Martinj
Well-known member
A couple of us ventured out to GREENFIELDS 120 BIRD GRAND PRIX SPORTING 14th-15TH MAY 2022 at Windwhistle Farm just west of Salisbury. Sunday's weather was not a patch on Saturday's but the rain held off most of the time and things improved as the afternoon wore on. This was set up by Sean P. of Gunsite and Hangman's fame.
We started on the Pool shoot just to warm the gun up so we were not starting the competition "cold" but rather than gaining confidence it left us totally demoralised, anyway on with the shoot. The stands were dotted along about a half mile length of an open Wiltshire valley. Initially the wind was playing havoc with the clays and in time honoured tradition we passed by stand 1 as the wind was making it impossible, I messed up on an early double rabbit stand with a fast crosser then one going away, to make it worse everyone else was bagging all or most of them.
As we progressed things got better, a spell of rain stopped and so did the wind, most stands looked challenging but when it came to the crunch they were hittable, I redeemed myself on a fast 40 yard L to R rabbit followed by fast R to L 45 yard crosser, my confidence returned and I started to enjoy it. There was one nasty stand with a turbocharged 50+ metre midi that most people were missing by miles, myself included. Anyway some three hours later we made our way back to stand 1 and we bagged the lot.
I thought it was a pretty good day, we both shot 92/120, should have done better but that's the way of shooting.
I haven't seen the final scores although Sat 14th scores have been published where RF and Richard king both shot 112 and, if that wasn't beaten on Sunday (which it wasn't by 4:00pm) they would have had to do a shoot off and we would like to know how that went, hopefully final scores will be published on the Greenfields site.
Thumbs up, one to look out for next year.
p.s.
We started on the Pool shoot just to warm the gun up so we were not starting the competition "cold" but rather than gaining confidence it left us totally demoralised, anyway on with the shoot. The stands were dotted along about a half mile length of an open Wiltshire valley. Initially the wind was playing havoc with the clays and in time honoured tradition we passed by stand 1 as the wind was making it impossible, I messed up on an early double rabbit stand with a fast crosser then one going away, to make it worse everyone else was bagging all or most of them.
As we progressed things got better, a spell of rain stopped and so did the wind, most stands looked challenging but when it came to the crunch they were hittable, I redeemed myself on a fast 40 yard L to R rabbit followed by fast R to L 45 yard crosser, my confidence returned and I started to enjoy it. There was one nasty stand with a turbocharged 50+ metre midi that most people were missing by miles, myself included. Anyway some three hours later we made our way back to stand 1 and we bagged the lot.
I thought it was a pretty good day, we both shot 92/120, should have done better but that's the way of shooting.
I haven't seen the final scores although Sat 14th scores have been published where RF and Richard king both shot 112 and, if that wasn't beaten on Sunday (which it wasn't by 4:00pm) they would have had to do a shoot off and we would like to know how that went, hopefully final scores will be published on the Greenfields site.
Thumbs up, one to look out for next year.
p.s.
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sadly one of which caught up with me whilst later shooting, when I rocked up it was quite blustery 🌬and steadily got more so during the afternoon. Usual squad of splendid chums to shoot with. One had a topsy turvey shoot, straighted opening 10 bird simo stand and St5 when up first, enough of the “oh thats a good target” got hit, however as always a few that should not of escaped my pattern. Now it was windy and yes a few wobbled but I cant say it cost me any, my own faults lost me targets not the wind & rain. 
