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Sanctioned Event !
The second annual Dallas Fort Worth Coral Farmers MarketSM event was a tremendous success. We would like to thank the new vendors that participated in this Coral Farmers MarketSM sanctioned event along with all the new attendees. Our total attendance is estimated at 234. That is a 46 % growth rate from the first annual event in 2008. The number of coral selling vendors also doubled for this second annual event. As the images below demonstrate, there was an incredible selection of corals available to the public attendees. This was the fastest year to year growth rate that any Coral Farmers MarketSM sanctioned event has ever experienced. Due to this fast growth rate, we did experience some operational problems. One of our employees from California became ill during the event and this meant our door crew was seriously under staffed. Art Petit (co-owner) did a phenomenal job, but some attendees were able to enter the event without purchasing tickets. Art was busy with the strong raffle participation and he was also busy conducting the raffle and auctions. We believe that the total number let into the event due to the operational problem was between 5 and 15. We assumed 10 for the total attendance estimate figure. Next year we will have one extra employee for the door and another just to handle raffles. That should solve that problem. We are also looking into accepting a sponsership offer from the local DFWMAS to assist with our operational problems. If this event grows by 40 % or more next year, we will definitely need the help. We also experienced some additional operational problems when the hotel changed our meeting room just a few days prior to the event. Even with these problems, the general opinion was that this event was very successful. Average vendor sales were strong considering the prevailing economic conditions, but were less then last year. This was primarly caused by increasing coral selling vendors by 100 %, while attendance increased by 46 %. We look forward with great anticipation for the DA-CFM 2010 event which will occur in November. We should have the event scheduled and this web site updated by no later then March.
DA-CFM and CFM Staff
2009
Dallas Fort Worth Coral Farmers MarketSM Images
(Images copyright of Dallas Fort Worth Coral Farmers MarketSM unless otherwise noted.)
The event is about to start and attendees have formed a line outside the ballroom.
This display contained World Wide Corals fragments on the left. Jason Fox Corals on the right.
There was a very diverse collection of farmed LPS and SPS corals.
Some of the My Miami chalice fragments were on display within this system.
Click on image for closeup coral view (use browser back arrow to return).
Art Petit (on the left) is getting ready to handle the crowd at the DA-CFM front desk.
Reef Koi put together an incredible display of mostly LPS corals along with a few SPS and softies.
Click on image for closeup coral view (use browser back arrow to return).
One of our first Texas based vendors for a DA-CFM event was Lone Star Aquaculture from Argyle Texas.
Reeffarmers made the long trip all the way from Southern California.
This display contains primarily SPS corals along with some LPS and a couple of softies.
These corals were transported within the Coral Farmers MarketSM coral transport system.
Click on image for closeup coral view (use browser back arrow to return).
This display system from Reef Koi demonstrated the advantages to having a wide and deep display.
At times there were between 6 to 8 attendees simultaneously viewing these corals.
3rd Coast Corals is another one of our first Texas based coral farming vendors.
Based in Houston, they put together a diverse collection that included some large fragments.
Click on image for closeup coral view (use browser back arrow to return).
A well designed display system from World Wide Corals.
They made the trip all the way from Orlando Flordia.
Wet Thumb Frags also made the long trip all the way from Southern California.
This display contains a very colorful collection of cultured and farmed corals.
These corals were transported within the Coral Farmers MarketSM coral transport system.
Click on image for closeup coral view (use browser back arrow to return).
The Dallas Marine Aquarium Society put together a seasonal theme display booth.
The display system of Lone Star Aquaculture contained a diverse seclection of softies, SPS
and some LPS. The corals cultured were typically high volume selling corals.
Click on image for closeup coral view (use browser back arrow to return).
3rd Coast Corals also shared their display booth with equipment manufacturer Sapphire Aquatics.
Both companies are based out of Houston Texas.
There were a total of four coral vendors from the state of Colorado.
Steel City Frags based out of Pueblo put together their usual colorful LPS and softy coral display.
Click on image for closeup coral view (use browser back arrow to return).
Aquarium Oddballs represented the state of Oklahoma coral farming.
Another local Texas vendor making their first DA-CFM event appearence was
Zoo's Aquarium Service based out of Austin Texas.
Their impressive display contained a strong mix of exotic corals.
Click on image for closeup coral view (use browser back arrow to return).
The Dallas Fort Worth Marine Aquarium Society was our top ticker reseller as they approached 100 tickets.
The display from Aquarium Oddballs contained a very diverse selection of SPS, LPS and Soft corals.
Click on image for closeup coral view (use browser back arrow to return).
The Southern Colorado Marine Aquarist Society was promoting their society
and selling propagated corals from the same booth.
Another vendor making the long trip from California was Richard Mckellip of
Wishing 2B Outside. Richard displayed a diverse collection of SPS and LPS corals.
Click on image for closeup coral view (use browser back arrow to return).
Gonzos Coral Frags is another coral farmer making the trip from Colorado.
The Southern Colorado Marine Aquarium Society displayed a very good collection of SPS and LPS corals.
Click on image for closeup coral view (use browser back arrow to return).
Our Golden Sponsor Gresham with Reef Nutrition made the trip to the Dallas Fort Worth area.
Last but certainly not least is the California vendor Bevis Aquaculture. Nick and Steve drove
the DA-CFM infrastructure along with one of the events other California vendors.
Click on image for closeup coral view (use browser back arrow to return).
We would like to thank the following companies or individuals who have donated either products or services to the 2009 Dallas Fort Worth Coral Farmers Market event. These companies and individuals help to make this event a success !
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'Coral Farmers Market' is a Common Law servicemark of the Coral Farmers Market company.
'Dallas Fort Worth Coral Farmers Market' is a Common Law servicemark of the Inland Empire Coral Farmers Market company.