Essex Masters
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Steve Lovatt
Well-known member
Thanks Oldgit - wonder how it's all finished tonight though....... I heard at 5.30pm they were still shooting 
Shot the course today and in my humble opinion it's not a patch on yesteryear.........thought the red course was average, no real wow factor presentations. Black course better, but day spoilt by the organisers getting greedy (FYI, Essex Gun put their name to it, but the organisation is down to the family Dyson and consequently the spoils) Squads of at least 8 shooters and about 30 squads to get through. The hours lunch break to restock, grab bacon sarnie and rest weary feet was reduced to 10 minutes..(even that was achieved under protest, they wanted us to go straight back out!).......just doesn't seem to be special anymore........yes just my opinion, but also that of others in our and adjoining squads. The surfeit of white clays turned some stands into a test of eyesight instead of shooting skill. To be fair, I was quite happy with my score, just felt flat.......
Scores across the board are lower than last years, so it must have been harder despite looking fairly ordinary. The winning score is 6 birds shy of last years top score . I can't wait for the next one, plus the Southdown 200 birder which must be on again this year?
. I can't wait for the next one, plus the Southdown 200 birder which must be on again this year?
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An odd thing looking through the results is that in all except the Ladies category every winning score is at least 2 but as many as 6 birds higher than second place?! I say odd because there's rarely more than one bird in it.
tiptop
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First time at this event (sunday), tend to agree with Scuta on the organisation of it,although not a bad shoot. Shot just below my current average so not to bad on that score.Would i shot it again don't know about that, as other majors and registered i have shot seem to be better organised. Even though people moan about the CPSA they are better prepared than this was.Roll on the BERETTA WORLD. far more enjoyable.
I still haven't seen anyone actually put their finger on what it was they didn't enjoy?! A few complained there were not enough long range birds, possibly, or that there wasn't enough variety; I can't personally think of a single stand that was the same as any other. The organisation was pretty faultless on the day I shot and the winning / overall scores seemed to suggest it was plenty hard enough. Shockingly the Ladies category was won by what I consider a low score given what we have come to expect form this outstanding shooter.
So just asking those who shot it, what didn't you like specifically?
So just asking those who shot it, what didn't you like specifically?
Chard
Well-known member
They just bitch because they got a crap score, always the same. If they score well, it's the best shoot ever. If they cock it up, it's a rubbish shoot.
You get bored reading it.
We went on the Friday, nothing wrong with the organisation at all.
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chippy
Well-known member
Hammy
I thought last years essex was the best ever (not because i won anything which i did not} but just great targets.this year it was not as good.when i miss a clay 90% of the time i am behind so a bit more lead and i am on it.but this year i missed in front on a lot of stands.i felt tricked rather than beaten. but its very clever target setting i suppose.
chippy
tiptop
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Nothing to do with the target presentation good variety, good setting,as for getting a crap score i get plenty of them thats why im only c class so no probs there.Just seemed to me to be to much queing. When you are given a start time of 11:10 squad 15 and don't get to start til about 11:40 due to the fact that squads 12,13,14 were still shooting /waiting to shoot not a good start, this seemed to be set for the day. 10-15 minute break before starting the second course not good.We ended up shooting in front of squad 14 because they were not ready to go and buy the end from stands 10,11,12 on the second course there were 4 squads queing to shoot. One squad tried to go to stand 12 to try to easy the situation but were told no way shoot stands in order, the time is now getting on as in one of the other comments earlier in the thread about still shooting at 5:30+ thats the reason,squad sizes seemed anything from 5,6,7,8.Well over 6 hours to shoot 200 birds with only a 10-15 minute break. So to me not very well organised. Nothing wrong with the targets some interesting stuff,nothing wrong with the ground.
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What a wonderfully simple view of the world.............. :huh:
I don't know anything about Friday, because I wasn't there, so am not qualified to comment. I was there on Sunday however. In my opinion, there were too many squads, containing too many people (8 - 9) resulting in a long day, with too much hanging around on the stands and little if no break between the layouts.
