HUGE TURNOUT SEE SUFFOLK WIN AGAIN

Senior Team Winners - Suffolk......whose that looking through the window ? 

It was a welcome and long awaited return to Barrow Heath for the East Midlands Championships, after ten long years. Through one reason or another Barrow stepped back from hosting our shoots in 2004, so it was nice to be able to introduce some new customers to a revamped Premier Shooting Ground Barrow Heath under the guidance of Phil Moss.

Phil had requested that we run the event without squads, which is a step away from our usual format, but after consultation we were happy to allow this, and hats off to Phil, his many regulars plus 140 in the team shoot, and a finishing total of 291 shooters turned up to test themselves against the best of the region.

Shooting began promptly at 9-00am, with light cloud cover, a mild breeze and rare spots of rain doing little to dampen shooters enthusiasm. The usual early birds raced round the course keen to get this one under their belt before charging off to another sporting venue, and then a trip back to take in the presentation.

One of those early birds being Brian Dunbavin shooting for Cambridgeshire Vets recorded an astonishing 95, which did seem to surprise the course setter Phil, who felt a 91 or 92 would be HG.

With an unscripted format it was a job to get a clear picture of exactly which county was doing best, most people comforting themselves by pointing at the scoreboard (being expertly run) and deciding that Suffolk were fielding a very good team, and it was possibly a fight for runners up.

Last year’s winners Bedfordshire were just about the first team to finish mid-morning, with the pattern of consistent scoring that’s needed to win an Intercounties team title. Mr Sporting Targets Andrew Clifton recorded a respectable 83, Mark Stevenson 91, Bert Mason 81, Keith Tarren 85, Andy Nixon 78, Andy Buck 85, Steve Whinnett 80, and Glenn Moore 88 all chipping in to give Bedfordshire a team total of 513/600 and set a benchmark for the others to aim at.

A few counties also echoed the consistent scoring theme needed but at the point of reckoning, fell probably one score short of overtaking Bedfordshire.  Northants 503 and Cambridgeshire 501 did briefly look like they could be a threat, but ominously it was shaping up like a showdown between the old enemy, Norfolk versus Suffolk.

Both counties traded scores that were good enough to take the title, but despite some good scoring from Norfolk they just ran out of steam when it mattered as their effort petered out to leave them 3rd, and the irresistible force that is Team Suffolk just kept marching on to victory, with just about the last finisher of the day Paul Simpson clinching the win with a great score of 94. Skipper Puff Baker led from the front with an 88, Richard Hunter 73, Ed Murrell 84, Stuart Smith 82, Rob Butters 78, Peter Jarvis 83 and Frank Alexander 88 completed the winning score to finish on 519/600, with long time leaders Bedfordshire finishing as runners up.

Suffolk Ladies - Pearl Butters & Pauline Chapman

In Ladies seven teams were searching for Intercounties glory, and what a nail biting finish it turned out to be with 4 counties separated by just two clays. Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire were tied on 136/200, Becky McKenzie top scoring for Notts with 81, and Rachel Willcock 80 for Leicestershire. Northants narrowly failed to join them by one clay, Emma Nelson 68 and Ruth Markham 67 top scoring, but once again the Suffolk duo of Pearl Butters 57 and Pauline Chapman 80 just crept over the winning line to finish on 137/200.

All 8 counties fielded junior teams and it was nice to see so many Colts having their first taste of Intercounties shooting, and I can recall when I first took up this role of reporting, when some of those back then were recording lowly scores as they learnt their craft, and today they are familiar names and are now role models to some of the fresh faces coming into our sport.

Once again it was a similar story to the ladies competition, counties managing at least one good score and then struggling to get another to push them into the mix. Great scores of 79 from Josh Pearson (Cambs) and George Townsend (Norfolk) were examples along with Aaron Harvey‘s (Suffolk) 76. But it was the Bedfordshire juniors that did the business with David Ferriman scoring 76 then Todd Ballach with a cracking 86 to take them to victory, Todd’s score earning him the Junior HG Trophy from those shooting in the team competition, Hayden Cray 68 and Luke Garner 49 completed the winning line up.

Cambridgeshire Vets - Brian Dunbavin & Rod Gifford

In Vets Brian Dunbavin’s score had already propelled Cambridgeshire to the top of the leader board backed up by Rod Gifford 64 and Alan Stronge 77, to give them a team total of 172/200, and Brian’s score also earning him the HG money. Regional Director Philip Simpson was to shoot for Cambs but was sadly taken ill, we of course wish Philip a speedy recovery and we hope to see him very soon.

Leicestershire & Lincolnshire Vets got closest to overcoming Cambs, Steve Brightwell 87 and John Wells doing the majority of the damage to finish on 170/200 for Leicestershire and Stuart Chester 87 and Alan Blackbourn 83 for Lincs, but the trio of Cambs Vets had done just enough.

Finally a massive vote of thanks to Phil Moss, the lovely Marie, the tireless girls serving food nonstop, and the team of refs and trappers at Barrow Heath, it was a hard day’s work for everyone with so many shooters, but one I think everyone found enjoyable, and I guess we shouldn’t forget you the shooters for your continued support.

We now move up to the north of the region and Nottinghamshire & District for the Intercounties DTL where Carl and his team are waiting to give us a slice of Notts hospitality.