Sporting shoots. Your personal accounts. 2022

[donna]

Barrow for us today.  Was pouring hard of rain when we left home but got north of Dartford tunnel and lovely and sunny and surprisingly warm.  Started about 12.30/12.45 and I think maybe first 5 stands we were the only people shooting so didn’t get a real good look at targets.  Only one bad stand today for me, stand 7 a sim pair r-l and only hit 5/10, 2nd target needing more than I thought.  Apart from that dropped the odd 1 or 2, quite a few stands at bottom of field into the sun and I think of the 24 targets 9 were black, the rest blaze or pink but thankfully no green which Phil struggles to see.  Finished on an 80 which won ladies but was very pleased to only drop 1 of the close targets on the way round which I normally miss and have been working on.  

 

[donna]

Coleys today for the sporting, started at 12.40 and got absolutely drenched! The rain was like a torrent just slamming you in the face.  Was like that more or less until stand 6.  Had a breakdown, got really cold on my back and stiffened up. Until then had been doing ok considering the weather.  Came off there for a 2/8 which I was very disappointed with as I hit the first 2!!  Dug deep after that and was only 1 or 2 away or straight on some of the harder stands.  Finished on 79 which was 2nd in ladies and considering conditions I’ve got to be happy with that (even though there were a few I shouldn’t have dropped). Phil shot well for an 87 and joint 3rd in A.  All in all a fairly good week for us both score wise.  Hopefully if weather good for Sunday a lovely day at Westfields beckons. 

Just looked at the photo of my card, from stand 7 which I thought was the harder half of the shoot I only dropped 6 targets. That’s made my day! 

 

[Defender90]

Redricks today for my first ever reg! In hindsight Redricks for the inter-county ESP may not have been the most sensible choice but I had a great time regardless. Amazing welcome from fellow shooters and referees alike.

Highlights were 5 on a nervy first stand, with 3/4 of the long crossers hit, and then managing to hit a pair of the tricky std/mini simo on stand 10. 0s&1s on stands 5-8 left me with a disappointing 27 but I was okay with that for my first time out - onwards and upwards!

 

[chippy]

Redricks today for my first ever reg! In hindsight Redricks for the inter-county ESP may not have been the most sensible choice but I had a great time regardless. Amazing welcome from fellow shooters and referees alike.

Highlights were 5 on a nervy first stand, with 3/4 of the long crossers hit, and then managing to hit a pair of the tricky std/mini simo on stand 10. 0s&1s on stands 5-8 left me with a disappointing 27 but I was okay with that for my first time out - onwards and upwards!

You picked quite a tough shoot to start on. Some very deceptive targets there yesterday. The good news it that your learning curve will be so steep at the moment that after a few months you will be thinking " I could be world champion if I keep this up" 

We have all had those thoughts

 

[vmax1010]

Glad you enjoyed your day, as your learning stick to your technique don't fall into the trap of hitting the clay at all costs as in time it will pay dividends

 

[donna]

Westfield for us, arrived at about 12.30 and it was quiet.  We followed two chaps around and that was the most we had at any time on any stand, sometimes no one. Some stands wind affected, stand 2 first target coming over right shoulder diving and the wind just pushed it down so much I had 2 which went behind the bank before I shot them. Didn’t have a bad stand until stand 10, a very fast overhead and looper r-l.  Didn’t get under the first one enough and didn’t give looper enough until last two targets which I hit, had a 10/10 on 11 then got to 12 and another bad one with a 2/8.  Ended up on 75 which is above my average but it was just so weird walking into stands and no queuing, 

 

[Westward]

Lots of shoots on in the west/west midlands region yesterday so nowhere was particularly busy. I almost went to Westfield but picked Gunsite instead. No wind at home but very windy there and a few targets were affected but nothing compared to my tear ducts which are still highly sensitive to wind. Sean's targets were tricky enough without vision going blurry.

Probably should have gone to Westfield. 

 

[Martinj]

Gatton Bottom for me yesterday, (yes, I know!) it's about the closest REG ESP to me. I arrived about 11:00am after stopping en-route for my Covid booster, and it was pretty quiet, people are staying away in their droves. I don't think it's a personal thing as it's usually well attended, I think people are just being cautious about spending their cash.

