Sporting shoots 2023. How was it?

[Bebo]

well the ref certainly messed up that call

I thought so at the time, but I don't like challenging Refs so I left it.  I've since checked the rules and I will challenge it if it happens again.

 

[Richard59]

I thought so at the time, but I don't like challenging Refs so I left it.  I've since checked the rules and I will challenge it if it happens again.

I understand the reluctance to query a call, it is though a competition so do raise questions on oddities, you are perfectly entitled to do so

 

[chesterse]

I had an incident at Grange Farm the other week. There was quite a wait on one particular stand and as I entered the stand the ref. broke off to fill one of the traps up. 
When he came back I asked to see a pair as there had been a disruption but was met met with a tirade of abuse about how long have you been standing there watching and refused.

As to not get further distracted I carried on without seeing them. I checked on the rules and you are allowed to see a pair after a breakdown but does that include filling up a trap?

 

[leighH]

As to not get further distracted I carried on without seeing them. I checked on the rules and you are allowed to see a pair after a breakdown but does that include filling up a trap?

Really at the discretion of the Referee. After a break of several minutes for any reason, I would argue it's fair to show the targets again.

Also having had traps refilled, as a Ref I would want to throw a pair to make sure the traps were ok (e.g. if they had been uncocked for safety during filling)

Regards

Leigh

 

[Charliedog]

Back on the Reg comp circuit last week, after a 6 month break from it.

Churchills on Thursday.  Started OK, little wobble on the platform when I started overleading the 2nd target after hitting the first two. Wheels came off a bit on Stand 6.  On the 3rd pair had a rabbit that broke as I shot, ref fired off the second bird, called no bird on the first while I was in the process of shooting the 2nd target, which I missed.  He then called pair again, 2nd bird established as a miss! I didn't challenge it, but I should have especially as I killed the pair on the retake, it annoyed me and stayed with me the rest of the round.  Shot the rest OK, apart from Stand 10, where I struggled a bit.  Finished on 77, not a disaster but could have been better.

Doveridge on Saturday. Never shot a comp there before, lots of big names out and I was a complete bag of nerves. Let myself down badly, dropping loads on the easier early stands and wobbling all the way around the course.  Only stand I straighted was the last one.  Finished on a dismal 61. Went because it's been suggested I need to get out of my comfort zone and I certainly was!

Barrow yesterday.  Started fairly well on the first 5 stands, apart from not being able to find the 2nd target on Stand 4.  Then the wobbles came back, misread a lot of the targets overleading and not changing what I was doing.  Terrible run through the middle before picking up again in the last few stands. 64.  Going through it in my head after the shoot there were at least 8 targets dropped where I was on them and then because I was struggling on one of the pair I started dropping the other that I was hitting.  Head definitely wasn't in a good place.

Not the best start back, but just need to work through it.  Out again at AGL on the 31st.

I shot Barrow to, it was on the firmer side with an average of 73%, great round I thought, good variety, all visible and hitable in a reasonable window, just shot it poorly

 

[chippy]

After a disaster last week shooting sportrap at eriswell and only hitting 74 ( don't know why but I really struggle with sportrap) 88 at  Northampton yesterday a good round slightly on the soft side for Northampton but still enjoyable.

 

[Bebo]

I shot Barrow to, it was on the firmer side with an average of 73%, great round I thought, good variety, all visible and hitable in a reasonable window, just shot it poorly

Yup. I think I was overleading on a number of targets and just didn't change. On reflection, all of them left to rights (stands 4, 6, 7 and 9). The big right to left battue on stand 10 I only missed one of.

 

[Charliedog]

Yup. I think I was overleading on a number of targets and just didn't change. On reflection, all of them left to rights (stands 4, 6, 7 and 9). The big right to left battue on stand 10 I only missed one of.

4 was a reasonable gap but I shot them early and missed the last one hanging on to make sure, 6 again shot them all, about a metre gap but missed the first 2 a bird incomers, 7 was a midi and needed very little, 9 I never touched but suspect I started off with too much lead and kept increasing it, 10 was a good target

 

[philmoss]

I had an incident at Grange Farm the other week. There was quite a wait on one particular stand and as I entered the stand the ref. broke off to fill one of the traps up. 
When he came back I asked to see a pair as there had been a disruption but was met met with a tirade of abuse about how long have you been standing there watching and refused.

As to not get further distracted I carried on without seeing them. I checked on the rules and you are allowed to see a pair after a breakdown but does that include filling up a trap?

I would say that any interruption, trap breakdown or not... the shooter is entitled to see a pair of targets, maybe in previous rules this was mentioned BUT as a ground owner, a competition shooter & a qualified ref, its all about exercising common sense & doing the right thing for all involved !!

 

[paul b]

Read the rules folks ,refs make mistakes and have brain farts just the same as the shooters do,there's even a  rule that says you should know the rules.

