Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone, I live in Florida ( sad face) and have been going to the National Breeders Expo for the last 5 years and watched its decline in the Boa world due to a few reasons. In the same time, I have been hearing how awesome Tinley is and am looking for opinions from you guys that have been to both or at least Tinley.

Just by looking at the Tinley website, I must say that I LOVEEEEE the fact that it is a REPTILE SHOW, not an animal show ( as they put it) and there are no mammals, birds,etc. This past weekend I vended the F.I.R.E. Show in Orlando and was next to a mice,rat,rabbit breeder and I think my clothes still smell like rodents and their poop,lol.

But seriously, I am looking for honest opinions on the Tinley Park show to see if venturing out of Florida and all of the craziness we have to deal with with the Fish and Wildlife regulations here, that I am told are nowhere near as strict elsewhere in the country, is a good idea.

Thanks in advance for your time and opinions!!

jamess

I'll start by saying I have never been to Daytona however I have been to Tinley several times and other NARBC shows put on by Brian and they are top notch shows and the central location of the Tinley Park show allows breeders from all places to venture out vice mostly just east coast vendors.

Take a look at the vendor lists as well as check into some YouTube videos from past expos to get a feel for animals and vendors on display there.

B
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Brandon Nixon

I have the luxury of living 10 minutes from the location of Tinley Park's NARBC. I have to say it's one of the best shows I've been too. it's very big, very well organized, and has many of the big name breeders there every year. There is sufficient lighting, plenty of room between aisles to walk, and most of all, the facility is CLEAN! No smells, clean carpeting, etc. The convention center is also used to host events such as weddings, to give you an idea of the type of class of the building.

Brian Potter has done a great job with this show.

I have also been to Daytona several times, prior to the last 2 years, I went to Daytona every year.

Daytona has (or had) a very big reputation of being the superbowl of reptile shows. I'll be honest and say that I think Tinley Park may have overtaken it.

Even if I didn't live 10 minutes away from the sight of Tinley Park, I would definately travel to it.

I have never been to Daytona but I have heard Tinley is a better show now. I believe Tinley is sold out on vendor booths now so there should be around 160 vendor there this year. I think last year they had 8,000 to 10,000 people go thought the show in the two days. If Kingsnake doesn't delete my link I have lots of pictures from the 2001 to 2010 shows for you to check out. All the picture links are posted on the left side of this page. NARBC Pics.

Take care,
Tom
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McCarthyBoas.com

Hey jamess manny here hope you did well in the fire show. I think it's important EVERYONE remembers the beginnings of Daytona and why it should have the support of the Reptile Nation and I mean ALL the vendors, boids, colubrids, amphibians, lizards, etc.

Daytona fka Orlando was launched as a retaliation to the yearly reptile Symposium that's been around since the mid 70s and held in different cities globally every year. 1 year the symposium decided it wanted to be a strictly lecture platform and a "conservationist" type event and stopped allowing breeders that attended to display and make for sale their offspring. Wayne Hill spearheaded the retaliation event that was focused almost entirely on breeders displaying the success of their hardwork and sale of it. Now breeders and collectors have choices and can sell/buy at a half dozen major shows and that's lowered attendance big time to the NRBE but With all due respect to other show promoters, every other show since are not "copy cats" but then again have benefited greatly from the risks taken by the NRBE, and for all intents and purposes we would never know what super shows would of been if it werent for the NRBE. Now the NRBE is not perfect, it has some quirky rules that could use updating, the FL game people were total gents to me, I had my license ready my birth records and they were off within minutes.

I think that regardless of what you think of Wayne hill personally, the FL game guys, you have to support the Original, where it all began. Daytona is no Monaco but the hotel is super nice, all rooms are ocean view, the show room is gorgeous and only 3 years new from being built. Couldn't ask for more!

Manny,

Hey man!! Thanks again for everything you helped me out with this year at Daytona!!! The little albino male is doing great, btw! The displays look awesome and make the snakes look even more great!! The FIRE Show was not the best for me , to be honest. It being my first year and maybe my booth placement had something to do with it, I dont know?!

I have heard the "economy" answer for why the boa market here isnt doing well... as well as the "Wayne effect" on the vendors, I have heard about that as well. Never met the man but the stories dont help with a warm fuzzy feeling,lol. And recently have been told a lot of times that the boas I am producing can and do alienate some of the people that are not looking for the "most genetic packed morph out there". For whatever reason , The local Repticon shows are not great for me. I can understand, not many people are looking to put down even $1500 for a moonglow there. But what worries me is that even an Orangasm albino 66% het Anery doesnt sell for $200 there. That is why I wanted to see peoples' opinion of the other "big shows" outside of Florida. The Fish and Wildlife guy was cool to me as well. I thought I was all set but had put " TH MOONGLOW X MOTLEY DH SNOW" down and didnt include " Columbian Boa / BCI " along with that and was warned I just missed out on a $500 fine for that offense. WOW!! So, that was a close call!

All in all, it was good to have people check out my boas and sell my self designed merchandise and get known!! People said I had some of , if not the, best boas there.....but people just were not buying...
I hope I have cleared any confusion up!? I have always waited anxiously for Daytona every year but am sad that many of the Boa guys that use to come no longer do, for whatever reasons! I just want to see what else is out there and where a good place to try and bring my stuff so it's worth the trip and stress on the snakes and wallet !!

Thanks again Manny!!! Enjoyed meeting you in person!

I like both, but Daytona to me is more of like an event, a happening, great vibe, etc....
Tinley is great, but to me its just a really nice big show....
no personal attachment, nothing that makes it impossible for me to miss it....daytona...even if I was sick in the hospital, I would try to go, lol.
As far as vending, I have vended with people at both, and our own tables at Daytona, and have to say, we do 3x better at Daytona. We sold out wholesale Friday, retail Saturday Morning. We can do ok at Tinley, but it just isnt the same.
I just like the atmosphere at Daytona more.....something about it!

Thanks guys for your opinions!!!!
I am sure there are great,good,indifferent, and bad things at ALL shows, for sure!! I guess my questions was really to see if Tinley was more of a ball python show or if it really had a strong boa morph presence. It seems like the ball world has a stronger market here in Florida lately so I was curious if it was that way in Tinley ( or elsewhere in the country at the "big" shows)

Judging by the 40+ vendors on a waiting list for their sold out vendor show, I can see it's a big show and vendors and patrons alike are obviously happy with it. I just wasnt sure if that spread to boa vendors.

I would have done the Daytona show but I ran out of time and snake money after securing more boas versus show displays and fees. I am now ready to venture out and see where my boas fit in the best!! I appreciate your info guys, thank you!!!

jamess
NewWorldMorphs