Newbie Questions about CPSA and competitions

[stevekeat]

Hello All,

Firstly after reading about competitive shooting and classification etc I am confused.

I have questions,

Do I need to be a member of the CPSA to enter a competition (when I feel I am good enough to enter?)

If so what is the benefit

What shooting is recorded i.e. is every round of clays i shoot submitted or is it just competitions.

I suppose what i am really looking for is a roadmap to competition shooting from newbie to entering comps.

Hope this makes some sense

Regards

Steve

 

[Will Hewland]

Hi,

You need to be a CPSA member if you want to get a grading (appointed twice a year as an average of your scores at registered events). However, a recent rule change means you dont need to join the CPSA to enter a `registered event`, which is just a normal shoot, but is also a competition, with cash prizes and recorded scores.. Just turn up and buy a `birds only` entry. The score will not be recorded anywhere and you can gain the experience.

CSC3

 

[stevekeat]

Hi CSC3,

Thanks for your comments. My aim is to enter competitions in the summer if my average starts to get better. I am shooting twice a week at the moment so i am hoping to see improvment.

steve

 

[Will Hewland]

Great. I would probably join the CPSA now, if the competition thing appeals for the future. I was worried that it would feel pressured, but nobody is really looking and there are all abilities at most shoots. For me, shooting suddenly had a `point` when I started to do registered shoots, as the scores mattered. You can then see all your scores on the website and monitor your progress etc.

With membership you also get insurance and the monthly magazine which will be of use to you most at the early stages.

Best wishes with it and happy to advise -as are most on here.

Cheers,

CSC3

 

[** Pending Removal **]

Clarification.

1) Apparently now you can only do 3 registered shoots as a non-member.

2) There is a choice of 4 national governing bodies (NGB's) that you can join in order to be able to shoot in regular registered competitions in the UK. Scottish, English, Welsh and Northern Irish. Anyone from the UK can join any of the NGB's. You do not have to be Scottish or even live in Scotland in order to join the SCTA (Scottish Clay Target Association) and at £42 they are the cheapest I think. I joined them (and I live in Berkshire at the opposite end of the UK).

There is also the WCTSA (Welsh clay target shooting association), the UCPSA (Ulster clay pigeon shooting association), and the CPSA ( the English Clay pigeon shooting association).

So the choice is yours. Several shooters who live in these other countries are also members of the English CPSA.

Several residents in England are members of the other NGB's. The current BICTSF (international board) President who is English, is a member of the Scottish and the Welsh but not the English when I last talked to him.

So there is not a one size fits all approach. You are free to choose.

They all offer the same insurance cover.

 

[GavB]

hello and welcome

Im not a CPSA member and I just ring up beforehand then shoot birds only, Ive shot a few registered shoots I wouldnt worry too much about membership at the moment

 

[Salopian]

I'm not a member of the BNP but I think some of their ideas are correct but like the CPSA the management is flawed.

I could not give anyone one good reason to join the CPSA, it is a complete waste of membership's money.

 

[GlenPresley]

Plus all the members money gets wasted on law suits!

No wonder we have no descent majors anymore!

 

[TobyM]

Back on topic for the OP, before you decide to join an association or not, have a look at a registered shoot in your area and of your chosen discipline.

Pop along, you should be welcomed and encouraged to have a go. You're in the West Midlands, so you have a good choice for sporting, trap or skeet. Have a look at this forum's map.

Don't be put off in thinking they'll be tricky targets at sporting, sure they'll be some, but most stands will have you walking away with hitting a few or more as you improve.

If you're into a trap or skeet discipline, then the targets are set to a standard for that relevant discipline and should only differ slightly between grounds.