Sporting Targets v Redricks?

[BerettaDan]

Well I’ve chosen Sporting Targets at Risley over Redricks at Sawbridgeworth for my 1st Reg shoot!! The reason for that being I’ve shot ST a few times, never shot Redricks…..right choice…..or not?

 

[diver682]

Well I’ve chosen Sporting Targets at Risley over Redricks at Sawbridgeworth for my 1st Reg shoot!! The reason for that being I’ve shot ST a few times, never shot Redricks…..right choice…..or not?

Mossy would say not..... 

 

[Will Hewland]

Well I’ve chosen Sporting Targets at Risley over Redricks at Sawbridgeworth for my 1st Reg shoot!! The reason for that being I’ve shot ST a few times, never shot Redricks…..right choice…..or not?

If you’re getting into reg shoots (the only way forward IMO) then variety is the key, so flip a coin but do various grounds as much as you can. It will give you a more realistic CPSA average and improve your shooting. Plus it’s more interesting! I believe ST is a firm shoot usually, so bear that in mind for reference. I’ll be at Redricks on Sunday. (ST is a bit of a trek for me)

 

[BerettaDan]

Thanks Will. Phil at Redricks seems really helpful and I’ve actually just booked onto his 3rd April registered shoot. I’m lucky as Sporting Targets and Redricks are both about equal distance for me, with AGL right on my door step. Shame AGL’s registered shoots are only on Fridays, none on a weekend!

 

[Daz W]

Thanks Will. Phil at Redricks seems really helpful and I’ve actually just booked onto his 3rd April registered shoot. I’m lucky as Sporting Targets and Redricks are both about equal distance for me, with AGL right on my door step. Shame AGL’s registered shoots are only on Fridays, none on a weekend!

Chuck a sickie for AGL . It is one of my favourite registered shoots, along with EJ Churchill and Barrow (unless its really windy). Sporting Targets always used to be set on the tougher side, almost as they were determined that nobody would straight it. Unfortunately for us mere mortals, it ended up not being enjoyable. Redricks also went through a period of being a toughie, with all class wins being with their classification banding, and a lot of shooters scoring below their band cut-off. Fortunately Phil seems to have backed it off a little bit, so it's now one that I'm interested in giving a go.  

If you're near AGL, Chicksands is worth a go. Not registered shoot, but definitely up to CPSA registered standards. Every other Sunday, fibre only, and one of the cheapest shoots locally. Entrance is through a military base, so they need to know your coming. Chicksands Clay Target Shooting Ground on Facebook for the details if you fancy giving it a go.

 

[philmoss]

Daz.....Can you expand on your comments.... "certainly up to Registered standards" ?.

And all class wins being within their classification bandings is what classifications are for.....surely ?, those that shoot below the band cut off are either in the wrong class to start with if the class's are being won within the correct cut offs, or perform better than they should at easier shoots ?

Would like to know yours & maybe others takes on this ! 

Mossy would say not..... 

Go & shoot where you want & what gives you pleasure.....simple as that.

Some like challenging, enjoyable targets where you can be caught out & tested along with good, qualified experienced refs, others like to shoot scores above their true ability & skill set to make them feel good.......Others shoot at Redricks!!......

 

[Will Hewland]

Phil, I thought your last shoot was pitched perfectly. Just saying..

 

[Daz W]

Daz.....Can you expand on your comments.... "certainly up to Registered standards" ?.

And all class wins being within their classification bandings is what classifications are for.....surely ?, those that shoot below the band cut off are either in the wrong class to start with if the class's are being won within the correct cut offs, or perform better than they should at easier shoots ?

Would like to know yours & maybe others takes on this ! 

Go & shoot where you want & what gives you pleasure.....simple as that.

Some like challenging, enjoyable targets where you can be caught out & tested along with good, qualified experienced refs, others like to shoot scores above their true ability & skill set to make them feel good.......Others shoot at Redricks!!......

Sure can Phil.  Chicksands Clay Target Club does not run CPSA registered shoots, but in my opinion the quality and difficulty of the targets is on par with a CPSA registered shoot.

The subject of whether class wins should be within the class bandings has been done to death on here. Shooters scores for a given classification should fit in a bell curve, with approx 80% fitting within the classification percentages, approx 10% above, and 10% below. Some shooters are getting better, some are getting worse, and some are staying the same.  If nobody shoots above their classification banding, then how can a B class shooter ever progress to to an A? Or a C to a B?  Scores from your recent shoots now seem to reflect the bell curve, and now more accurately reflect the CPSA classification percentages. Most of us want to shoot at grounds that accurately represent that, and that now appears to be what's happening at your ground. Congratulations, I hope it makes Redricks more popular than it already is.

 

[BerettaDan]

Chuck a sickie for AGL . It is one of my favourite registered shoots, along with EJ Churchill and Barrow (unless its really windy). Sporting Targets always used to be set on the tougher side, almost as they were determined that nobody would straight it. Unfortunately for us mere mortals, it ended up not being enjoyable. Redricks also went through a period of being a toughie, with all class wins being with their classification banding, and a lot of shooters scoring below their band cut-off. Fortunately Phil seems to have backed it off a little bit, so it's now one that I'm interested in giving a go.  

If you're near AGL, Chicksands is worth a go. Not registered shoot, but definitely up to CPSA registered standards. Every other Sunday, fibre only, and one of the cheapest shoots locally. Entrance is through a military base, so they need to know your coming. Chicksands Clay Target Shooting Ground on Facebook for the details if you fancy giving it a go.

