Sporting Shoots 2021. Reports and discussion.

[Will Hewland]

Worth mentioning the Barbury esp registered shoot I went to today. 
 

It’s a ground I have only been to a handful of times, mainly as there are nearer grounds who have historically done regular registered shoots. It’s also because on the few occasions I have been, I have struggled and never really clicked with the place. Lately though, it’s a different prospect with their huge investment into the superb clubhouse building, with great shop, great cafe, nice loos and more. They are doing regular shoots and the difficulty level is just right I would say. Lots of interest and variety, some good longer targets and technical ones to catch you out, but all presented well. 
 

I had two terrible stands today, dropping 8 on those two alone, mainly involving overleading (I’m pretty sure) on some stuff that wasn’t as far out as it looked. A bit of unfamiliarity with the terrain I hope to conquer next time. Shot the rest well enough finishing on 89. Enjoyed it, even with the frustration. Already booked in for next month. 

 

[donna]

I always enjoy shooting at Barbury Will, it’s a long way for us but try to make the effort several times a year and it never fails.  Like you say, club house and facilities excellent and targets really good and catch you out.  

 

[Martinj]

It’s also because on the few occasions I have been, I have struggled and never really clicked with the place.

My sentiments too Will, perhaps it's time for another visit

 

[jasper]

Been a couple of times this year and I like the place. Superb facility. They must be careful with the visibility of targets on the early stands with trees as background.  Hard to pick up and some strobing going on when we went.  And in the butts in the top field the targets must be FULLY visible for short folk. Simple things to put right that will enhance everyone's enjoyment. Would like to see some more weekend shoots if possible. 

Jasper

 

[Will Hewland]

AGL today. A good course with a few pretty testing stands. A big factor was very bright sun everywhere which made clays look fast and small, with a few difficult to pick up as they came from the sun.
 

I was going fairly well with only one grade A stupid miss on an easy one to kick myself for, among a few more that got away of course. The last stand was fairly nasty, with a fast high distant orange looper going away, followed by a very high l-r. I was very happy to hit 7 of the first 8, then missed the last pair. . Not unhappy with a 91, I didn’t think it was their easiest round. Turns out that put me in 2nd  

Most irritating part of the day was the petrol station nearby. I blame our news organisations for scare-mongering and exaggeration (of what they admit is about a 10% delivery issue of just some companies) forcing everybody to panic buy fuel, which creates an actual problem. The garage by AGL is usually cheap, about 133p for diesel. This morning it was £141p and when I left the shoot is was 150p with a queue. FFS..

 

[Bebo]

AGL for me too.  Good to see you Will and thanks for keeping an eye on my colleague and his wife.

It wan't an easy shoot, by any means, but I'm annoyed with myself for dropping at least 6 soft targets early on- giving them a little lead when none at all was required.  Also a few brain farts at the end.  Got myself worked up that the rabbits were really quick and decided to hold further back on them, missed the first pair as a result.  Slowed myself down and was in the middle of all the rest of them.  Hit the first two pairs on 12, thought about straighting it to retrieve a score somewhere near my average and promptly missed the next pair!  72, which was around middle in B.  Not a disaster, but not the best.

Edit to add - that queue at the petrol station was mad.  Was all the way back to the M1 by the time I went past it.

 

[Martinj]

Hangman's stone was an interesting shoot with some nice weather to boot.

You could say it was a game of two halves, I was doing OK, straighting five stands and losing eight over another five stands but there were two stands which were a real wake up call and cost me over half my losses, No. 5 (4 pairs) started with a ballistic L to R battue fired off somewhere over Wiltshire with a slow easy crosser to follow, I never did connect with the Battue and dropped one of the easy crossers, probably out of frustration, so that was five away.

Stand 10, 5 pairs, I should have done better, it was a slow easy quartering L to R incomer followed by a fast R to L midi looper at about 45 yards, I missed 4 of the loopers. Although they were fast I'd probably hit them on another day and have no-one but myself to blame.

I stopped by the pool shoot to see RF hit all 15, (three on each of five stands,) I'm sure I shot less than half that! As he straighted it he had to go round again adding to his score, not sure what the final count was but it was a pleasure to watch someone who can shoot those difficult targets. The first I saw him miss was on the 5th stand second time around.

All in all an enjoyable shoot

 

[Jonny English]

Highwaymans for me today for national intercounties. What a course, some proper targets on show today, small gaps, big gaps, huge gaps, technical, tricky, the course had it all. Set off well, bit of a middle blip and finished well for an 84 and joint 3rd in A. Dropped maybe 6 dollies but shot some of the harder stuff better than expected so can't grumble. Not seen as many targets at 40,50 and 60 yards plus at a shoot for quite a while.

 

[chippy]

Highwaymans for me also. It's normally a good round there but this one was great. A bit disappointed to miss all the long battues but happy with 86.

 

[Jonny English]

Highwaymans for me also. It's normally a good round there but this one was great. A bit disappointed to miss all the long battues but happy with 86.

I got my first and last battue on stand 7, found it wanted a fair old gap. Missed my middle 2 underneath, needed quite a flat line. I was seeing around 10 feet on it.

