Sporting shoots. Your personal accounts. 2022

[Jonny English]

Shot the east Midlands inter counties/ promatic challenge at Kegworth yesterday. Very nice with very entertaining targets, some good sim pairs as well. Didn't shoot the best, finished on 99 ex 120 for 82.5% which I felt was 10 light of where I should have been, just lost far too many single targets from not being disciplined. Biggest talking point around the course was the fact they were 3 refs short so there was 3 refs doing 2 stands each which caused absolute chaos at times and decent delays, a lot of people were not very happy.

 

[Sian]

Certainly getting more shooting done.  Scores coming up slowly.  Westfield yesterday - happy with an 80.  Southdown today for county Compak along with three other counties and a memorial sporting shoot and I think a county sporting,  Compak first and started on the single and 2 sim pair layout  and  that was my best layout.  Few eyesight tests for me and irritation set in on my third layout which I should have shot better as it was single and two report pairs anyway it brought my score down.  Recovered on my last layout although there were a lot of little clays on that one which when the wind got up were tricky beggars.  Poor score 76 but I really messed up on layout three shooting 14.  The sporting was in the main Southdown as usual with quartering orange galore which always does my head in. Stands 2 to 5 nearly sent me back to my car!  there were some bigger black targets and a very nice sim pair left and right crossers dropping which was for me the most exciting pair.  I really thought I’d done badly but I managed 77.   

 

[donna]

So, we came down to Barbury yesterday, had a relaxing day, stayed overnight and shot the sport trap today, sporting tomorrow.  Well, all I can say is the sport trap was brutal.  First layout, I’m stand 5 and the sim pair was unbelievable and even the quickest of shots would’ve had a job hitting them. I must say that quite a few of the sim pairs on each layout were nigh on impossible for us mere mortals of C, B, and even A classes.  Plenty of good shots well down on scores and a few that shot sporting today looked at the sport trap and said they wouldn’t come back for it.  Probably my worst score ever on a sport trap (I’ve not actually shot it since pre Covid) and although I realise it’s a big comp it was too hard. 
 

Looking forward to the sporting tomorrow and hoping that it’s not as brutal as today.  My first ever British Open and tbh it will make me think twice about shooting it again as it’s completely knocked my confidence and bearing in mind, 2 lots of comp fees (me and Phil) 2 x hotels and 2 evening meals and 2 days loss of earnings I’m thinking it wasn’t worth it.  Anyway, tomorrow is another day and it looks like they’ve put in a few new stands so will be interesting.  Good luck everyone else shooting it this week.  
 

Just had a quick look at scores, over 200 shooters and only 2 people scored 90+

 

[Sian]

So, we came down to Barbury yesterday, had a relaxing day, stayed overnight and shot the sport trap today, sporting tomorrow.  Well, all I can say is the sport trap was brutal.  First layout, I’m stand 5 and the sim pair was unbelievable and even the quickest of shots would’ve had a job hitting them. I must say that quite a few of the sim pairs on each layout were nigh on impossible for us mere mortals of C, B, and even A classes.  Plenty of good shots well down on scores and a few that shot sporting today looked at the sport trap and said they wouldn’t come back for it.  Probably my worst score ever on a sport trap (I’ve not actually shot it since pre Covid) and although I realise it’s a big comp it was too hard. 
 

Looking forward to the sporting tomorrow and hoping that it’s not as brutal as today.  My first ever British Open and tbh it will make me think twice about shooting it again as it’s completely knocked my confidence and bearing in mind, 2 lots of comp fees (me and Phil) 2 x hotels and 2 evening meals and 2 days loss of earnings I’m thinking it wasn’t worth it.  Anyway, tomorrow is another day and it looks like they’ve put in a few new stands so will be interesting.  Good luck everyone else shooting it this week.  

See you tomorrow hopefully. Shooting the sporting with Tash.  She shot the Sportrap today and got 77.  So proud of her looking at the scores. Shooting Sportrap on Saturday at 3pm as Tony shooting sporting in the morning first thing. 

 

[donna]

See you tomorrow hopefully. Shooting the sporting with Tash.  She shot the Sportrap today and got 77.  So proud of her looking at the scores. Shooting Sportrap on Saturday at 3pm as Tony shooting sporting in the morning first thing. 

Sporting for us at 9.45, yes, she shot well, I really struggled today. Not shot for several  weeks so that doesn’t help but it was hard!! 

