Also Churchill's today. I left home at just before half six and got there at nine forty-five. Major crash on the M25 near Junction 8. I got there just as they pulled the crashed vehicles off the carriageway, both a bit of a mess but looked like no-one seriously hurt. I've not long got home as I drove straight up to see Ed Lyons afterwards. 400 mile round trip and I'm knackered.Left at 7 this morning and made Churchill's ground at 10.30I can only describe the state of the M25 as a disgrace, literally start/stop most of what should have taken only 2 hours and it's unclear why there even are so many separate congested parts ! Also got caught in a 50 minute gridlock between the Esso garage and the M40 on the trip back, absolute farce.
The shoot itself was rather good if a little stiff, I actually shot some of the harder stands really well too and hand on heart only missed two "silly" birds so 84 won't, I feel tell the full story. Yet again I am puzzled as to why course designers decide to throw two tough birds on the same standstand 10 I think where a fast R/L fairly distant crosser which was also dipping into the ground was followed by a really fast small window L/R rabbit, both difficult to see the rabbit in particular was time and again given as pair again when people were unable to even see it in time, dunno if I agree with that in a reg comp, I'm all for a bit of common sense leniency but feel that this should have been set up in a more sensible way to start with. Several people failed to get a shot off in time and some fired into the bank in puzzled desperation ! 94 from Argun Ismet was leading when I left which was very very good shooting
and should hold unless a couple of super stars turn up.
Just had a look at the scores. Definitely was on the tough side by the look of those. Quite pleased with my 75 now.That 94 held as predicted, well shot Argun.
Certainly not their easiest shoot. We had Matt, who set the course take us round, lovely guy. If you shut your eyes you are actually with Steven Merchant.The rough patch continues....
65 at Ian Coleys
Stand 8 it was a midi and didn't need much at all. Only missed one of them and that was behind slowing the gun up.
I asked if that was a midi and got told no. Explains a bloody lot! Grrr..
I much prefer a bit on the hard side than soft but that stand was defo misjudged, having shot rather well on most of the toughie targets I felt punished rather than tested or entertained by 10. There were enough good targets on the course already to justify an invisible rabbit and a dipping crosser - on the same stand.
Well, I assumed it was a midi. It was above the bank rather than beyond it and shouldn't have looked that small if it was a standard clay. The guy shooting after me also thought it was a midi, we had a chat about it while we waited.
Coleys, as before a good month since last a reg clay taken on, thankfully a covering of cloud made the afternoon quite pleasant as the earlier squad all looked rather frazzled. Coleys had decided to mix up our pre/season block booked squad so one had a chance ti meet / make some new chums, well Matt Turk plus two pleasant west side of Severn gentlemen. One was first up, first stand simo loopers, oh joy, despite the obvious cobwebs and rustiness aplenty one felt that Id shot as well if not better than Id expcted me too, so gor me a good afternon out. Young Sam Usher 90 HG
Am unsure as to this runny nose streaming eyes banging head is a nasty cold or hay fever its still well and truly annoying me so its the straw to break any thoughts of EJC today
You shot the loopers scarily fastTurkey said:
Ha, having seen them allowed to run & easily missed I went for an “off the arm of the trap” approach and as it worked first time just kept repeating.
You shot the loopers scarily fast
shot though
Although I’ve shot some shoots where there were two ridiculous stands that made a low HG and the rest was dull. My fave is one or two easy stands and 10 firm but fair..
