National Inter-Counties Skeet Tournament

Following some last minute changes to our squad times due to some clerical issues, half the Essex team had to make very early starts on Sunday the 12^th October at the Dartford Clay Shooting Centre. Maybe the early hour didn’t suit the senior team as no-one returned any really good scores, although no-one disgraced themselves either resulting in a final return of 469 ex. 500 and a seventh place overall. The senior squad included a county skeet debutante in Paul Burrows who made a respectable 93.

Highlight for the team was the Essex Junior, Tia Ayres, whose total of 94 won the overall Lady’s title – congratulations to her.

The Essex Vets, Ladies, and Junior teams all finished third in their classifications.

 

---

 

National Inter-Counties Sporting Team

Thanks to all the Essex shooters who ventured forth to Barrow Heath to shoot the National intercounties Sporting. Phil Moss and his team put on what I think was a very good shoot with targets to suit all, even if a little harder than normal with some awsome pairs. The results can be found on the CPSA website for those interested, unfortunatly Essex did not figure in the prizes. I would like to say how well our three juniors/colts did, all had what I think were scores to be very proud of. (Dave Bignell)

 

---

 

National Inter-Counties Teams Announced

Essex Teams for the Sporting and Skeet National Inter-Counties Tournaments have been announced. The sporting team to shoot at Barrow Heath over the weekend of the 4th and 5th October comprises:

Senior A Team	Senior B Team	Veterans	Ladies	Juniors
Scott Greenfield	L Greenleaf	Dave Bignell	Pam Clarke	J Garrod
Oliver Wilde	Matt Bone	Patrick McClauchlan	Nadine Gilder	Danial Fenner
Geoff Garrod	Ian Schweir	George Allen	Pam Dorrington	K Swale
Paul Brewster	Paul Burrows
Nigel Gilder	J Cutmore
John Webb	Zac Palmer

 

And the skeet team to shoot at Dartford on the 12th October is:

Senior Team	Veterans	Ladies	Colts/Juniors
Alex Garcia	Bryan Farr	Pam Dorrington	Olly Pipe
Peter Stanton-Hope	Bob English	Judy Lock	Tia Ayres
Shaun Pipe	Bruce Cain	Lynda Leeder	Michael Clarke
Ian Matthews
Steve Burrow
Paul Burrows

---

 

Shoot-off for Skeet Doubles Title

Robert Humphreys won an exciting but short shoot off to take the title against Bob English after both shot 95 ex 100 at the Essex Skeet Doubles Championships held at Clacton Gun Club on the 20^th September 2014. See skeet-results for a more detailed report and photos.

 

---

 

Essex Just Miss Out at SE Inter-Counties Skeet Tournament

The Essex Senior Squad shot 475 ex 500 at the South Eastern Inter-Counties Skeet Tournament held at Bisley on the 14^th September2014. This turned out to be not quite enough as they were pipped to the title by the last team in, Kent. See skeet-results for more details and photos.

 

---

 

Dates set for Essex Double Rise and Essex FITASC Championships

Following rescheduling, the Essex Double Rise Championship will now take place on Sunday, 12^th October at Maylands Gun Club.

The Essex FITASC Championship will be held over the weekend of the 11^th and 12^th of October 2014 at Hepworth Hall.

 

---

 

Scott Greenfield takes Sportrap Title

Scott Greenfield shot late in the day for a 98/100 to take the Sportrap title at Clacton on the 13th September 2014. See sportrap for more results and photos.

 

---

 

Rob Butters Victorious at All Round Challenge

Despite some typically poor August Bank Holiday weather, Rob Butters shot an excellent 93 at the All Round Challenge held at Clacton Gun Club on the 25th August. For more details and a report, see all-round--a-r.

 

---

 

Scott Greenfield Triumphs at Hepworth Hall

The 2014 Essex Sporting Championship was held at Hepworth Hall over the weekend of the 16th and 17th August. Scott Greenfield took the overall title with a fantastic 96 ex 100. See sporting-results for more details and pictures.

