Best of British?

[Les53]

OK, in your opinion, who is or was the best trap shooter that this country ever had or has? Yes it's a wide subject because of the amount of disciplines and the timscale invloved, so who is or was the best and why do you think so? For me the names Peel, Croft, Braithwaite, Boden, Borely and Bailey spring instantly to mind, any thoughts?

 

[40UP]

I think you'll have to include Double Trap as an official trap discipline Les and include Wilson, Gill and Jackie Stewart plus Teddy Fear and Joe Wheater [Joe Nother]

 

[ips]

ooh I like this idea Les.

Very very difficult to pick only one but if I was pushed I would say .... John Stafford.

My reasons are ...

His truly natural ability

His total domination of DTL for many years until his retirement about 3 yrs ago

His Nerves of steal when it mattered

A beautiful composed style

A shooter that could turn his hand to any discipline and probably the best ABT shooter ever, he was arguably wasted on the domestic circuit (but there were reasons)

An example

http://sites.cpsa.co.uk/north/news/2010/07/08/super-stafford-on-form

 

[ips]

Can we confirm that the original question was "shooter" as in singular. Otherwise we will all be listing many names.

 

[40UP]

Just getting a list of candidates there ips. At the present day Braithwaite out-ranks Peter Wilson because of the length of his career. Peter Boden is the only senior World Champion we have ever had in an Olympic discipline. Croft, Fear and Peel have European Champion but Peel has Olympic Silver also. Gill has 2 World UT and 2 World Silver at DT.

 

[Les53]

Can we confirm that the original question was "shooter" as in singular. Otherwise we will all be listing many names.

Yes Ian, singular, which is what makes the whole question so difficult to answer! Fred mentioned the likes of Jackie Stewart and Joe Wheater, I had totally forgot about those two. He also mentioned Wilson and Gill too. So to add to that we could have Ian Coley and Richard Faulds, there are just so many if them and all are so good in their own way!

 

[ips]

Come on Les, and Fred what part of ONE name are you not understanding  

 

[ips]

Just getting a list of candidates there ips.

 

[Les53]

Come on Les, and Fred what part of ONE name are you not understanding  

That's the trouble Ian, it is just so hard to quantify it. If I had to put JUST one name up, well for me I guess I would have to say Ian Peel. Why? Well the list of his wins including an Olympic silver, not to mention the European titles and domestic ones. I met him a few times and he is such a nice guy too, not big headed or arrogant, a very pleasant and polite guy.

 

[40UP]

Braithwaite at the present time out ranks Wilson and Faulds on trapshooting achievements. All three are Olympic Gold medalists. Thats fact, not opinion or might have been. Alright Faulds out ranks Peter Wilson by one World Bronze [1998]

 

[Les53]

Braithwaite at the present time out ranks Wilson and Faulds on trapshooting achievements. All three are Olympic Gold medalists. Thats fact, not opinion or might have been.

Yes Fred, Both Wilson and Faulds have Olympic golds, but their track records as trap shooters are way short of Braithwaite!

 

[40UP]

Wilson and Faulds are still competing Les.  Bob may give it another go if they get past him.

 

[Les53]

  Bob may give it another go if they get past him.

I would love to see that Fred! As far as I know Richard is concentrating more on sporting again this year, as for Mr Wilson, well he's still very young and still has decades in front of him of course. It does seem though that many top trap shooters only stay at the top for a fairly short time, unlike sporting where the likes of Digweed and the late AJ Smith, seemed to stay at the top for donkeys years, I often wonder why it works like that Fred.

 

[40UP]

In the days when a Landrover Defender was the first prize Les, I saw AJ Smith separated from this by 100 ABT. He shot 100/100. Nearest to him was 94. Determination. It wasn't even his main discipline.

 

[Les53]

In the days when a Landrover Defender was the first prize Les, I saw AJ Smith separated from this by 100 ABT. He shot 100/100. Nearest to him was 94. Determination. It wasn't even his main discipline.

Yes AJ could shoot trap well if he wanted to. I shot a couple of rounds of ABT with him back in the late 80's/early 90's at West London, at that time it was called The London Gun Company Gun Club. I don't remember the scores but I know he beat me!!!! I seem to remember he was using a Winchester (Classic Doubles) and Winchester Winner 8's. He was a great shot and one hell of a character too!

 

[Dog Tyred]

Shot ABT with Mr Borley (again) and scored Mr Boden a couple of times yesterday at Rugby so both are still out there. Both have a super smooth style I can only dream of.

Mr Borley won with 91 and Mr Boden put in an 88 (I think).

DT

 

[Les53]

Shot ABT with Mr Borley (again) and scored Mr Boden a couple of times yesterday at Rugby so both are still out there. Both have a super smooth style I can only dream of.

Mr Borley won with 91 and Mr Boden put in an 88 (I think).

DT

Was Mr Borley still using that old Nikko?

 

[ips]

He was still at Beverley a month or so ago.

 

[Jan Powell]

A very difficult question to answer as the demands of the various trap disciplines vary considerably and I can only really comment on DTL as I don't have any experience of the others. The best DTL shooter, without doubt, was John Stafford. He possesses a visual ability that most others do not and that gives him a considerable advantage. On his day (which was most days) he was a vey difficult guy to beat.

I've been lucky enough to find myself in a few shoot offs with John. It's a shame he no longer picks his gun up.