Sporting shoots. Your personal accounts. 2022

[Will Hewland]

Barbury today, early afternoon squad, after a pleasing start on 5 simos on St1 the wheels wobbled badly, just couldnt get it together on some decent targets, yes bit windy in places but cant blame conditions for some poor decisions. In golfing terms on the “back six stands” one did better to then find a few (lot) more including a couple of monster l-r loopy card wreckers on st8, not a fantastic score but not a horror (given class) card either. HGun when I left was Nick Portlock 93, not many 90s despite a good sized AAA AA entry 

RF nabbed it last minute on 94, which I said was all there was out there I felt. Huge step up from their last few shoots, leaving many feeling a bit shocked. 163 entries and only 5 managed 90 or more. Nearly half the entry hit under 70.

I didn’t have a great day, OK it was tough but I had a couple of stands where I really should have done better, including the one where I hit first pair and then just 1 more! Finished on 80. I’m definitely suffering from not changing when I miss. It’s kicked my scores badly on last few shoots. Must sort this.

It felt like they were stepping up the shoot towards the majors they are holding later in the year, but I think today was a bit tough for a normal reg shoot. I won’t be shocked if they get fewer entries at next one.

 

[wynno]

It was a tough shoot, the gusty wind didn’t help especially on the simo pair of duck, but hey ho at least we were able to get out and shoot.

 

[Chrisessig]

Shot Westfield today. First woke up to it absolutely chucking it down but it had cleared up by the time I got there at 9.

I shot ok but had 2 stands that were score wreckers. St9 had a long crosser and a kind of a incomer but on a slight curve, misread that stand and walk away with only 3. 

Overall I did alright so a enjoyable morning. 

 

[Chrisessig]

Just seen results from Westfield, I would of come 2nd if I didn't do birds only. Thats 1st and 2nd Ive thrown away this week! Maybe next time

 

[Will Hewland]

Just seen results from Westfield, I would of come 2nd if I didn't do birds only. Thats 1st and 2nd Ive thrown away this week! Maybe next time

Also Westfield for me. As always when I try something new (light chokes today) my brain gets rattled and I shoot badly, particularly in first half, but a v good course. Predictably it was a chunk harder than their last shoot which was won on 100. Course setters don’t like that..

 

[Steve Lovatt]

Morning Will 

I certainly dont mind anyone shooting a 100 straight , Sam Usher shot an absolutely cracking round to shoot that 100 last shoot having to finish on a 60 yard tower crosser and a fast battue

As you know I pride myself in variety and fairness , after all we are in the entertainment game , good to see you yesterday as always , catch up soon 

 

[Will Hewland]

Morning Will 

I certainly dont mind anyone shooting a 100 straight , Sam Usher shot an absolutely cracking round to shoot that 100 last shoot having to finish on a 60 yard tower crosser and a fast battue

As you know I pride myself in variety and fairness , after all we are in the entertainment game , good to see you yesterday as always , catch up soon 

You will Steve, we did say we enjoyed it. Lots more long good stuff than a typical shoot for sure (but that’s not where I struggled really). 

 

[Bebo]

First Registered Sporting Comp of the year for me, with a trip up to Churchills.  Had the added bonus of being on Mr Hewland's squad.

Was feeling a bit nervy as it's been nearly 3 months since my last Reg comp, but started well and managed to straight the first three stands. Wobbled a bit on a stand with a couple of driven targets, but steadied again following that for the next few stands.  The sim pair on Stand 9 messed me up, missed the first two pairs.  Also wobbled on the sim pair on 11, where I was on them but started to hang on to the second bird and dropped three of them.

Felt that I shot the bigger targets well, hitting most of the bigger crossers / loopers that needed lead. Just need to not let my dislike of sims and driven targets get into my head before I even get into the stand.

 

[Will Hewland]

Good to see you! Funny shoot really. Started very steady then from stand 5 onwards any straight was good. Two very impressive 97s in right at the end of the day. Up to then there were some big names in low 90s which indicates how the shoot was really. A lot of distant slow targets foxed me. A disappointing 84, I just misjudged two stands in particular wrecking a decent score. Oh well, still getting used to my gun is the limp excuse..

 

[Will Hewland]

A good shoot at Redricks today, although a bit firmer than last time I would say. Haven’t seen scores but I don’t think there will be a big mass of people over 90.

I shot most of it badly, I’m just not on the case at the moment. I missed total 3 clays in my first pairs and 8 in my last pairs, which tells you it’s a head-thing. I was good on the longer stuff on stands 10,11 and 12 (only dropped 1 over those 3) but so messy on the other stuff.  Even managed to miss on the three easier stands towards the beginning. Very frustrating. I know Phil Moss reads this, so it’s not a criticism but there were a lot of fast edgy things today that often came from behind a panel, so if your “quick-game” wasn’t sharp then you would suffer.
 

Enjoyed the shoot but kicked myself.

 

[philmoss]

A good shoot at Redricks today, although a bit firmer than last time I would say. Haven’t seen scores but I don’t think there will be a big mass of people over 90.

