TMA’s dealer camp at Mad River Glen deemed a success
When was the last time a store clinic included fruit compote over shortbread with port reduction? We bet not often, but it was part of the TMA Dealer Camp held in Vermont. SNEWS has the details on which retail staffer won a stove for the yummy port reduction concoction -- and much more.
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Three Mountain Associates held its second-annual dealer camp at Mad River Glen ski area in Vermont on May 11-12. Seventeen employees from six stores and across five states throughout the Northeast attended, SNEWS® was told. Garth Evans, national sales manager for Big Agnes, and Angie Napolitano, eastern customer service rep for Osprey, were on hand from the vendor side, while Tom McCarthy, George Lesure and Mike Cullerot from the Three Mountain Associates rep agency were also in attendance.
“All attendees left the camp with a better understanding of our products, how to qualify customers and better sell outdoor gear,” McCarthy told us. “Retailers also left with a great mix of clinic goodies from Big Agnes, Jetboil, Leki, McNett, Nalgene and Osprey.”
The camp kicked off with a hike along the Mad River on May 11 where the new Leki Speedlock trekking poles and Osprey Hydraulic packs were given a test drive. Clinics on Big Agnes, Jetboil, Leki, McNett and Osprey ran throughout both days.
During the first day’s dinner, which we were told was a spread that included fajitas, sides and all the fixings, a side-by-side speed tent set-up contest was held. Jeremy Lindberg from Maine Sport posted the fastest time and walked away with a Big Agnes Hagar House tent as his prize. Maine Sport must be really good at setting up tents since last year, his co-worker, Emma Beadry, was the winner.
After dinner, a Jetboil desert cook-off was won by Andrew DiClemente from Ramsey Outdoor. DiClemente whipped up what sounds like a might tasty short bread covered with fruit compote and drizzled with a port reduction. Eric Eklund from Hilton’s Tent City nabbed second with Japanese Mochi balls with green tea. John Craven from Ramsey Outdoor came in third by serving pineapple upside down cake with a side of chocolate-covered cherries and pineapple skewers. Each was awarded a Jetboil Flash stove.
Thanks to perfect sleeping bag testing weather (the temps dropped into the low 20s), McCarthy told SNEWS everyone in attendance got the chance to experience first-hand “the Big Agnes sleeping bag and pad systems to truly experience the mother of comfort. What better way to learn about gear than actual field use in Vermont — way better than on the floor of a retail store.”
In the second morning’s Leki Speedlock Challenge, Lindberg won again just ahead of Reed McCracken from CC Outdoors — seems those Maine folk are mighty fast at everything. DiClemente nabbed third place, and each walked away with new Leki Speedlock poles.
–Michael Hodgson
