Sporting Shoots; where- and how was it? (2018)

[Doug Pinnegar]

Not a cloud in sky and despite shooting all of last week rather, even by my standards “poorly” Im rather looking forward to Coleys this pm. Prob see a few of you there? 

You will indeed.

 

[Will Hewland]

I saw Doug..

Another enjoyable day at Coleys in pleasant weather. The course was not gruelling but had a few proper long targets and some fiddly edgey stuff, so a good mix. I started and ended well enough but had a messy middle, ending on 89 which I feel could have been 5 higher.. Argun Ismet shot a great 95 which may be enough..

 

[Richard59]

I saw Doug..

Another enjoyable day at Coleys in pleasant weather. The course was not gruelling but had a few proper long targets and some fiddly edgey stuff, so a good mix. I started and ended well enough but had a messy middle, ending on 89 which I feel could have been 5 higher.. Argun Ismet shot a great 95 which may be enough..

Saw Doug? and so did I, and I also saw Will, and I then saw a fair few targets that I mis-read badly, bit of a habit of late. Arguns 95 held that chap, fair few crashed n burned, next month is the last, all told its been a good series this year, it will though, for many of us be a shame that the regular wednesday afternoon shooting will cease.

 

[Will Hewland]

Saw Doug? and so did I, and I also saw Will, and I then saw a fair few targets that I mis-read badly, bit of a habit of late. Arguns 95 held that chap, fair few crashed n burned, next month is the last, all told its been a good series this year, it will though, for many of us be a shame that the regular wednesday afternoon shooting will cease.

Yes I had a word with Ian Coley and said further shoots would definitely be appreciated. I think he seemed to be pondering the matter, so who knows.. I booked on the very last available squad for October. It’s a bit of a trek for me, but a nice shoot. 

 

[Doug Pinnegar]

I ended on 81, no surprises there. It's my 4th 81 I've scored this series. Not enough to win the series though....

Mathematically I have to shoot beyond any previous PB score and a certain Mr.Foley has to have a shocker of a day.

 

[Bebo]

Gatton Bottom this morning.  Four lots of sim pairs, which are normally my bane.  After a day on Friday working on sim pairs (as well as overheads and dropping targets) with Ed Solomons I didn't let them get the better of me.  Finished on 82, which I was pleased with.

 

[Will Hewland]

There was a big choice of shoots on today. Westfield won the draw easily and didn’t disappoint.

Bit of a shock when we arrived as it was cool and very windy. The temperature improved but the wind stayed, making some already good targets very challenging. The course layout was different today, with stands in new places, showing how good this place is for sporting. 

I had a particularly poor stand on the two teals, even missing an easy one, so 4/8 was a shame. A bit messy in other places but surprised myself on some harder looking stuff. My 87 won’t be anywhere near the top as the talent that turns up there is pretty impressive but it was a great round. 

 

[donna]

Gun site for us today. First time there and well worth the long trip.  Very windy but great targets, some of the best I’ve shot in a long while. Nothing outrageous but you had to work on every stand.  I had 2/8 on one stand otherwise I would have been happy. Will certainly be going back. 

 

[Will Hewland]

Gun site for us today. First time there and well worth the long trip.  Very windy but great targets, some of the best I’ve shot in a long while. Nothing outrageous but you had to work on every stand.  I had 2/8 on one stand otherwise I would have been happy. Will certainly be going back. 

How busy was it? That’s what often puts me off. Not been for a while. 

 

[Hamster]

I'd heard good things about the newly extended Willow Farm and the 100 birder didn't disappoint, would go as far as to say the layout was every bit as good as you'd get on some "name" grounds but unfortunately it was plagued with no birds and trap break downs on what seemed every other stand, I normally don't even notice the odd hick up but today was bordering on shocking. I didn't do the birds justice but will be back, anyone within striking distance ought to try it.

We also shot Gatton Bottom today and after hearing they'd stiffened things up I was prepared for the worst but to me it felt kinda regular Horne, shot one stand of R/L mid height Midi and R/L standard green very poorly with three away but also straighted some better ones to end on 92 which was equal 4th as we left quite late - Mr. Cobb leading on 96. 

Also shot James Bradley-Day's squadded ESP on Friday at Dartford,  toughish for sure so was  pleased with my own score of 88 but having 6 stands of simmo's out of 12 was the talk on everyones lips  , individually the targets would have been good (hard) enough but together they really punished the lower classes, 94 was HG.

 

[donna]

How busy was it? That’s what often puts me off. Not been for a while. 

We got there just before 10 and had finished by 12.  It was 12 stands, , 10x8 and 2x10 and although there was people on every stand waiting it didn’t take long.  Cracking targets, not one easy stand!  A few sim pairs but all hitable and nothing you couldn’t see, no hiding behind fences/bushes too high etc. Friendly crowd too, each time we got to a stand someone got chatting which was nice. 

