Our family, Bootsma/van der Laan family, can be found at the fun fair for 4 generations. Fun fair is in our blood; we don’t know any different and we don’t want any different. From large entertainment attractions to games, all types of fairground attractions have passed within our family. I would like to tell you about the origin of my passion for the High Stricker and the creation of the unique and leading High Stricker.
It all started when I was 13 years old with the ‘Ernie cabinet’, received from my father (Onno Bootsma) who also received it from my grandmother (his mother). Every fair where my father was, I earned extra pocket money; savings for my future business.
The story with the ‘High Stricker’ started at an age of 15. I bought a small High Stricker from Joop van de Marel. Before the start of the 2016 fun fair season, I built the large High Stricker and a small High Stricker. At my first fair in 2016 (at the Zaanenlaan in Haarlem) I presented three formats with new LED lighting, striking decoration, lots of prizes and fences with banners on them.
The idea behind the High Stricker XXL’
It was time for the next step. It had to be more beautiful, a nice big front design behind it with life-size dolls in front. I also wanted to make the High Stricker even bigger so that it would be the largest in the world. Something unique, a High Stricker in a completely new jacket as it has never appeared at the fun fairs before. Adding to that, I wanted to include 3 High Stricker’s on the big one, so that everyone no mather what age could be able to play on one of thos three.
In addition, I came up with the idea of making it in a sales container. When I can load it on the truck and have everything collapsed, it is efficient and compact for transport. I started working out my idea with Lego. Whenever I had an idea, I would build it first with Lego to try out if my idea would work. I have completely worked out the High Stricker XXL on the computer in Lego software. After I finished my school, I decided to make the High Stricker XXL a reality!
Ready for the start!
My first fun fair with the ‘High Stricker XXL’ was again in Haarlem on the Zaanenlaan. There I won the 1st prize in the agility attractions category in 2017. The new mayor, Jos Wienen, also struck his first blow on my ‘High Stricker XXL’. I am very proud of the end result because I have given one of the oldest fairground games a completely new look. I have now really made an modern XXL version of it.
In addition to the High Stricker, I now present more particularly elaborated attractions, about which
