NATIONAL INTERCOUNTIES DTL

HELD AT BYWELL SHOOTING GROUND

ON SUNDAY 6TH OCTOBER

It was a good idea from the CPSA to put the National Intercounties ABT and National Intercounties DTL on the same weekend.  It made it worthwhile for we Lincolnshire Poachers to make the long trip north as several of our team members shot on both days.  Following on from a very successful previous day we had high expectations for all our teams to do some good but disaster struck when one of our key players, Andy Jackson, rang to say he was 2 1/2 hours in to a 4 hour journey and an injector had gone on his car.  So although it was disappointing for the team it was even more disappointing for poor Andy.  Not only had he given up his day off to make the long drive north for his first ever trip to Bywell to then find he spent the next 4 hours sitting in a service area waiting for the AA to source a part was enough to try the patience of a saint.    

Conditions were not as favourable on Sunday as they had been the previous day.  Low grey cloud and a strong wind which pushed the targets down made it a struggle for some.  It didn't bother Stuart Whitehead, who followed up his ABT score of 94 with a more than acceptable 98/291 but with Durham fielding 5 scores in the 290's the senior team were well and truly beaten.

Better news for the veteran team.  Marvin Houghton shot out of his skin, finishing on a 99/294 (don't ask which target he dropped which would have given him overall high gun).  Nevertheless this was a fabulous score in the conditions which, at least, gave him Veteran high gun just 1 point ahead of Durham's David Priestman. 

Marvin Houghton - Veteran High Gun of the Match on 99/294

Marvin's score combined with that of Gary Boardman (94/277) secured the veteran team awards for Lincolnshire, finishing well ahead of the Cumbrian team.

Winning Veteran team - Marvin Houghton, Paul Stennett and Gary Boardman

The ladies team, Lizzie MacGreggor White, Jackie Houghton and Janet Stennett, struggled to find any form at all on the day and although they were assured of a win nevertheless none of them were happy with the scores they recorded.  The only consolation was they were all in the same boat with only 11 points between them at the end.

Janet Stennett, Lizzie MacGreggor White, Jackie Houghton and John Leightly (CPSA North Region Director)

 All in all it was a very successful weekend for Lincolnshire, generally.  For those who were disappointed in their own performance consolation could be found, in the form of retail therapy, in the very well stocked gun shop.  Congratulations to the teams and the individual winners - you did good.

Report by Janet Stennett, DTL Team Manager