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I've been fishing for round ### years at all levels of competitions some good times and bad i've seen changes over the years some pleasant and some really noticeable changes . From 300 to 1000 peg competitions to what we call a big match and these aren't every weekend saturday sunday and midweeks like they were back then today we call 100+ a big match . Plus side of todays fishing there are endless festivals from 3 days to 5 days big money matches for £5,000 to £50,000 so angling over the years has adapted with several new faces and more directions . Our National teams are dominating International competitions in Europe from U14s to the vets offshore fly fishing and the up and coming trend lure fishing all competing at the highest level. These teams should be Professionals and paid yet we have 4 National Teams that have no or very little assistance in the way of sponsorship and have to self fund their Trips to achieve their ultimate goal in their lives competing at the highest level for the biggest prize a country loves to see A GOLD MEDAL Team or Individual .
I'VE always believed that one day the Government would acknowledge our National teams results in one way or another especially in a Year where English Teams have failed in in most professional sports like Football, Rugby, cricket, hockey ,Tennis and many other sports. Yet ANGLING we have dominated The England Ladies hold the world championship Trophy and the senior Team not only hold the world championship but also the European championship in the same year you don't see that very often in any sport plus we had fantastic success in all other disciplines of angling. Don't you feel its time our sport should get the recognition it deserves for these achievements often year on year . The unsung hero's are Sensas and Drennan International work very hard to support our National teams the compete across Europe each year . Surely it's time for lottery or Sport England funding i have constantly draft emails and send them out to Television companies about these achievements and finally we have a little opening on National TV although it is regional it's a wedge in a very heavy door where hopefully we can start to get the recognition we deserve
thanks for the messages Hi Kennyb you've made some great points here sometimes i get so passionate about our sport i can get carried away . like yourself i think we had a great time growing up into a great sport with a bottomless pit full of characters that didn't mind either way if they won or lost .Traveling three to a van up and down the country from dawn to dusk and always reliving the weekend on a Monday at work . Don't get me wrong the changes we have seen through our time have been a must for the survival of competition fishing. although i still cant get my head around driving 100 to fish a match on my own when the the price of fuel is double to when i had three in the van. still you couldn't get two in the van with the amount of kit we take these days yet i'm not alone we all find the money somehow. Going back to funding of our National Teams here at Sensas UK i'm honored to have both the European Trophy and the World championship trophy sitting next to each other and i can tell you not many Teams have done this . its such a powerful statement both trophies sitting here Englands name is on the world title Ten times yet how many people realise that. Recognition would be nice for all the teams with the ladies holding the world title U14s U18s and the U23s all having titles imagine if the England Footballers did this and having to pay there own way i'm sure they would take it . England Victorious is in the blood what ever sport we watch . For me if every now and again the sport news on BBC,ITV, SKY could pick up on these achievement Angling wouldn't be such a outcast sport. three million people take part in the sport it got to be better for kids than playing on their Xboxes and computers . if the Government departments could just cover the traveling costs for these teams it would be a massive incentive for young anglers wanting to reach there goal . as you know volunteers often drive the tackle across Europe to these competitions and we are the no1 Nation at competitive angling yet in front of the world of angling on the biggest stage we are very much the poor neighbours
although next friday ITV are going to recognize Englands double win after endless emails and phone calls and i've been told they have paid for some sky footage of Sean Ashbys win and England's team win plus also other regions in the country are going to air it it might only be 10,15 or 20 mins but its a start
Dick Clegg
Steve Hemmingrey
Sean ashby
will be filmed on friday 25th july and should be aired that night