I had thought about the sickie to go to AGL….especially as I could hear the shooting from my office yesterday!!

I know exactly where the Chicksands base is, but I didn’t know there was a shoot on it. I’ll definitely look that one up.

Agreed on the Sporting Targets level of toughness but I figure even as a mere mortal shot I’ve got no chance of improving unless I take the tougher ones on too?

The plan is to shoot EJ Churchill’s a couple of times before the Beretta Worlds in June. 
 

Thanks for the heads-up on Chicksands Daz

Just to clarify my comment stating I was booked on to Redricks 3rd April shoot…..I wrote that post after I’d emailed Phil, but before he responded explaining no pre-booking was required.

 

[Will Hewland]

Just looked again at last Redricks results. Yes there were a good amount of competitors in the 90s, but 33 AA/ AAA shooters turned up, which was over 30% of the entry. C class won on 80 is about right I feel. 

 

[BerettaDan]

Will, dumb question of the day…..based on 100 bird sporting, what are the classification bands? Is it 95-100 AA, 90-95 A, 85-90 B and anything up to 85 C?

How are the classifications divided? 80 seems high to me for C? Surely 80% is decent shooting, especially after what was said earlier about Redricks being a tough test?

 

[Will Hewland]

Will, dumb question of the day…..based on 100 bird sporting, what are the classification bands? Is it 95-100 AA, 90-95 A, 85-90 B and anything up to 85 C?

How are the classifications divided? 80 seems high to me for C? Surely 80% is decent shooting, especially after what was said earlier about Redricks being a tough test?

The CPSA site explains it in detail but it works as so:

Every 3 months, the CPSA look back a year at each shooter to get their average.

AAA are the top 5%

AA are 5-15% (or 85-95% depending which way round you want it..)

A are 15-45%

B are 45-75%

C are the bottom 25%

So, the classification cut off points vary each period to fit the above. Currently AAA is about 88.3 and you need 75.3 to climb out of C class. All the lower classes are of course full of people progressing, hence they will always score above what “looks right”. But not for long as they will get promoted if they keep doing it..

Apart from major championships, AAA and AA compete combined as “AA” at normal reg shoots (which makes it bloody hard for a AA like me )

The C and B class scores are the least predictable usually. Basically there is so much headroom if somebody has a good day. My mate won C at Westfield last week on 87, 9 clays clear of second. Looks totally wrong, but he’s a 20 year experienced shooter (was in A class years ago) who has been on shocking form, sometimes has health issues, but massively got it together on the day. The shoot also had mainly longer targets which he is best at. It’s VERY dodgy to expect B and C class scores to “conform”. 

 

[BerettaDan]

Brilliant, thanks for the explanation Will

So much like the golf handicap system, you need to put three cards in for a classification/handicap. Then you are assessed on your submit scores over a season with adjustments made accordingly. 
 

So in the event you didn’t shoot 3 times in registered events over a 12 month period, do you lose your classification or do you retain your previous one until such time as you’ve provided up to date scores?

 

[Will Hewland]

Brilliant, thanks for the explanation Will

So much like the golf handicap system, you need to put three cards in for a classification/handicap. Then you are assessed on your submit scores over a season with adjustments made accordingly. 
 

So in the event you didn’t shoot 3 times in registered events over a 12 month period, do you lose your classification or do you retain your previous one until such time as you’ve provided up to date scores?

Retain them AFAIK, although maybe not for ever any more.. have a read:

https://www.cpsa.co.uk/classifications/what-are-classifications

https://www.cpsa.co.uk/issues/issue-66/52

 

[Charliedog]

The CPSA site explains it in detail but it works as so:

Every 3 months, the CPSA look back a year at each shooter to get their average.

AAA are the top 5%

AA are 5-15% (or 85-95% depending which way round you want it..)

A are 15-45%

B are 45-75%

C are the bottom 25%

So, the classification cut off points vary each period to fit the above. Currently AAA is about 88.3 and you need 75.3 to climb out of C class. All the lower classes are of course full of people progressing, hence they will always score above what “looks right”. But not for long as they will get promoted if they keep doing it..

Apart from major championships, AAA and AA compete combined as “AA” at normal reg shoots (which makes it bloody hard for a AA like me )

The C and B class scores are the least predictable usually. Basically there is so much headroom if somebody has a good day. My mate won C at Westfield last week on 87, 9 clays clear of second. Looks totally wrong, but he’s a 20 year experienced shooter (was in A class years ago) who has been on shocking form, sometimes has health issues, but massively got it together on the day. The shoot also had mainly longer targets which he is best at. It’s VERY dodgy to expect B and C class scores to “conform”. 

Is it really 75 plus to get into B class, last time I looked it was about 70?

 

[Will Hewland]

Is it really 75 plus to get into B class, last time I looked it was about 70?

I think it’s important to realise that I was talking bollox. Yes it’s 70.8

 

[Charliedog]

I think it’s important to realise that I was talking bollox. Yes it’s 70.8

No problem

 

[Will Hewland]

Looks like a sensible event at ST. Maybe they read this thread and made it a bit more palatable.

 

[BerettaDan]

I thought it was great.

I can’t think of any outrageous targets. A nice balance of easy, average and hard? They didn’t throw that much from the towers, i thought there would be more?