Sports show offers reprieve for those weary of winter woes

Thoughts of boating, camping and fishing offered an escape from icy mid-Missouri at Hearnes Center this weekend during the 21st annual All Sports Show.

Event organizers expect between 5,000 and 6,000 people to attend the three-day show, which started Friday afternoon. Todd Gill, president of Superior Watercraft & ATV in Moberly, and other vendors sold equipment including boats, all-terrain vehicles and fishing tackle to customers who must now wait for the warm weather that will allow them to use their purchases.

“This is what we do in the winter time; we dream,” Gill said. “After all the weather we’ve had, people want out of their houses. We try to show people that there is another world out there, and this is just how we get them there. We sell fun.”

Terry and Tony Deweese are more than happy to dream of spending their summer outdoors, far from their middle school in Hallsville. The boys visited with their grandparents to try fishing in the trout pond and to celebrate their 12th birthday. They’re already planning for warmer weather.

“This summer we’re probably going to take our hunter safety course so we can go deer hunting,” Tony said. Family camping and fishing trips are an annual activity for them as well.

The show, sponsored by the Ozark Mountain Anglers Bass Club, ends at 3 p.m. today.

“We’re going to be open no matter how much it snows,” said Paul Morefield, president of the club. “And there will be people here the whole time, cabin fever maybe.”