 

[vmax1010]

Saw on Facebook one stand a rabbit dropping off a tower followed by a teal mmm interesting, hope you have a good day

 

[donna]

Saw on Facebook one stand a rabbit dropping off a tower followed by a teal mmm interesting, hope you have a good day

It was interesting indeed!  The rabbit was dropping behind a load of straw bales so everyone was rushing it.  I managed to hit 2 of the “gravity rabbits” as they were calling it and all the teal so quite chuffed!  Sporting much better than the sport trap! 

 

[donna]

So today was the 120 sporting and must say I shot a lot better and it was much more enjoyable.  Every target visible and sim pairs could be shot either way.  Only target I didn’t hit at all was the l-r battue on stand 5 but was pleased to hit the floppy on report green thing which was literally at the end of your gun!  Those type of targets have been my downfall and I was pleased with how I shot them all today.  Great targets, some slow, some fast, lots of variety including the above mentioned “gravity rabbit” which caught a lot of people out.  No driven which I’m sure Sian will be pleased about and a few new stands.  

On talking to quite a few shooters today it was all the sport trap they messed up and on reflection, it was mainly the sim pairs that was a bit stupid.  I saw quite a few people (myself included) that never got the second shot off on some stands which really defeats the object. When we shot layout 1, the ref actually said “unless you shoot the midi going away as it comes out the trap you won’t get on the second target, it’s on the floor” (stand 5 sim pair). Great targets if on report but as sim pairs for the “older” clients it was a waste of time.  

 

[Sian]

So today was the 120 sporting and must say I shot a lot better and it was much more enjoyable.  

Sorry not to have seen you Donna and you’re right I was very happy not to see a driven

i really enjoyed the sporting and my squad.  I missed two of those green floppers but got all the battues.   If I had been more careful starting off I wouldn’t have missed two on stand 1 and 2 rabbits on 2!   Same at the end of the course although I think I was docked a bird on stand 13.  I found that midi on stand 14 so hard to keep my eye on.  That was the only one I found hard to see and it was a tricky one for me.   Stupidly dropped two on the last stand which really was me running out of puff. Pair dead, miss hit, pair dead, miss hit. Never touched the long crosser on stand 8.  But then few did on my squad.  Finished on 88/120 but there were definitely a few I seemed to give away like I can afford to

 

[donna]

Sorry not to have seen you Donna and you’re right I was very happy not to see a driven

i really enjoyed the sporting and my squad.  I missed two of those green floppers but got all the battues.   If I had been more careful starting off I wouldn’t have missed two on stand 1 and 2 rabbits on 2!   Same at the end of the course although I think I was docked a bird on stand 13.  I found that midi on stand 14 so hard to keep my eye on.  That was the only one I found hard to see and it was a tricky one for me.   Stupidly dropped two on the last stand which really was me running out of puff. Pair dead, miss hit, pair dead, miss hit. Never touched the long crosser on stand 8.  But then few did on my squad.  Finished on 88/120 but there were definitely a few I seemed to give away like I can afford to

I hit the first long crosser on 8 then lost concentration as Phil said something (not to me) and the ref said no coaching!  Just lost it then but happy to hit the incomers.  I finished on 85 but like you, there were about 10 I felt I shouldn’t have missed.  Would’ve been happy with a 90 though! 

 

[Freddypip]

Gravity Rabbit or Lemming ?

 

[Bebo]

Churchills for me today. Targets felt a bit fiddlier than usual.  Some low edgy incomers and an awkward 70mm target that I overled at first.  Overled some quartering targets as well, as usual. Finished on 81, which wasn't too bad looking at the scores.

Managed to creep into A class (just) and this was my firs comp in that class, so felt relieved to have put in a score starting with an 8.

 

[Sian]

I hit the first long crosser on 8 then lost concentration as Phil said something (not to me) and the ref said no coaching!  Just lost it then but happy to hit the incomers.  I finished on 85 but like you, there were about 10 I felt I shouldn’t have missed.  Would’ve been happy with a 90 though! 

Me too.  I missed two on the last stand for a 90.  It’s so easy just to slack off at the end.  

Churchills for me today. Targets felt a bit fiddlier than usual.  Some low edgy incomers and an awkward 70mm target that I overled at first.  Overled some quartering targets as well, as usual. Finished on 81, which wasn't too bad looking at the scores.

Managed to creep into A class (just) and this was my firs comp in that class, so felt relieved to have put in a score starting with an 8.

Well done on both counts.