 

---

 

Charity Shoot in aid of Riding for the Disabled

The shoot, held on August 3rd 2014, was a great successes with 159 entries in the sporting shoot plus pool shoot and DTL entries.  A fantastic £1384.23p was raised for the RDA.

 

A Big thank you to Billy Logan, David Butler, Jane Buy and Graham of Essex Field and Stream who sponsored the prizes for the shoot.

40 bird sporting

The winners were

1^st  Robert Humphries                      37

2^nd Lewis Steed                                  37  after shoot off

3^rd Scott Greenfield                           33

Trophy Class:  Owen Parker            33

Cartridge Class:   Mike Pilgrim        34

Ladies:   Pam Dornington                26

Side By Side:   Brian Taylor             28

Juniors:   O Holland                          25

Colts:    Tyler Berry                           18

25 DTL:     Derek Nicollls

 

---

 

Essex Sportrap Challenge 2014

A. Payne took a one-shot victory at the Essex Sportrap Challenge held on the 27th July 2014 at the Clacton Gun Club. See sportrap for more details.

 

---

 

Essex Success North of the Border

A small group of Essex skeet shooters travelled into Scotland over the weekend of the 19th/20th July to participate successfully in two Scottish competitions. See skeet-results for more details.

 

---

 

Eric J. Powell

It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of Eric J. Powell on the 3rd July 2014 following a short illness.

Eric was a regular sporting shooter for a lot of years and was well known around the Essex shooting scene. He represented the county at sporting. His partner and family were with him at the end and our thoughts go out to them at this time.

 

---

 

Cliff-Hanger at the Essex All-Rounder

Dave Bignell (below) left it until the last round of the day to take the 2014 Essex All-Rounder Championship at the Clacton Gun Club on the 12th July 2014. See all-round--a-r for a full report.

 

 

---

 

Gary Bridger Takes Skeet Title

Gary Bridger (below) shot an almost perfect 99 to take the 2014 Essex Skeet Championship title on the 28th June. For a full report and pictures, see skeet-results

 

 

---

 

England Skeet Team Place for Peter Stanton-Hope

After successfully shooting qualifiers at both Nottingham and Northampton with a four-round total of 389/400, Essex Skeet shot Peter Stanton-Hope gained a senior place in the England Team. Peter and the rest of the team will be travelling to Mulroy Shooting Ground in Ireland in August to represent their country in the Home International.

We wish them every success!

 

---

NSSA Skeet 100 Straight for Ray

On Saturday, 7th June at Oxney Willow Farm, Ray Rogers shot his first 100 NSSA Skeet straight. For anyone not familiar with this discipline, it involves shooting a round of 25 with each of four different gauges - 12g, 20g, 28g and 410, so shooting a straight is a rare feat worth celebrating. Ray had shot 99 earlier in the day and followed his 100 with another 99 so was obviously having the sort of day that most of us can only dream of.

 

---

 

Rob Humphreys takes 2014 Essex Olympic Skeet Title

Rob Humphreys shot 87 ex 100 at the Southend Gun Club on the 18th May to take the Essex championship title. See olympic-skeet--osk for more details and a photo of the winners.

 

---

 

2014 Essex ABT Champion

David Izzard emerged as this year's Essexs ABT Champion at Nuthampstead on the 25th May. See abt for a full report and photos.

 

---

 

Bryan Freeman is 2014 Essex ZZ Champion

Bryan Freeman won out in the Essex ZZ Championship, held on the 17th May at the A1 Shooting Ground. See zz-helice for a report of the event.

 

---

 

Skeet Team Announced

The team for the 2014 SE regions inter-county tournament has been announced. See skeet-selection-table for details - now with the correct date (thanks to those who spotted the deliberate mistake!).

 

---

 

Olympic Trap Championships

Nuthampstead Shooting Ground hosted the Essex OT Championships on Sunday 4th May 2014 in excellent conditions on a sunny, mild spring day with little or no wind and targets up to their usual standards. David Izzard was overall Champion with a 91. David Henshaw took the Vet's with an 89, while Hilary Haas took Ladies with 57 whilst John Haas won 'D' Class with an 84.

