, American Airlines, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and NBC Daytime, Domino’s Pizza, GAC, Long John Silvers, Clarinex, Coca-Cola, Food Lion, Wrangler and PAX TV. Bush's Country Style Baked Beans is the official cookout partner of Fan Fair. Fan Fair is a registered trademark of CMA. Fifty percent of the net proceeds from Fan Fair are given to charities designated by participating artists. In 2001, more than 60 charities benefited from Fan Fair.

I am glad that I was able to witness such an event like this. Horntagger.

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