 

[Bebo]

I'd heard good things about the newly extended Willow Farm and the 100 birder didn't disappoint, would go as far as to say the layout was every bit as good as you'd get on some "name" grounds but unfortunately it was plagued with no birds and trap break downs on what seemed every other stand, I normally don't even notice the odd hick up but today was bordering on shocking. I didn't do the birds justice but will be back, anyone within striking distance ought to try it.

I keep nagging Trevor that he ought to put on a Registered shoot once a month, Beth and Paul set good enough targets for it. Was there for practice yesterday and there was only one stand on that had big no bird problems, but it isnt uncommon for them to have trap breakdowns. 

 

[Sian]

I returned to Gunsite today after a year out at least.  I really like Gunsite and Shaun but when you’re trying to do 2 shoots it can be an issue.  As said busy but it flowed and in any event I decided on just one shoot today.  Thoroughly enjoyable and apart from one stand with a tricky battue which didn’t show itself until the last bit and paired with a rabbit where I concentrated so much on counting in the Battue that I messed up the rabbit missing two of each.  Two away on a few stands today seemed to be my thing.  Finished on 81.  Also picked up winnings for Tony and I dated 12 March 2017, so well done Shaun for hanging on to it.

 

[Sian]

Shot the last premier league today at AGL.  Weather was good, the ground is extremely pleasant to walk around particularly when they open up around the back.  Enjoyable targets, stand 4 was my trickiest sim quartering one from left, one from right.  Miss pair, hit pair, miss pair, hit pair so 4/8.  The rest were one away or two away or straight.  Finished on 82.  Didn’t shoot them all this year but did enough to take Lady High Gun so another glass trophy and a slab of White Gold.  Thought food on offer was good selection as well.

 

[Bebo]

Well shot Sian and congratulations on the series win.

I shot it as well this morning.  Straight on the first two stands and then went into meltdown.  Six empty stands that I ended up rushing through and shooting really badly, not focused at all just wanting to get through them.  Started to pick up towards the end but too little too late.  Annoying as the targets weren't particularly difficult.  Oh well, it was bad enough that it'll drop off the bottom of my averages.

 

[Will Hewland]

Also a nightmare at AGL. Decent course, just me.. dropped 5 on stand 4 and struggled on any quartering stuff today for some reason. Shot the obviously harder looking stuff well enough, but poor overall. Shame as I was =3rd in AA going in to this round.

Tomorrow is another day. 

 

[Bebo]

Tomorrow was definitely another day. Court Farm this morning. After some help from Mr S the other week sim pairs no longer hold the fear they used to and I managed 17 out of 20 of them this morning. Finished on 83.

 

[Richard59]

Longridge today, fair to say one made a bit of a mess of most the stands, have developed some poor habits most of which this addict is finding difficult to rid myself of. Not alone in having a difficult time today, fair few superstars also not at the races judging by early scores. That said one is still impressed by the shots that week in week out put in scores of 90+ regardless. 

 

[Will Hewland]

Four Counties today. Not that impressed with the course. I enjoyed it as I don’t go often, so a change is good. Some of it was good, but only 11 stands, which didn’t help as it was busy.

Stands 4, 6 and 7 (I think) were all sim going away edge-ons. Too samey, OK, stand 7 was from above the head, but that’s it. My last stand, 10, was so sun affected that I waited 25 minutes for a big cloud to make it shootable. Finished on a reasonable 89, which at least rescued the occasion a bit.

 

[Hamster]

Just back from a mammoth 300 mile day with a 5.30 alarm call  , first time visit to Four Counties and agree with Will totally, this is obviously a good ground that can present good birds with a bit of thought as the dropping Teal and high L/R proved but for me it was marred by the mickey mouse consecutive stands of shallow angle L/R pair of Std and Midi thrown together followed on the next stand by a going away pair of the same Std/Midi and then just as you thought it couldn't get any worse another Std/Midi away simmo pair but thrown high !  Do course setters really think we won't notice or do they just not care, sorry but I think we deserve better for £40 quid. Enjoyed the round otherwise and 87 was all I deserved. 

Only just managed to catch last entries for Court Farm on the way back to Kent and wish the traffic would have been a tad worse than it was so that I'd have had to go to JJ's for a bit of non reg arrows   instead, I have nothing against shoots that cater to a certain market and throw samey birds because clearly plenty of people patronise their shoots as is evident from the largish entries they enjoy here and at Gatton Bottom but had I known that I wouldn't be allowed to physically see 30% odd percent of the birds because they were thoughtfully thrown directly (and I mean directly) into the sun I wouldn't have entered. Two stands of simmo pair Teal to boot, high crossers or incoming droppers that you couldn't see,   what is it about the sun that catches course setters out so much, can they not understand that if a stand is going to be affected then they should at the absolute least throw lowish targets there !?