This event had been organised by Nicky Barker around fundraising for the Multiple Sclerosis Trust and there were delicious cakes for sale with proceeds going to the Trust. Nicky (seen presenting badges/prizes) and her staff were wearing coloured wigs and great fun was had by all. Over £300 was raised during the event.

See olympic-trap--otr for the Essex scores and photos.

---

 

Essex DTL News

Shane Maynard has won the Essex DTL Championships with 99 / 295. For more details see dtl-results.

Billy Logan will captain the Essex DTL team. Again, see dtl-results for the other members of the selected team.

 

---

 

Essex School Wins Top CPSA Award

The Helena Romanes School, based near Great Dunmow in Essex, has won the prestigious CPSA School of the Year award for 2014. This comprehensive school pipped a private school with their own facilities to the title, despite relying on donations and competition wins to keep going.

The Essex CPSA has helped the school in a number ways both practical and financial, including donations of training facilities and cartridges so it is great that the school has been recognised in this way following their success last year in the under 15 National School Championships. These successes are bound to encourage other pupils at the school and other youngsters to take up the sport which is a key objective of the Essex committee.

The school wishes to also thank Hull Cartridge and Just Choking who have been very supportive in their efforts to make the sport available to all - as the school says, "money should not halt ability or motivation".

Above middle right, Neal Wilcox of the Helena Romanes comprehensive school receives the award for the CPSA School of the Year from David Florent of the sponsors, The Oxford Gun Company (far right).

 

---

 

Essex Ironman Shines

The 2014 BSSA Ironman competition was held at Dartford over the first weekend of April. This competition is comprised of 200 Nssa Skeet targets shot straight through on each day. 55 shooters took part. On Saturday three guns all shot 199 - Alan Warren, Pete Bloomfield and Peter Stanton-Hope of Essex, with the latter winning the day after a shoot off. On Sunday and in brisk winds with the odd shower Peter Stanton-Hope shot 196 which was the top score of the day giving him a two day total of 395 and a clear victory in the overall competition.

 

---

 

Second 2014 Skeet Selection Shoot

Parkford SG hosted the second of this season's skeet selection shoots on a very pleasant early spring day. Alex Garcia's second place on the day leaves him in an invincible overall lead in the table. Bryan Farr took the day's high gun to move up the standings. For the full report see skeet-results and for the current table standings see skeet-selection-table

Alex Garcia on his way to second place on the day and an unassailable lead in the selection table standings

 

---

---

 

First Skeet Selection shoot of 2014

Alex Garcia and Bob English lead the field on 98 following the first of the skeet selection shoots held at Clacton GC on the 22nd March 2014. Shaun Pipe and Peter Stanon-Hope are close on their heals on 97. For a full list of current standings see skeet-selection-table and skeet-results for a full report.

 

Bob English clears stand one on his way to a skeet team selection table leading 98

---

 

2014 Sporting Team Selection

On a glorious early spring day on the 16th March at the Barrow Heath Shooting Ground over forty Essex guns turned out for this year's sporting team selection. Scott Greenfield led the way for the seniors with a fine 91, closely followed by G Garrod on 89 and Luke Riddington on 86. Paul Brewster was next with 84 and Paul Burrows shot 83.

Dave Bignell led the vets on 79 and Tracy Riddington was the highest scoring lady with 76. J Garrod was the best colt with 71 with Josh Hayday the best junior.

Thanks to Phil Moss for putting on a great shoot at Barrowheath Shooting Ground.

 

---

 

Dave Mayes

It is with great sadness that we learned that Dave Mayes died in February following a battle against illness. Dave was a regular at the Clacton Gun Club and the Fennes where he also coached, shot for the Fire Brigade team, and was chairman of the Maplestead Gun Club. Our thoughts are with his family.

 

---

 

ZZ Championship Date Set

The 2014 ZZ Championships will be held on the 17th May at the A1 Shooting Ground.