Sporting Shoots; where- and how was it? (2018)

[Bebo]

I'm afraid there very much is a case for denying it, I can't be bothered to find the post which I made a few months ago which using facts and figures proved there was no case to answer regarding this subject which raises its comical head every now and then. Perhaps someone else can do a search and tag it to this thread.

There is no statistically significant or meaningful proof that shoots have been getting easier, talking very much from the point of view of experience and recollection of events over 4 decades worth of clay shooting, I in fact maintain that targets today are infinitely more sophisticated and challenging that yesteryear, it is the shooter who has changed to cope, and cope very well some do. 

Don't know if anyone else spotted it, but the threshold for entry into A and B class actually came down a little this period.  I've not been following the CPSA averages for many years, but that the first time I've seen them drop.

 

[Will Hewland]

Don't know if anyone else spotted it, but the threshold for entry into A and B class actually came down a little this period.  I've not been following the CPSA averages for many years, but that the first time I've seen them drop.

Oh, didn't realise that issue 55 cut offs were published yet. Thanks.

https://www.cpsa.co.uk/issues/issue-55/41

 

[Richard59]

Miserable / dire forecast for day curtailed work plans so hopped off to Oxfordshire early to beat said forecast, its a low key 50 ESP reg shot in squads in a smallish ground, as early birds & a gang of mature gentlemen made plain thier desire to shoot in thier own little manner our squad was just moi & Paul Ricketts, second time out with new “eyes” & hoping for no orange targets one was not expecting much, did start rather well, found a few quite testing edgy targets I thought I wouldnt, and hung too long on some quartering driven that ruined more than one stand. Being only two we raced around, finishing as it became wet.

Was the only entrant for the sportrap, the rain now heavy and a trap type orange target on offer, that an edgy going away teal and a fair looper tested the eyes through the rain affected glasses, not sure how did manage to shoot the layout much better than I feared at viewing.

In summary, missed most of rain and had a pleasant morning out before the return to office / iMac for a fair few hours.

 

[Hamster]

Hi Hamster,  Steve is entitled to his opinion, as are the rest of us. If he wishes to call me a twit/tw*t he can do, it doesn’t bother me one bit in the slightest.

But I stand by what I posted.  Shoots have been getting softer, there’s no denying it, the average joe wants to hit big numbers, me, I want to be challenged. By all means have a number of stands that are comparatively easy, but also have a number that make you think about what you have to do to hit the targets.

Hi Wynno, 

Thought you might want to have a look at the ESP Top 20 just released where only 1 shooter in the country has managed to break an average of 95%, it also clearly shows that you could get on the illustrious list by managing a "mere" sub 92% average, also worth noting is the fact that none of the top lady shooters have crept past 89% and that includes what may arguably be the greatest living female sporting shooter. 

https://www.cpsa.co.uk/files/download/Top20ShootersByDisciplineIssue55-v2/467

 

[Will Hewland]

Hi Wynno, 

Thought you might want to have a look at the ESP Top 20 just released where only 1 shooter in the country has managed to break an average of 95%, it also clearly shows that you could get on the illustrious list by managing a "mere" sub 92% average, also worth noting is the fact that none of the top lady shooters have crept past 89% and that includes what may arguably be the greatest living female sporting shooter. 

https://www.cpsa.co.uk/files/download/Top20ShootersByDisciplineIssue55-v2/467

I’m electing to be female next year and look forward to being top 3. 

 

[donna]

I’m electing to be female next year and look forward to being top 3. 

I would pay money to see that Will

 

[Richard59]

I’m electing to be female next year and look forward to being top 3. 

From this day forth Wilma Hewland it is, all the best operation wise

 

[Hamster]

It took me 1.5 hrs this morning to cover the first 25 miles to Owls Lodge because a lorry had overturned on the A249 exit off the M2   but it was worth it, don't normally shoot well in such windy conditions but delighted with joint 2nd with Mr. Childerhouse no less,    hope the purple patch never ends, that's my third 93 in the last three registered events on different grounds.  

 

[Charliej]

It took me 1.5 hrs this morning to cover the first 25 miles to Owls Lodge because a lorry had overturned on the A249 exit off the M2   but it was worth it, don't normally shoot well in such windy conditions but delighted with joint 2nd with Mr. Childerhouse no less,    hope the purple patch never ends, that's my third 93 in the last three registered events on different grounds.  

Well shot also shot it at 10am very windy and damp good set of targets only managed 71 though but really enjoyed it despite the 2 hour 15 min drive up from Exmouth

 

[Will Hewland]

The wind wasn’t actually the 50 mph forecast said? I ditched my attendance as 10am looked awful. Still had to pay..

 

[Charliej]

Wasn't far off 50 mph certainly gusting to 50 or so and probably a steady 35/40 was nearer 60 mph at Exmouth when I left at 0645 hrs with driving rain almost aborted but it was either shooting or decorating at home made the right choice

 

[schmokinn]

The wind wasn’t actually the 50 mph forecast said? I ditched my attendance as 10am looked awful. Still had to pay..