 

[Richard59]

Another at Barbury for the BO yesterday, was with usual chums, 1 pm start, got around even with two hold ups for trap filling in a very respectable 2.5 hours. it was warm without being hot but boy it was windy, had the added bonus seeing the delightful Ms Hoskins and also Mr Wynno who was reffing, what could go wrong, well for I plenty. Am finding ways of getting things badly wrong at present, it started after when I put near 250 through the gun on a jolly day, been quite tardy since and the British wasn't a place to go when whilst shooting so badly. Oh yes there was some tasty stuff, for me it was the awkward simo crossing incomers on st3, a wind affected r-l high midi on st4, the l-r looper on st5, did hit 2 when I thought Id gone far too much in front then only to miss one of the  r-l bin lids that were close enough to taste so to speak, awkwardly I saw them as blue only to be told they are green!. The dropping rabbit on st7, never touched it, never touched the same sort of thing when it was at WM a few years back either, st8 a big off tower r-l went unscathed, st9 had some very inconsistent sumo l-r crossers then St11 a very awkward l-r  1/4ering edge on rocket, st 14 had a very nasty orange l-r dropping midi that foxed most in squad and again all mine lived for another day. 

Heard a lot on SM video offerings (mostly from superstars) that the shoot had "something for everyone" I took it they meant from C up to AAA, now on my day there I wasn't seeing much for us steerage class shots, that said, in my opinion its not supposed to nor do I / did I expect it to have, its this years biggest ESP championship and it needs to be a tad (or more) stiffer than a the regular registered, wether it was all things to the AAs & AAAs expectations I know not, nor am I knowledgeable enough to be objective in that regard. 

In short despite and getting the expected bum smacking, had a good day out with chums what's more was home for a much needed pick me up tea less than 1/2 hour after leaving.

 

[jonz]

On talking to quite a few shooters today it was all the sport trap they messed up and on reflection, it was mainly the sim pairs that was a bit stupid.  I saw quite a few people (myself included) that never got the second shot off on some stands which really defeats the object. When we shot layout 1, the ref actually said “unless you shoot the midi going away as it comes out the trap you won’t get on the second target, it’s on the floor” (stand 5 sim pair). Great targets if on report but as sim pairs for the “older” clients it was a waste of time.  

Not if your name is George Digweed, 97 hits doesn’t seem to be too hard but then again he is an exceptional shot 

 

[donna]

Not if your name is George Digweed, 97 hits doesn’t seem to be too hard but then again he is an exceptional shot 

The top shots will always be there at the top, but 415 people through at moment and only 6 or 7 hit 90+. To me, that proves it’s a tad too hard. I know it’s a big shoot and it’s expected to be hard but I thought the sport trap too hard and the sporting was spot on.  Just my opinion of course! 

 

[Bebo]

Kibworth today. First up on the first stand, was a bit flustered as I'd cut it fine getting there for my squad start, pushed in front of the first pair out. Steadied myself after that and just missed the last bird on that stand. That turned out to be my worst stand, didn't miss more than 2 on any of the others. I did managed 8 stands with one target dropped on each though.

Good targets, with a monster battue on the last stand that I was very happy to only drop one on. 83.

 

[Jonny English]

Barbury yesterday for the british for me. Sporting in the morning and spportrap after dinner.

Thought the sporting was an excellent course, all credit to Josh and the team, perfect balance for a championship course. Shot a handful below my average, but taking into account how the course was, wasn't too unhappy. Nice to see some good distance birds put on along with a few card fillers here and there.

Shot the sportrap a little better than the sporting. Digweeds 97 is a hell of an achievement, to be far they're all there to be hit but you've got to take some very early and some very late. Again nice to see them willing to throw some decent distance targets even on a sportrap.

All in all I think Barbury have done an excellent job with the british, a credit to the Ground, josh and all the team. It's been one not to miss.

 

[jasper]

Barbury today for the British open sporting. Great course , superbly  run. 

 I have to say the refs were superb  also.

Top job. 

Jasper.  

 

[Sian]

Something went wrong and I can’t get rid of this sorry

Crack of dawn back to Barbury so Tony could do sporting which he enjoyed.  Sportrap  for both of us late afternoon.  First layout realised on my first shot I was shooting fibres which in Gamebore Velocity I know to avoid in future.  We’d bought some plastic cartridges in bulk and just picked up a slab from them to shoot and Tony didn’t look at the box.   Good shoot but it was hard work in parts. Weirdly I shot some that I would usually struggle with quite well and others I should be okay on badly.  I got the sim pair orange rabbit left to right that was an on edge crossing low paired with a mini even lower faster right to left to my great surprise.  Back tomorrow for the final, I’ll be bringing up the rear guard.