This event saw nineteen Cheshire competitors in attendance (a little disappointing with one Lady and one Junior/Colt Shooter) on a clear and sometimes very warm day. The course had been set as a 100 bird sporting event with twelve stands comprising in the main with , ‘rollers. battues and chondel‘ targets with no rabbit clays. This format obviously did not suit some of our competitors but we have to be able to show that we can shoot all types of clays should we wish to be competitive with other Counties.

The group of Eddie Wilkinson, Ian Cunliffe,  Gareth Owen and Miles Machin set off early and upon their return Eddie Wilkinson carded a very good 84. I have been requested not to mention the then in form Ian Cunliffe, so I won’t but 81 is a little out of sorts for you. (Good job that you did a fantastic 100 straight at skeet this weekend at North Wales SS.)

The cards kept coming in, Jon Outhwaite with a good score of 82 and then Mike Holland posted a fantastic score of 89 and whom I had the pleasure of accompanying and it would be fair to say that this score should have been an achievable 94 if it were not for the relatively straight forward stand 11 by the large willow tree where he dropped five targets. Mike, very well shot and in the Club House as the Cheshire High Gun….. Stop Press, There then came, what appeared to be the largest squad of the day, who made their way to their last stand, Stand 1 in the car park, which was conceivably the most difficult stand of the day to straighten.

This turned out not to be the case as I saw John Shreeve shooting early within his squad and straighten it to finish on a superb 90, very well done John, brilliant zero points. Maurice Snelling shot this stand well, taking the dropping tower bird a lot earlier than most and making the clay into balls of dust.

This was an enjoyable day for most and we now look forwards to our next Selection shoot at Kingsley Moor SG on the 24th June 2018 where the Inter Counties are due to be held on the 30th September 2018. Get some practice in there as it may be beneficial and in any case I wish you all continued good shooting.

 

Paul Ellis - ESP Manager.