I shot most of it badly, I’m just not on the case at the moment. I missed total 3 clays in my first pairs and 8 in my last pairs, which tells you it’s a head-thing. I was good on the longer stuff on stands 10,11 and 12 (only dropped 1 over those 3) but so messy on the other stuff.  Even managed to miss on the three easier stands towards the beginning. Very frustrating. I know Phil Moss reads this, so it’s not a criticism but there were a lot of fast edgy things today that often came from behind a panel, so if your “quick-game” wasn’t sharp then you would suffer.
 

Enjoyed the shoot but kicked myself.

Nice to see you today Will, i always enjoy reading your reports on shoots 

The only slightly edgy thing was the 2nd target (midi) on stand 7, wanted approaching with firmness, nothing else was edgy........all showing some top on the coloured clays & plenty of belly on the black ones.

Maybe a change of glasses is needed ?

I did watch you shoot at the Blaze crosser with a curl on it & the black teal against that glorious blue sky on stand 6.

 

[Will Hewland]

Nice to see you today Will, i always enjoy reading your reports on shoots 

The only slightly edgy thing was the 2nd target (midi) on stand 7, wanted approaching with firmness, nothing else was edgy........all showing some top on the coloured clays & plenty of belly on the black ones.

Maybe a change of glasses is needed ?

I did watch you shoot at the Blaze crosser with a curl on it & the black teal against that glorious blue sky on stand 6.

You’ve named two stands I bombed on..

 

[Daz W]

Northampton for me today. 1st time there, really enjoyed it. Some really good targets, and 1 that I just looked at and said "wow".  Just 4 singles, which were high up left to right crossers (cant remember whether it was off of a tower or telehandler), and they had some speed on them. Full use of gun permitted. Missed the first 2, then managed to hit a couple of them first barrel, after changing methods.  Finished up on 75, which I was fairly happy with after my last disastrous performance at AGL. But that day taught me not to shoot with a bad back.

 

[chippy]

Northampton for me as well ,I seem to be suffering from reverse confidence, if I go to a shoot feeling well and confident I shoot badly, so today I went to Northampton after just getting over covid and still not feeling 100% and I hit 94 it just seemed so easy today.

 

[Doug Pinnegar]

Grange for me yesterday, good course and I felt I shot it fairly well. Couple testing targets from platforms and one screaming dropping R-L blaze midi. 

Finished on 86 which was joint 2nd in A. It's been a while since I've been placed in class so I'll take that. 

 

[Chrisessig]

Garlands today, found today's shoot difficult in a lot of places. Stand 11 SIM pair, was a pain , kept having a lot of no birds on it, at least 4. Messed with your head in the end. 

I'm not gonna win no prizes with today's score but I still enjoyed the shoot. 

 

[Richard59]

Garlands today, found today's shoot difficult in a lot of places. Stand 11 SIM pair, was a pain , kept having a lot of no birds on it, at least 4. Messed with your head in the end. 

I'm not gonna win no prizes with today's score but I still enjoyed the shoot. 

Garlands can be more than tricky for one still on a learning curve, and not easy, it takes time and do try and get over the disruption caused by the no-birds thing, that said am another that always seem to drop target or many  in such a situation, breakages and no-birds can happen anywhere at anytime although some grounds are far far worse.

 

[jasper]

Don't worry chrisessig . With the new payout rules from the cpsa you don't need to win or even shoot that well to get a pick up. .... #lottery. 

Depending on which system the ground is running. 

Don't know which system garlands was using today. 

Which could be one of 4 different  ways. So it would be nice for grounds to publish which system they are running before booking on. (spoken like a true BO shooter) 

Jasper. 

 

[Bebo]

Kibworth on Friday. Really wind affected, but enjoyable targets nonetheless. I always enjoy shooting there, no daft eyesight tests but always a decent range of things to try. Went back on Saturday to have a try at some of the targets I felt I could have shot better. Amazing the difference the wind made the day before, everything felt much more hittable.

Redricks yesterday. Mixed bag for me. I shot some stands really well, but was dismal on others. Struggled mentally, letting no birds and a couple of trigger flinches get to me and ruin the second half of a couple of stands. Actually scored higher than Friday, but felt I didn't shoot as well.

 

[Westward]

Ventured out today for my once a year shoot at Coley's. Also my first reg since November, and 2nd time out this year so I wasn't expecting too much.

There were many wind affected targets which must have cost everyone a few clays not to mention a heavy shower for stands 7, 8 and 9 which left the whole squad dripping. Not sure if it was the weather but the scores are fairly low with MM taking HG on 92 and only one other score in the 90s.

I quite enjoyed it though which is a first for me at this ground and I shot okay, only leaving about 5 or 6 out there. Had I gone comp I'd have won my class by 1 clay. C'est la vie!

I didn't hang around after for a goss so I don't know what others thought and I wasn't there for the last shoot but IMO this was a fairly good setup, no silly ultra long stuff and not too many end of barrel targets.