EAST MIDLANDS SPORTING CHAMPIONSHIPS – CHALK FARM

My first ever trip to this Norfolk venue, but I was in safe hands being chaperoned by a well-known local guide into the heartlands of regional sporting shooters.

Chalk Farm although a well established ground and popular with fenland shooters was making its debut on the East Midlands stage being entrusted with the East Midlands Regional Sporting Championships and had even enlisted the services of a legend of these parts Richard Bunning to give it a test drive ahead of the main event, and his prediction of a winning score of 96 was slightly out, but no doubt the driving rain had a say in matters, so we can probably forgive Richard for over estimating.

In the final reckoning Norfolk shooters Karl Hagan and Dave Gooding finished all square on the top of the pile with a score of 93, and with both shooters present at the end we had the rare treat of a shoot off. A fresh stand was at the ready and like the rest of the shoot it presented a couple of tasty birds with a bit of extra spring on the trap, fair, hittable and worthy of a Regional Championship, so a quick note on the course setter is in order, who deserves a pat on the back for getting it about right, plenty of variation, and something for all classes of shooter.

With 8 targets to shoot at Dave looked to have stolen an early lead as Karl let his second pair go sailing by unhindered, while Dave boasted an unblemished card. That probably had the reverse effect on the situation, the pressure was off Karl and the rest were turned to dust, meanwhile Dave with the title in his grasp faltered just as Karl had put his gun back in the car. Karl presented with a second bite of the cherry made no mistake and cleared the next sudden death pair whilst Dave let another slip by leaving Karl as the East Midlands Champion with Cambs shooter Harry Dickens in his final year as junior claiming third place overall on 92.

In Ladies Tina Henshaw successfully pulled of a cross-border raid from her native Suffolk to win her first East Midlands title on 67 leaving Norfolk regulars Susan Hallwood and Heather Pointer tied in joint second on 64. Both shooters were offered the shoot off, but a quick glance at the rain and now being minus the wet weather gear declined the shoot off and the placings were settled by count-back with Sue declared the runner up and Heather having to settle for third.

In Vets it was a clean sweep for Suffolk shooters but with both Neil Bedingfield and Peter Jarvis gone from the ground and both tied on 83 it required another count back decision with Neil declared the Vets Champion, Peter runner up and county colleague Graham Perrin in third on 82.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Juniors the 2024 champion Harry Dickens from Cambs successfully defended his title on 92 which was 5 clays clear of Seth Peters from Suffolk in second and Oscar Nicholls from Norfolk picking up his first medal in the East Midlands on 77.

Many thanks to all the team at Chalk Farm for a very well run event and I would urge anyone thinking about it to pop along and give it a go, especially if like me you aren’t keen on a walk round a shooting ground as there is the option of driving round the course which is more than welcome on a rainy day, and it’s just as much fun as the shoot, especially through the wooded area, I enjoyed it so much I went round twice.

Last and certainly not least, thank you to everyone who turned out today when mother nature was on payback for all that hot weather.

CB