HURRICANE BERTHA PLAYS HER PART

 (L-R) - Chris Jarrett, Ash Parfrement, Michele Conway, Tim Jones & Dan Mawby

  As a nation we are often accused of being obsessed with the weather, well after yesterday’s Intercounties East Midlands Skeet, I’d say we are well and truly justified to do so.

From the first squad out just before 9-00am, until the last squad out at 5pm there wasn’t a single squad that didn’t have to battle with one aspect of Hurricane Bertha or another.

We were subjected to torrential rain, high gusting winds and glimmers of bright sunshine throughout the majority of the day, and at one stage shooting was briefly stopped as shooters ran for cover as the thunder and lightning rolled round the ground.

I was asked if we considered cancelling the shoot, but to be honest after 124 shooters made the effort to travel from the four corners of the region, it didn’t seem the right thing to do. Shooters accepted the conditions and I never heard one complaint, and as many said it was just about the same for everyone.

On the day for the first time ever we kept a rolling scoreboard on the website, plus regular updates on Facebook. I know a lot of shooters were watching the updates, and a few people have commented what a great idea it was, as many kept in touch even after they had shot and were on their way home.

I will do this again, but possibly only for the Intercounties shoots, so look out for that.

As for the shoot, well Beds got us started early on; Bert Mason top scoring on 96 in torrential rain and it very quickly became apparent that anything over 90 was a cracking effort.

Home team Northants also shooting in the first squads, were buoyed with two incredible scores of 99 Nick Faram and 97 Neil Faulkner in appalling conditions. The rest of the Northants team of Mike Rolstone 78, Mike Harris 92, Mick Russell 93, Simon Vogel 83, Matt Stockdale 94 and Craig Owen 94, doing enough to give Northants an early lead on 569/600.

It was difficult to see if anyone was going to be able to better that, although Cambridgeshire did give the home side a scare rattling up 562/600, Chris Morris with a herculean effort scoring 98. Chris was ably backed up by Glen Moulding 91, Tim Jones 95, David Christensen 93, Graham Carter 85, Albert Taylor 93, Pete Gaskin 92 and Philip Barnard on 91 to give the Cambs Seniors the runners up position with four counties left to shoot.

Nottingham recorded some good early scores with Wes Ball on 96 and Adrian Snell on 97, and got the closest of the teams shooting later, and although teams had the occasional stand out performer nothing really came close to toppling Northampton from winning or Cambridgeshire from taking runners up. The biggest surprise for many was that Suffolk Seniors so often battling it out at the top could only manage the wooden spoon position.

In Ladies it was more good news for Cambridgeshire as their team of Michele Conway 94, Lauren Hodson 84, Liz Cook 79 and Janet Maguire 89 romped to victory eleven clays clear of nearest rivals Nottighamshire, Michele’s score was the highest ladies total of the day and helped the team to a 183/200 total.

Yet more good news for Cambridgeshire was they just edged passed Northants juniors by one clay to finish on 182/200 to take the title, George McFarlane and Dan Mawby both recording 91.

Chris Jarrett from Lincolnshire was the Junior High Gun of the day finishing on 97, Chris already shoots for England at junior level, and this year he has been selected to shoot for the regions senior team.

In Veterans the 7 competing teams all finished very close with just a handful of points between them, but it was Notts who just got their noses over the line in first place to win the glassware.

Barry Fox 95 top scored for the Notts Vets, Ash Parfrement and Roger Ball both chipped in with 90 and John Miller 87 to get them passed the post.

Finally a big thank you to the staff at Northampton for keeping the show running, and a further vote of thanks to the refs, who stayed out there all day, great job people……and lastly to you the East Mids shooters who continue to support us.

All the days scores - Click on the Link.