Anyhow stand 1 (Now in the woods) a going away followed by a drooping left to right, probably not the best to start on, the drooping bird caught me out twice. there was another stand that cost me three and I lost a couple of silly ones. The far end stands 6, to 12 went amazingly well and I ended up on 93 which is the best I've done for ages, I have pretty much accepted that my average has permanently dropped but maybe there's life in the old dog yet 

 

[chippy]

Redricks the Sunday before last I started really well 2 away after 6 stand's but the wheels came off and ended on 79. Northampton this Sunday another good start 2 away after 7 stands then a few 7x8s but then stand 12 a high fast overhead away followed by a lower overhead away cost me 4 finished on 90 

 

[donna]

Westfield for us on Sunday for the super sporting. Thoroughly enjoyable. Absolutely chucked it down whilst driving there so feared the worst but we only got rained on first 2 stands.  It was quite dark when we finished last stand and could hardly see the blaze target which got missed by quite a few people but an enjoyable round.  Finished in 81 which I was pleased with as I did miss a few silly targets but I had 10/10 on two of the harder stands.  

 

[Westward]

Well shot Donna.

I've reffed SS a few times before it became a reg discipline and almost everyone seems to enjoy it as much as ESP. I nearly booked in for Sunday but decided against as I don't seem to have my shooting head on at the moment.

A few Fridays at Longridge should hopefully sort things out!

 

[donna]

It’s trying to remember the sims!  Only second time I’ve shot it and done much better this time around. I made myself look at the board as I was putting cartridges in to make myself focus on the pair coming up. 2 good ladies joint first were only 5 ahead of me so I’m not complaining.  Good luck at Longridge.

 

[chippy]

Complete disaster last Sunday at eriswell with a 62 my lowest score for several years. Just couldn't hit anything with any consistency. This Sunday Northampton and 92 not the hardest round but 94 was high. This shooting is a funny old game.

 

[Will Hewland]

Complete disaster last Sunday at eriswell with a 62 my lowest score for several years. Just couldn't hit anything with any consistency. This Sunday Northampton and 92 not the hardest round but 94 was high. This shooting is a funny old game.

Yeah. Shot like a blind man on a unicycle at Honesberie today. In fairness, we were on middle of the day when a huge tropical level storm set in and didn’t help. My jeans are still on the heated towel rail. 

 

[chippy]

Yeah. Shot like a blind man on a unicycle at Honesberie today. In fairness, we were on middle of the day when a huge tropical level storm set in and didn’t help. My jeans are still on the heated towel rail. 

I was lucky today it rained most of the way from Norfolk to Northampton, dry for 12 stands, large spots of rain on stand 13. And it rained all the way home.

 

[Will Hewland]

I was lucky today it rained most of the way from Norfolk to Northampton, dry for 12 stands, large spots of rain on stand 13. And it rained all the way home.

It was incredible for a few stands. Like night. I saw orange burning sparks from the gun muzzle as the clays disappeared into the abyss. 

 

[donna]

It was incredible for a few stands. Like night. I saw orange burning sparks from the gun muzzle as the clays disappeared into the abyss. 

It was like that at Westfield last week!  Quite scary!

 

[Daz W]

Yeah. Shot like a blind man on a unicycle at Honesberie today. In fairness, we were on middle of the day when a huge tropical level storm set in and didn’t help. My jeans are still on the heated towel rail. 

I borrowed your unicycle for stands 7 & 8 out in the field. Dropped 8 on just them 2 stands. Dropped 2 on stand 6 (first stand in the field), which I saw numerous people missing loads on.

We we a bit luckier with the weather than you Will, started raining on 9, heavens properly opened up on 12. Guess you were still in the field?

Looking at the scores, I reckon there were a few that binned it off halfway round due to the rain.

 

[Will Hewland]

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[Will Hewland]

Nice day at Oxfordshire SS today for their reg shoot. As is becoming normal, saw Daz W again, always good.

It’s not the toughest affair, but enough fast and fiddly stuff to keep you on your toes. Got my ducks in a row and only had one silly miss (just held too high for first shot on stand 11 and lost the view). Another target on stand 2 failed to live up to the lead I was giving it. So 98 for a new PB. Nice way to start the weekend!