ShootClay Cup 2015

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ExSCA

ShootClay Admin
Joined
Jan 27, 2011
Messages
8,183
I wanted to give you all an update on the ShootClay Cup. 

As people have noted elsewhere, nothing has been published or released - and thats due to the fact that there will not be a ShootClay Cup this year. 

Personally - I'm gutted, my intention to was to get a competition running that would be at least equal to last years event - but I have been unable to secure a sponsor for the main prize fund or any major door prizes and so took a decision to cancel the shoot.  Some of last years sponsors already committed, but not the main players - and finding a serious High Gun and prize fund supporter was critical to the success of the shoot. 

Not having a sponsor meant that I would personally need to underwrite the prize fund, which is not possible.  I could have compromise and made a smaller event, but I didn't want to do that and let down shooters. 

It's a massive learning for me - how people in this sport treat sponsors is really important - and if we aspire as a sport to be more professional, we're going to have to think about how we treat and form relationships with sponsors. 

It is sad, and personally I'm very unhappy about cancelling - but I'm already working on an alternative strategy. I'll keep you all posted. 

 
Unfortunate Matt, you did a cracking job last year and we were all looking forward to another event. A lot of work for a bloke with a full time job!

Perhaps a biennial event? Rather a top event than a semi success!

 
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Thanks for the update Matt cannot start to imagine the logistics involed getting a shoot off the ground to match what you achieved last year. Hats off to you fella.see you in a couple of weeks at the Sportasc

 
Why is sponsorship and big prizes such a factor? Most people won't win anything, but hundreds turn out at other shoots. Over 300 just yesterday at Bisley, which had no special prizes, just the hype of a series name. I think most shooters go shooting for the shoot, not the prizes. It could still be a big event with special features without the sponsorship I would have thought? With a big entry there is reasonable self funded prize money. Matt, the ShootClay name is enough to get a big following along I reckon. You don't have to bait the trap with gold. ?

 
Great shame!  I was hoping for a date I could make this year.  Will's post makes a lot of sense.  Look how many went to Coley's in the first year and brought draw and other prizes.

You don't have to put on shoot in England like the one in the desert!

I agree with your comments about needing to look after, appreciate and thank sponsors!

 
Another Gutted here :(     As an event it was amazing, 

You could see the amount of effort that went in to it, to make it what it was.

2nd for Will's post,   Do we need a glittering sponsor?    Admittedly the exit prize was a cracker,  but surley  winning the cup is the prize itself.

Here's to next year 

:santa:

 
For me it was the social aspect of meeting people from the forum.  Had a lovely time last year didn't we Santa?

 
I'd have thought paying £200 HG would bring them in from four hundred miles away  :lol: , heck they even come for fifty quid sometimes, the only thing that seems to put them off is plastic trophies or DTL.

 
For me it was the social aspect of meeting people from the forum.  Had a lovely time last year didn't we Santa?
Indeed,   and i was going to buy a new outfit for this year ;)

:santa: x

 
:notfair: A Great shame! But I understand your reasons.

Like Will said, the Shootclay name is a more widespread and a greater draw then you realize. This was going to be the only Major shoot I was going to enter this year and my good friend (who shot it last year) was going to come out of retirement too!

I was looking forward to meeting some of the characters on here, and yes Santa2512, I have heard all about you!!!  :D

There has to be a Shootclay meet somehow. Stuff the prizes, they're only for the glory hunters anyway. Make this a social thing and I think you may be surprised by the strength of your support? Good luck with whatever you do.   :thumbsu:

 
Get a yearly successfull shoot up and running and the sponsors will all want to come on board. You don't have to do this on your own. Put a organising committee together to share the work load. I'll gladly help.

 
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shame this isn't happening as I was looking forward to attending after missing last year. Just a thought but I'm sure the prize fund is of little interest to the majority of those from the forum who would like to attend such a shoot. Obviously a big prize fund makes it more attractive to the top shooters but how many of them contribute on this site regularly (with the exception of Ed)? 

I don't want to tell anyone how to put on a shoot\competition, as I wouldn't really know where to start but personally I'd be happy to attend a shoot with no\limited prizes that just got the names from this forum together, like the first Shootclay\Growler shoot did (which I missed due to not having my SGC).

 
Same this isn't going ahead I was looking forward to it as it wasn't going to be the first big event I would have attended. Like Nick and will have said its not about the prize money. I personally wouldn't have been anywhere near the top but wanted to go to socialise and hopefully pick up a few tips along the way. 

 
I didn't make it to last year',s work always gets in the way. But agree with the others first start start the shoot then think about sponsorship it should be more about meeting up for a coffee than actually winning anything. But the prize fund can look after its self. 

I know I'd never be in for high gun but if I get a weekend off I try to go shooting as long as I find a friend to go with Cus that's what it's about. 

I would of thought most grounds would be happy to host an event for you mid week or weekend, registered or not.

it's about providing a service,  giving people a chance to meet and ofcourse getting your hands on a trophy that everyone else wants. ;)

It's definitely alot of work for one person but I look forward to next year if it happens. Keep up the good work. 

 
it must be very hard logistically to arrange and its a shame about the lack of sponsorship but I agree with the others MOST people are there for the "taking part" also sponsorship for most trap events is either pitiful or none existent as is the prize fund however if comps / events were held purely on the basis of "good" sponsorship very few would still be held. Prize fund is dependant on entries and by the sound of it there is a lot of interest in the shootclay event.

 
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it must be very hard logistically to arrange and its a shame about the lack of sponsorship but I agree with the others MOST people are there for the "taking part" also sponsorship for most trap events is either pitiful or none existent as is the prize fund however if comps / events were held purely on the basis of "good" sponsorship very few would still be held. Prize fund is dependant on entries and by the sound of it there is a lot of interest in the shootclay event.
Ian, we and a few others on this forum can remember the days when shooting, including trap, had some pretty big sponsors and they were not shooting related sponsors either. I guess that sponsors may not want to get involved with shooting for whatever reason these days. It could be that shooting is not held in high regard by the public and/or that the vast amount of the public never got to see any of the events which were sponsored. Shooting in all its forms, has not been marketed/advertised/promoted at all well over the years, it is viewed by a large chunk of the public as something which has no place in society in the UK. The governing bodies do little if anything to promote the sport to the outside world, shooting has become very inward looking from what I can see of it. Even when Peter Wilson won gold at the 2012 Olympics, few people in Dorset actually knew anything about it and even fewer cared about it. OK, end of rant, I will go back into my cage now.  :D

 
Ian, we and a few others on this forum can remember the days when shooting, including trap, had some pretty big sponsors and they were not shooting related sponsors either. I guess that sponsors may not want to get involved with shooting for whatever reason these days. It could be that shooting is not held in high regard by the public and/or that the vast amount of the public never got to see any of the events which were sponsored. Shooting in all its forms, has not been marketed/advertised/promoted at all well over the years, it is viewed by a large chunk of the public as something which has no place in society in the UK. The governing bodies do little if anything to promote the sport to the outside world, shooting has become very inward looking from what I can see of it. Even when Peter Wilson won gold at the 2012 Olympics, few people in Dorset actually knew anything about it and even fewer cared about it. OK, end of rant, I will go back into my cage now.  :D
Teehee

cage.jpg

 

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