 

[jasper]

Shame my county didn't enter a team for this. Prob wouldn't have made the team mind. I'm not in the clique. 

Jasper. 

 

[chippy]

The 96 was a bit special. 

 

[bisondan]

Hangman's stone was an interesting shoot with some nice weather to boot.

You could say it was a game of two halves, I was doing OK, straighting five stands and losing eight over another five stands but there were two stands which were a real wake up call and cost me over half my losses, No. 5 (4 pairs) started with a ballistic L to R battue fired off somewhere over Wiltshire with a slow easy crosser to follow, I never did connect with the Battue and dropped one of the easy crossers, probably out of frustration, so that was five away.

Stand 10, 5 pairs, I should have done better, it was a slow easy quartering L to R incomer followed by a fast R to L midi looper at about 45 yards, I missed 4 of the loopers. Although they were fast I'd probably hit them on another day and have no-one but myself to blame.

I stopped by the pool shoot to see RF hit all 15, (three on each of five stands,) I'm sure I shot less than half that! As he straighted it he had to go round again adding to his score, not sure what the final count was but it was a pleasure to watch someone who can shoot those difficult targets. The first I saw him miss was on the 5th stand second time around.

All in all an enjoyable shoot

That battue was funny as it never really opened up, and it was actually slightly quartering in, I missed the first 2 way in front then cut right back to 4-5 foot and hit the last 2. Midi on stand 10 was only about 20-25 yards.

I did ok, an even 90 after missing very first trap bird on stand 1, two of the first rabbits on 2, and the first floppy incomer on 4.

Shot Owls Lodge Saturday as well, 89 and 25 straight on the pool shoot.

 

[Bebo]

Kibworth for me today. Last time I'll be up this way for a Reg shoot until next year. Straighted the sim pairs, hit 2 from 3 off tower and 5 of the 6 driven targets, all of which meant it was a very good day for me. Had a liitle wobble on Stand 13 (11th stand our squad shot), where I held on a bit to a couple of 70mm targets, missing in front as they slowed. Finished on 88. Shame I went targets only as I was 6 in front of the next shooter in B.

 

[Bebo]

Back to earth with a bump. Redricks today.  Stands 4, 8 and 11 destroyed any chance of getting near my average. Stand 4 was a low orange rl sim with a crow. Crow must have been at least 50 yards and was being pushed back by the breeze when dropping. 5/10, dropped one crosser and hit one crow. Stand 8 was a lr 70mm and a rl crosser, didn't find the second bird once. Stand 11 a sim pair of lr crossers, one of which was a midi. Hit the standard three times, never touched the midi. 17 away on those 3 stands alone.

 

[Westward]

Back to earth with a bump. Redricks today.  Stands 3, 8 and 11 destroyed any chance of getting near my average. Stand 3 was a low orange rl sim with a crow. Crow must have been at least 50 yards and was being pushed back by the breeze when dropping. 5/10, dropped one crosser and hit one crow. Stand 8 was a lr 70mm and a rl crosser, didn't find the second bird once. Stand 11 a sim pair of lr crossers, one of which was a midi. Hit the standard three times, never touched the midi. 17 away on those 3 stands alone.

Wind was always going to be problematic today - but it was forecast. Certainly caused a few misses at Longridge where I was reffing.

Still, onwards and upwards as the saying goes. Life's too short to fret over a bad day shooting.

 

[chippy]

Back to earth with a bump. Redricks today.  Stands 4, 8 and 11 destroyed any chance of getting near my average. Stand 4 was a low orange rl sim with a crow. Crow must have been at least 50 yards and was being pushed back by the breeze when dropping. 5/10, dropped one crosser and hit one crow. Stand 8 was a lr 70mm and a rl crosser, didn't find the second bird once. Stand 11 a sim pair of lr crossers, one of which was a midi. Hit the standard three times, never touched the midi. 17 away on those 3 stands alone

Redricks for me also first time there. I struggled on the same stands as you hit 7 on stand 3. 4 on stand 8 and 5 on stand 11. But stand 12 really killed my card with a 2 never hit the looper and I've no idea why. Finished on 73.

 

[Sian]

Redricks also, it was hard right from stand 1 but I made it look impossible.  Went to Barrow fully intending to just walk around with Tony while he shot but no I decided to shoot.  Really struggled with the sun in places and the colours in places.  I shot better there but it didn’t lift my melancholy.  I don’t know how to rectify just how sh*t I have become.  

 

[Bebo]

Redricks for me also first time there. I struggled on the same stands as you hit 7 on stand 3. 4 on stand 8 and 5 on stand 11. But stand 12 really killed my card with a 2 never hit the looper and I've no idea why. Finished on 73.

I randomly dropped the second pair on 12, but hit the rest.  Slowed up on the driven and missed behind, trigger flinched on the looper.  Needed a fair bit of lead I thought.

Having seen the scores are up and I'm feeling less miserable about it than I was.  I didn't feel like I was shooting badly, just seems that it was set very tough.

 

[diver682]

  I don’t know how to rectify just how sh*t I have become.  

Thought about seeing a coach ?