Essex2024 Website : News & Events

Committee Meeting - 18.09.2024

The committee has decided that the below rules that were put in place in 2021 about County Championships for the below disiplines and countback are to be removed. This means from the Compak Championship at High Lodge on Saturday 28th September onwards, if there is a tie for a title it can be decided by a shoot off. If no one is present at the end count back will then decide the winner.

County Championships (Sporting, FITASC, Compak, Sportrap)

As of 2021 (whether Covid is still around or not) if there are any ties for the title trophies the winner will be decided by countback instead of giving the title to the person that was there until the end or a shoot off. This has been decided certainly during current times as shooters are supposed to shoot and then leave the ground to clamp down on social distancing but we think this is also fair moving forward year on year.

Shooters at Billy Theobald's Rettendon (Essex) shooting ground had an unexpected treat this week. Olympian Matthew Coward-Holley turned up and even shot on a round of DTL. Matthew is of course our Olympic Trap Bronze Medallist, but was happy to have a go at DTL for old times sake. He's no stranger to the Rettendon ground, as Billy coached him there as a young schoolboy and under Billy's watchful eye, Matthew went on to become a top DTL shot. It was his transition to the Olympic disciplines that lead to his Tokyo 2020 Olympic Trap Bronze Medal. But how did he fare on his round of DTL? He smoked the lot of course.

Picture shows Coach Billy Theobald with Matthew Coward-Holley.

New Year 2021 - Updated 14.11.2020

With there being a lot of uncertainty about what we will and won't be able to do next year, there are a few things the committee has already agreed on and put into place for the 2021 season.

County Championships (Sporting, FITASC, Compak, Sportrap)

AGM 2021

We are booking the White Hart in Witham as usual for the 2021 AGM for sometime in January just in case this can go ahead, however if Covid still doesn't allow this we will be having a committee AGM via Zoom. If any Essex shooters want to raise any concerns or have any topics you need us to discuss or iron out please get in contact with Ian or Nadine as soon as possible. We will update you all on this nearer to the time.

DTL

The committee are in need of someone from the DTL disipline to come onto the committee and give their input/feedback and to look after the DTL shooters. If this is of interest to you please get in contact.

Selection Shoots 2021 (Sporting & FITASC)

In 2021 Essex will not be holding any selection shoots to get into the Sporting of Fitasc teams. Instead we will go through the rankings and pick the team this way. We tried this year to hold selection shoots. We managed 2 before Covid put a stop to the rest.

Trophies (Sporting, FITASC, Compak, Sportrap)

Unfortunately there are a lot of missing trophies currently within the above disiplines. We have made the decision to replace all these missing trophies and because of this, as of 2021 all main trophies will be held by the committee and will not be able to return home with the winners unfortunately. To make up for this, we are instead going to be purchashing little tophies that are specially engraved with the winners name and what they won. The main trophy will of course be engraved also and will be put on display at a ground for all to see. The small trophies will then be handed out at the AGM the following year (won in 2020, gets given to you at the 2021 AGM) and the winners have something they can keep. This has been a yearly topic and we think that this is the best way to protect the trophies and their history.

We ask that all current trophy holders return the trophies they have at the 2021 AGM or beforehand to either Ian, Nadine or Dave Bignell. Once they have been collected (we currently know who has what) we will then get the missing ones replaced and re-engraved.

Southend Gun Club

All Southend Gun Club competition fixtures are cancelled until the beginning of October 2020, however they will be doing practice on these days but please before just turning up contact Tony Mihill on 07968476881 as there will be limited numbers of guests allowed (any members allowed) onto the ground at any 1 time.

Clacton Gun Clun Update 02.06.2020

Clacton Gun Club will re-open on Saturday 27th June 2020.

Entry will be telephone booking ONLY - 07394670871.

Please do not attend the ground if you do not hane a booking time, and only arrive 10 minutes before your start time. Stay in your vehicle or very near by until you are called.

The clubhouse will remain closed and there will be no refreshments available. Please bring drink and food with you if you need it.

Please leave as quickly as possible after your round.

Statement from Clacton Gun Club - 17.05.2020

Clacton Gun Club Update 16th May 2020
Clacton Gun Club still remains closed and will not be offering “Pay and Play” Clay Shooting
It is great news the CPSA have announced that Clay Shooting has been approved to re-start by the Government in a “play and pay” format with registered competitions to follow later.
There are a number of grounds in the area who are fully capable of offering and controlling pay and play shooting under the present terms, however Clacton Gun Club has never offered this as its primary function so will remained closed.
Once registered competitions are re-introduced, Clacton Gun Club will review the rules and guidance needed to resume, and once happy that all aspects can be covered and met, only then re-open.
We thank our members for their patience and hope we will soon be able to invite you back to the ground.

Celebrating Success

Top Essex and International shot Stuart Clarke has had a fantastic year in 2018 representing England and GB in 3 sporting disciplines. This year he has represented Great Britain at the world FITASC, European FITASC and at the World compak championships.

He has also represented England at the sporting home internationals and the FITASC home internationals. Superb achievements in themselves, but also coming away with 4 team gold medals and 1 silver. Many congratulations Stuart, proving yet again that you're still a world class shooter.

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.

Congratulations

So far this year, Frank Haigh has already had an excellent year. On the 9^th June he qualified at Barbury Shooting Ground to shoot for the Great Britain FITASC Compak Sports Super Vets Team. A week later on the 15^th and 16^th he then shot the FITASC British Grand Prix Selection Shoot at Westfield.

He made the Great Britain FITASC Sporting Super Vets Team for the World Fitasc Championship which will take place on the 11^th-14^th July and so hopefully I will be give you an update next month on Frank’s progress.

Lastly, Frank has just returned from Italy after competing in the European Compak Sporting Championship which was the 20^th-24^th June. He shot against 32 other European Super Vet teams and came out on top and won the Gold Medal. The Britain team consisted of Frank, John Bidwell and Trevor Stanton. This was the 19^th European Compak Championship and it was the first time that Great Britain had competed in this discipline so I would like to say a big Congratulations to him.

The Best Things Come in Threes? - Fire Service Championship 2011

On 16th March the National Fire Service Championships were held at Doveridge which consisted in 50 Sporting, 25 Skeet and 25 A.B.T. Three shooters stood out from the rest all taking different routes to arrive at exactly the same result of 83 ex 100. After a shoot-off, Mike Pilgrim retained the title with Don Cooper 2nd and Richard Baker 3rd. All three represent the Essex County Fire Service and one further coincidence is that all three are also members of the same shooting club - Bush Spring near Elsenham. The Veteran title was taken by Dave Mayes, also of the Essex Fire Service.