NORFOLK BREEZE TO VICTORY

SENIOR TEAM CHAMPIONS - NORFOLK

Leg 3 of the Intercounties shoots, and county shooters from far and wide converged on a windy Nottingham & District for the always hotly contested team Skeet. Over the years nobody has really held a firm grip on the senior title, although the likes of Suffolk, Norfolk, Northants and Cambs have never been far out of the mix, with each winning at least once over the last ten years.

114 hardy souls braved the conditions and it was soon very obvious that a ton was just about out of the question; once again it was going to be consistency that would lift the title and any score in the mid to low nineties was going to be very respectable, every clay had to be worked for and nothing could be taken for granted, one lapse of concentration or lack of respect for a target and mother nature reaped her revenge………all sounds very dramatic, but I think I have set the scene !

A couple of good scores from Andy Harvey 98 and Pete Blackbourn 99 from Lincolnshire gave them early hope of stealing a surprise win over the more established Skeet counties, but the effort was short lived as a string of mid-eighties scores undid all the early good work. Adrian Snell 98 from Notts was another that got amongst the targets but again a handful of eighty plus scores blighted the Notts scorecard. Former winners from a few years back Cambridgeshire also quickly fell by the wayside, Chris Morris’s 98 being the only shining light on the day. Team Leicestershire were another county struggling with conditions, East Mids website cover girl Joy Hirons who is currently in superb form top scoring on 98.Another county with a good history in this event Northants was the only county to record all ninety plus scores, Mick Russell leading the way with a 96, then a trio of 95’s from Roy Tyler, Nick Faram and Neil Faulkner cemented Northants at the top of the leader board with a team score of 568/600. Peter Bloomfield and Barry Lock both scoring 97 for the mighty Team Suffolk again gave them early hope but their challenge dwindled as every target became vital and they fell five clays short of toppling Northants. Enter long travelling Norfolk to the affray, and they were soon making inroads into the Northants score, the experienced Steve Smith leading the way with a very tidy 98, ably supported by John Hall and Kyle Woodhall Cross who got a brace of 96’s,then a trio of ninety plus scores and the Senior title was heading to the Fens.

JUNIOR TEAM CHAMPIONS - NORFOLK

Norfolk juniors not to be outdone claimed victory over some more recognised Skeet counties, Joe Gladden and Josh Simpson scoring 92 a piece, and Jessica Simpson who was recently a part of the victorious regional team at the British Open weighed in with an 88 to give them a three point cushion over nearest rivals Northants. Lone Lincolnshire junior Ed Redmile continued his rise up the regional rankings to take the junior High Gun title on a very impressive 95.

 LADIES TEAM CHAMPIONS - SUFFOLK

In the Ladies Team title it was once again the Suffolk girls who shone through, Pauline Chapman an ever present for Suffolk top scored and not for the first time on 94, this time she was ably supported by Clare Mills 87 to give them an eight point winning margin over Lincolnshire, Tracey Bridge top scoring on 96.

In Veterans it was a very close run thing with two experienced counties separated by a solitary point, at the end of the days reckoning it was the local lads from Notts who claimed the title. Rennie Lowbridge top scored on 96 and John Millers 95 was just enough to clinch victory out of Cambridgeshire’s grasp, Ash Parfrement and Barry Fox completed the Notts quartet.

As always I would like to say a big thank you to all the staff at Nottingham & District for once again hosting one of our major championships in their usual efficient manner.

Thanks also to John Martin from Nott's for the photo's.

PRIZE MONEY

AA 1^st – Steve Smith

AA 2^nd – Pete Bloomfield / Barry Lock

A 1^st – Pete Blackbourn

A 2^nd – Joy Hirons / Adrian Snell

A 4^th – Mick Russell / John Hall / Rennie Lowbridge

B 1^st – Pete Aitken

B 2^nd – Nigel Hubbard

B 3^rd – Pauline Chapman / Ash Parfrement / Albert Taylor

C 1^st – Tracey Bridge

C 2^nd – Ed Redmile

C 3^rd – Sean Severn / David Ferriman