 

[jasper]

After a disaster last week shooting sportrap at eriswell and only hitting 74 ( don't know why but I really struggle with sportrap) 88 at  Northampton yesterday a good round slightly on the soft side for Northampton but still enjoyable.

Their last 3 shoots(northampton) show an average of 78,79,79 .  

Pretty consistent. 

Jasper. 

 

[Doctor Lecter]

i shot sporting targets 100 esp sunday   enjoyed it , found it steady for 6 stands then pretty tough for the other 6   i finished on 76  !!    111 shot it   only 2 on 90 top score i believe   

 

[Daz W]

After a disaster last week shooting sportrap at eriswell and only hitting 74 ( don't know why but I really struggle with sportrap) 88 at  Northampton yesterday a good round slightly on the soft side for Northampton but still enjoyable.

How did you get on with the 52yd bunny on stand 6? Managed 2 out of 4, I think the rest of my squad had 2 between them!!

 

[chippy]

How did you get on with the 52yd bunny on stand 6? Managed 2 out of 4, I think the rest of my squad had 2 between them!!

2 X 4.  Hit the first one first barrel, thought I know exactly what this needs then missed the next two with both barrels. Pleased to straight the overhead away from the tower I normally have problems with that.

 

[donna]

Barbury for us today and a bit of a disaster to say the least!  Not too bad of a journey getting there, but by time we started it was getting quite windy and tbh I don’t think there was any stand that wasn’t affected.  Didn’t help that when I got there Phil (blaming him) had mistakenly put fibre shells in my bag by mistake and it just played with my mind all the way round.  Shot some stands well but didn’t finish well at all.  
Finished on a very low 61 which is bad even by my standards, when looking in my journal I’ve not shot that low a score since before lockdown.  Cannot put my finger on why but nothing seemed to flow at all, the good vibes were definitely not with me today!  
We had a full squad which Included 2xAA, 2xA and 2xB shooters and we only had 3 straights between us . Overall average was 70 so we weren’t the only ones to struggle but I think the earlier you shot you got the better conditions!  
A tad disappointed but I can only learn from it - do my own bag next time

 

[Richard59]

Barbury for us today and a bit of a disaster to say the least!  Not too bad of a journey getting there, but by time we started it was getting quite windy and tbh I don’t think there was any stand that wasn’t affected.  Didn’t help that when I got there Phil (blaming him) had mistakenly put fibre shells in my bag by mistake and it just played with my mind all the way round.  Shot some stands well but didn’t finish well at all.  
Finished on a very low 61 which is bad even by my standards, when looking in my journal I’ve not shot that low a score since before lockdown.  Cannot put my finger on why but nothing seemed to flow at all, the good vibes were definitely not with me today!  
We had a full squad which Included 2xAA, 2xA and 2xB shooters and we only had 3 straights between us . Overall average was 70 so we weren’t the only ones to struggle but I think the earlier you shot you got the better conditions!  
A tad disappointed but I can only learn from it - do my own bag next time

Another that shot Barbury, we went out at 1 and blowy it was, out of the squad there was one AAA and four AAs and all thought it was both a toughie and sadly weather affected, all had a difficult stand or two, (most in my case) now Im not alluding that I would have ripped it up if it was not for the wind, far from it, I would have been out of my depth (old age, weary eyes, or simply not good enough) on a few even on the mildest of days. High Gun was JBD whose 95 was shot early, close behind was Rob Evans who shot following us which given the conditions was quite some effort. Always next time

 

[Westward]

Barbury also. I can only agree with Donna and Rich. The one easy stand was 1, every other stand was (cough)tricky and made more so by the wind. I really enjoyed the big simo stand (4?), the wind cost me 2, but I was happy with 8ex10.

Still coping with having my testosterone blocked, with it's accompanying hot, sweaty flashes and concentration dropoffs, but hopefully be free of it by late summer. 

Nevertheless, hats off to anyone who shot over 80 on one of the toughest shoots I've ever experienced!

 

[Charliedog]

Another enjoyable round at Barrow, 200 plus entrants, struggled on a few that from behind the cage I was going to straight comfortably!

 

[Sian]

Another enjoyable round at Barrow, 200 plus entrants, struggled on a few that from behind the cage I was going to straight comfortably!

I thought it was a good shoot.  Suffered a bit with the overhead straight into the sun, managed two by taking it sideways and just throwing the gun into the sun.  Felt sorry for the ref really, it was better in the morning apparently.  I was a bit sloppy in places and managed a few super moments as well.   Weather was good as well. 

 

[Will Hewland]

I shot AGL in horrendous rain last Friday, but it was a good course and I managed third overall with 92 so happy enough after a bit of a break.

Ian Coleys today. “The shoot after the ridiculously easy one last time” so was always expecting a tougher version, which it was but not mad. There were however two very long battues, where I collapsed by over leading. Too much effort.. One other bad stand with a rabbit in the valley and a long looper (including frustrated last pair missed) and that was 12 away in three stands! Shot the rest well enough so scraped an 85. 
Huge entry for mid week. 170 or more.