Sporting shoots 2023. How was it?

[Jeremy Baker]

I really enjoyed both courses.
Managed 78 red 85 blue would love to shoot it again with more aggression. Reckon there was ten more for me in hindsight.
But hardly shot this year so will take away the positives.

 

[diver682]

Basically there is a lot of long distance stuff that you rarely see. Many targets are nothing exceptional, but the cage is 15 to 30 yards further back than normal. Also, there are 14 stands on each course and only a handful are obvious card fillers. Monday and Tuesday were troubled by rain and wind but it’s better now. It’s a shoot aimed at finding a suitable World Champion. It’s really not aimed at the masses in my opinion.

Its a world championship not a Thursday registered

 

[philmoss]

After spending 2 days at EJC shooting the WESP event, this is a prime reason IMHO why averages have no place in any Sporting discipline !!
Averages are fine for the fixed disciplines of Skeet & Trap BUT not in sporting.....How many shooters have shot below their precious averages & blame targets, wind, etc ??.
Some shooters have ended up in incorrect classes due to averages but looks like the are in the incorrect classes due to shooting grounds that create incorrect scores & ability !!
Ive said it before.... classes should be given on a minimum of 500 targets from 4 different ground & no more than 200 from a single ground.

In all, a thoroughly enjoyable event which replicated a true world championship ...well done to all at the CPSA & EJC

 

[bob]

I agree perhaps we should move away from fixed classes and shoot as on the content divide the entire into four equal groups at each shoot and there's your classes for prize money. Would remove any sandbagging or class management. Would probably re introduce more fun into shooting.

 

[bob]

I agree perhaps we should move away from fixed classes and shoot as in Europe divide the entire into four equal groups at each shoot and there's your classes for prize money. Would remove any sandbagging or class management. Would probably re introduce more fun into shooting.
Great shoot at EJC
Sorry above post should have read like this

 

[Richard59]

After spending 2 days at EJC shooting the WESP event, this is a prime reason IMHO why averages have no place in any Sporting discipline !!
Averages are fine for the fixed disciplines of Skeet & Trap BUT not in sporting.....How many shooters have shot below their precious averages & blame targets, wind, etc ??.
Some shooters have ended up in incorrect classes due to averages but looks like the are in the incorrect classes due to shooting grounds that create incorrect scores & ability !!
Ive said it before.... classes should be given on a minimum of 500 targets from 4 different ground & no more than 200 from a single ground.

In all, a thoroughly enjoyable event which replicated a true world championship ...well done to all at the CPSA & EJC

Now I didn’t shoot EJC, but yes you do raise valid points re the averages are far more ”accurate“ of one’s ability etc for the fixed target disciplines. Sporting has, as we are all aware so many variables, with the sheer volume of shoots on offer every week it shouldn’t be too difficult to rack up 5/600 across 4 or even 5 grounds in very short period, still think it’s odd that someone can get a class shooting just once in a period.

 

[Richard59]

Curiosity got me, 1623 entries for main event, that’s very impressive,

 

[Sian]

I really enjoyed all four courses. This year we had to shoot Sportrap and Sporting on Wednesday and Supersporting and Sporting on Thursday. I would have preferred 100 a day as time between was very short and I’m beyond that now so my Sporting felt quite strained especially Wednesday. You need to be completely with it for those courses and I wasn’t. I did the best I could on Thursday but could have done better on Wednesday Four on our squad for Sporting, nice gents. I was disappointed with the ice cream as the only one I got I only had time to eat half of it before getting on the bus for Sporting and they’d run out of most flavours. Anyway drove home to Wales Thursday night so Tony could fish the Wye Friday and today going out at 4am and returning at 11 pm yesterday ridiculously long day. I on the other hand just sat around all day.

 

[Sian]

So how would a qualifying event work? You qualify to be able to attend the event at all?

 

[jonz]

So how would a qualifying event work? You qualify to be able to attend the event at all?

Have a number of selection shots prior to the world championships and be in the top 3 of class at any one these to get a place at the worlds.
The Worlds could then be on one weekend making it fairer for those due to changes in weather , can’t be beyond the wit of man surely

 

[donna]

I really enjoyed all four courses. This year we had to shoot Sportrap and Sporting on Wednesday and Supersporting and Sporting on Thursday. I would have preferred 100 a day as time between was very short and I’m beyond that now so my Sporting felt quite strained especially Wednesday. You need to be completely with it for those courses and I wasn’t. I did the best I could on Thursday but could have done better on Wednesday Four on our squad for Sporting, nice gents. I was disappointed with the ice cream as the only one I got I only had time to eat half of it before getting on the bus for Sporting and they’d run out of most flavours. Anyway drove home to Wales Thursday night so Tony could fish the Wye Friday and today going out at 4am and returning at 11 pm yesterday ridiculously long day. I on the other hand just sat around all day.

A feel your pain!!! I done Barbury Friday, stayed over and we both done Westfields Saturday which was Phils first shoot in nearly 8 weeks, came home, up to EJC Monday and Tuesday for the sporting then back up there Thursday for sportrap and super sporting! I feel absolutely shattered traffic on M25 horrendous most days, stone hit Phils windscreen on his new car and cracked it so that’s got to go in for replacement.