Thought about it but blowing 50/60mph gusts and a constant 40mph in Bournemouth so decided no!

 

[Will Hewland]

AGL this morning. Certainly one of their firmer shoots I thought. I made a massive screw up of stand 3, dropping 6 out of 10! Awful performance. Shot the rest fairly well and rescued an 87. A good course I thought. Saw Hamid walking round, no doubt going for his next 93..

 

[P1Fanatic]

Took the morning off work and popped up to AGL. M25 was fine despite radio saying delays both directions. M4 was slow there and back which meant I was tight on time and had to rush around a little and jump a few stands. Met Bebo and Woody mid course on the simo driven stand. One of my bogey birds so was very happy with an 8/10. Just the odd 1-2 dropped through lack of concentration elsewhere and 4 on stand 12 near the car park which was a weird combo or L-R crosser and then a driven. Wasn’t giving the crosser enough and was leaving the driven too late. Finished on 82 and always happy with a score that starts with 8. Lovely weather too.

 

[woody]

Lovely morning at AGL for my second registered. All I want as I embark on my journey is to see progress, so lovely to go from a 52 last week to a 53 today

Really enjoyed seeing the bigger targets but it's really apparent that my rapid improvement needs to be the targets that you guys fill your cards with. The bread and butter. Simple going aways etc where you shoot them up the bum. I'm still hanging on past the point my brain says now! 

Nice to say hello to sian and p1.   Looked out for Will to say a hello to as well but our paths didn't cross. 

 

[Hamster]

AGL this morning. Certainly one of their firmer shoots I thought. I made a massive screw up of stand 3, dropping 6 out of 10! Awful performance. Shot the rest fairly well and rescued an 87. A good course I thought. Saw Hamid walking round, no doubt going for his next 93..

Nearly but had to settle for 92   which I'm still very pleased with given the targets were definitely firmer all round this month, managed a 9 on the driven stand too, rough pair if ever I saw one, enjoyable to kill the pair when everything went exactly to plan but unfortunately I did notice a few people fail to even get the second shot off and to be honest I'm always a bit unsure whether that sort of stand is quite fair to everyone, it didn't feel like a shooter had set it up if you know what I mean. 

Odd thing happened on stand 5 I think where we had quite a long breakdown period, when my turn came I killed 8 birds and went to walk out but was told by the lady scorer I had a pair left so thinking oh well must be a five pair stand I steadied myself and luckily broke another pair only to then keep looking at my score card where I'd been scored 8x8 ! The other waiting shooters seemed a bit confused too, just as well I killed that extra pair otherwise it would have taken some sorting out. 

A pair of 95's were well deserving winners but I might as well milk the fact I again kept level with Mr. Childerhouse whom I had the pleasure of a handshake with today for the very first time. 

 

[Will Hewland]

Nearly but had to settle for 92   which I'm still very pleased with given the targets were definitely firmer all round this month, managed a 9 on the driven stand too, rough pair if ever I saw one, enjoyable to kill the pair when everything went exactly to plan but unfortunately I did notice a few people fail to even get the second shot off and to be honest I'm always a bit unsure whether that sort of stand is quite fair to everyone, it didn't feel like a shooter had set it up if you know what I mean. 

Odd thing happened on stand 5 I think where we had quite a long breakdown period, when my turn came I killed 8 birds and went to walk out but was told by the lady scorer I had a pair left so thinking oh well must be a five pair stand I steadied myself and luckily broke another pair only to then keep looking at my score card where I'd been scored 8x8 ! The other waiting shooters seemed a bit confused too, just as well I killed that extra pair otherwise it would have taken some sorting out. 

A pair of 95's were well deserving winners but I might as well milk the fact I again kept level with Mr. Childerhouse whom I had the pleasure of a handshake with today for the very first time. 

Slipping Hamid! Well shot. 

Yes only 4 people out of 188 straighted that driven stand. Just wasn’t enough time however you tried it really. 95s were good. Some good names there today.

 

[Sian]

AGL for me too, I thought some stands had a different style about them, edgy things.  Driven just gave me depression basically only hit 3 and actually watching quite a few with similar hit rate and less just made me think it was a mean stand and especially 5 pairs.  I think it beat a lot of people up.  Hammie I didn’t get a second shot off on one of my pairs on the driven.  I remember thinking I’ve missed as many as Billy did on my first few stands . Sim pair in the field I shot 7/10 so I was happy with that at least.   Ended on a 76 which isn’t the end of the world for me score wise but not as enjoyable as usual.

forgot to say lovely to meet Woody for the first time, always good to see Jenny and Hammie.

 

[woody]

The meteoric rise through my averages is on hold.  Although the totals on my score card do indeed add up to 53, one stand was totalled as a 4, but hits and misses shows i got a 3.  AGL website shows me at 52.  So i've plateaued already after two shoots 

I'm taking consolation that it was a more difficult shoot than Horne last week and my 5 on the sim pair on stand 3 wasn't awful. 

 

[jon1]

Anyone at AGL today got any tips on stand 3? I didn't think it looked too hard but made a right hash of it.