As for the targets, I (personally) didn't enjoy the surfeit of white targets, which turned some of the presentations into an eye sight test as opposed to a test of shooting skill and I would have liked to have seen some more 'X' factor targets. Something that's not easy to quantify and arguably different for all, however big crossers that require a bus length of lead put a smile on my chops when I hit them! (OK, I've not got a lot in my life and I'm easily pleased!!
)I of course respect everyone's right to disagree with me.........
What a wonderfully simple view of the world.............. :huh:
Scuta,
Totally agree with u on that one, I have shot the Essex for last few years and this one wasnt my cup of tea ., all this slow dropping stuff has got its place but not on most stands, personaly the last stand on the red course was the only stand needing a gap, this shoot straight at stuff is not what shotguns are designed for, after travelling for 4hrs u expect to be entertained not demoralised with missing birds crashing to the ground at 10yrds or floppy birds where the 32" gun has no place . ???????? Roll on Westfields
Scuta,
Totally agree with u on that one, I have shot the Essex for last few years and this one wasnt my cup of tea ., all this slow dropping stuff has got its place but not on most stands, personaly the last stand on the red course was the only stand needing a gap, this shoot straight at stuff is not what shotguns are designed for, after travelling for 4hrs u expect to be entertained not demoralised with missing birds crashing to the ground at 10yrds or floppy birds where the 32" gun has no place . ???????? Roll on Westfields
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GlenPresley
Well-known member
See this is the big difference between the shooters who are there to compete and win and those who are just there for the enjoyment.
It is very hard to do both. Do most of the top shooters care what is thrown and do they enjoy it when they are trying to make a winning score? probably not IMO.
Only after do they reflect and think of the target presentation and enjoy the winning if they have performed. At the time they are competing it is a target that has to be broken and the moment they stop to think ooooh these targets are not interesting etcetc is the moment they are losing their optimum performance.
At the end of the day if you want to be at the top and shoot good scores you really have to not give a monkies of what the quality of target presentation is.
If you are there just to have a laugh and a day out then obviously your needs will be different.
In regards to ques I have had to learn to except it, especially whilst shooting over here as it is very relaxed and there is no rushing around at all.
Back in the UK everything needs to be done and dusted in an hour or so, so that those without enough brownie points from the wife can get home for Sunday dinner in time!. Only a few can hack the waiting game.
Glen.
It is very hard to do both. Do most of the top shooters care what is thrown and do they enjoy it when they are trying to make a winning score? probably not IMO.
Only after do they reflect and think of the target presentation and enjoy the winning if they have performed. At the time they are competing it is a target that has to be broken and the moment they stop to think ooooh these targets are not interesting etcetc is the moment they are losing their optimum performance.
At the end of the day if you want to be at the top and shoot good scores you really have to not give a monkies of what the quality of target presentation is.
If you are there just to have a laugh and a day out then obviously your needs will be different.
In regards to ques I have had to learn to except it, especially whilst shooting over here as it is very relaxed and there is no rushing around at all.
Back in the UK everything needs to be done and dusted in an hour or so, so that those without enough brownie points from the wife can get home for Sunday dinner in time!. Only a few can hack the waiting game.
Glen.
TobyM
Well-known member
I'd be disappointed if the Dutch were any other way TBH. Fancy a schmoke?
GlenPresley
Well-known member
Nah not for me Toby effects performance! Just another beer! ;-)
Clynt
Well-known member
missed this one ? so can't comment .but tend to feel a little let down at bigger shoots these days, but if you have ever put on a shoot you will soon realise 70% of shooters have different ideas on what is good and bad .......no win situation
to set a layout to suit all 4 classes over a 100 birds is tough enough let alone 200 would like targets to return to resembling something real , but don't hold your breath....