We were down to a four man squad too for sporting and I must admit I quite liked the courses, (preferred the blue course) it was tough going and I should’ve done better but I didn’t, my little legs were very tired by the end of it

Looking at other scores it nice to know it wasn’t only me that didn’t shoot to the best of their ability!

 

[Sian]

Have a number of selection shots prior to the world championships and be in the top 3 of class at any one these to get a place at the worlds.
The Worlds could then be on one weekend making it fairer for those due to changes in weather , can’t be beyond the wit of man surely

So basically restrict the entry and the money to be made and likely the sponsorship and unless us mere mortals turn up for an ice cream really cut the social side of it. Same people are going to win at the end of the day whether you have 1500 shooters attend or let’s say 500. The selection shoots alone will vary massively.

 

[Sian]

A feel your pain!!! I done Barbury Friday, stayed over and we both done Westfields Saturday which was Phils first shoot in nearly 8 weeks, came home, up to EJC Monday and Tuesday for the sporting then back up there Thursday for sportrap and super sporting! I feel absolutely shattered traffic on M25 horrendous most days, stone hit Phils windscreen on his new car and cracked it so that’s got to go in for replacement.

We were down to a four man squad too for sporting and I must admit I quite liked the courses, (preferred the blue course) it was tough going and I should’ve done better but I didn’t, my little legs were very tired by the end of it

Looking at other scores it nice to know it wasn’t only me that didn’t shoot to the best of their ability!

Yes we did Barbury and Westfield. The supersporting course was just under 2 miles.

 

[jonz]

So basically restrict the entry and the money to be made and likely the sponsorship and unless us mere mortals turn up for an ice cream really cut the social side of it. Same people are going to win at the end of the day whether you have 1500 shooters attend or let’s say 500. The selection shoots alone will vary massively.

Are the masses of shooters who will never have the ability to win a world championship or win their class adding anything to the event ? All I see from them is statements like I didn’t shoot to my ability when what the truth is their ability isn’t good enough . I foresee that at some point the organisers will dumb down the event to make it better for the masses and that doesn’t add to the sport.
If qualifying events were held around the country then more grounds would have a share of the entry fees rather than just one big ground taking it all and that must better for the sport surely ?

 

[Richard59]

Are the masses of shooters who will never have the ability to win a world championship or win their class adding anything to the event ? All I see from them is statements like I didn’t shoot to my ability when what the truth is their ability isn’t good enough . I foresee that at some point the organisers will dumb down the event to make it better for the masses and that doesn’t add to the sport.
If qualifying events were held around the country then more grounds would have a share of the entry fees rather than just one big ground taking it all and that must better for the sport surely ?

As it’s a World Sporting event do you also see all the other nations signing up / agreeing to similar

 

[donna]

Yes we did Barbury and Westfield. The supersporting course was just under 2 miles.

Our friend has his fit bit watch on Thursday and we done 7k doing both!,

 

[donna]

Are the masses of shooters who will never have the ability to win a world championship or win their class adding anything to the event ? All I see from them is statements like I didn’t shoot to my ability when what the truth is their ability isn’t good enough . I foresee that at some point the organisers will dumb down the event to make it better for the masses and that doesn’t add to the sport.
If qualifying events were held around the country then more grounds would have a share of the entry fees rather than just one big ground taking it all and that must better for the sport surely ?

Not sure who you are actually referring to but most of us on here like a bit of banter and know each other well, I for one am not complaining about the targets, it’s a privilege to shoot
/see or get squadded with some of the top shots in the world. I am a B class shooter (just) and yes, I found it tough in some places but then again, it being a World Championships I never expected to shoot a great score and new it would be tough (as it should be)

The weather does throw a spanner in the works now and again which is why it’s good that the teams all shoot on the same day.

 

[jonz]

Not sure who you are actually referring to but most of us on here like a bit of banter and know each other well, I for one am not complaining about the targets, it’s a privilege to shoot
/see or get squadded with some of the top shots in the world. I am a B class shooter (just) and yes, I found it tough in some places but then again, it being a World Championships I never expected to shoot a great score and new it would be tough (as it should be)

The weather does throw a spanner in the works now and again which is why it’s good that the teams all shoot on the same day.

Sorry if you thought I was referring to you I can assure you that I wasn’t, it’s the many comments I see on social media that I refer to
I just believe that if this sport is to move forward and gain some serious recognition it needs to change, what other sport can a rank amateur compete next to a world champion, now some may like that but does it add to the sport, having all the top class competitors shooting on the same day would surely attract more attention from the media and sponsors?
if we continue the way it has been for years then the sport will never reach its full potential .

 

[jonz]

As it’s a World Sporting event do you also see all the other nations signing up / agreeing to similar

Its only ever held in the US and in the UK not as if it’s like the Olympics

 

[Richard59]

Its only ever held in the US and in the UK not as if it’s like the Olympics

Oh, there’s me thinking there were entries of teams / individuals from many other nations? If so and CPSA decided to restrict entry to the UK event how does that work for the overseas participants?