Clay Shooting October 2020

I know that some of our readers are clay shooting purists, while many of you switch to game when the season comes, at least in a normal year – but this year has been anything but normal! Given the situation back in spring, many game shoots were reluctant to commit to rearing and releasing birds, so there will be fewer opportunities available when the pheasant and partridge season begins. Don’t despair! Simulated game shooting is booming, and can provide a fun alternative with all the trappings of a driven day. Even if you don’t fancy shooting live quarry it can be a great way to get a taste of the real thing. James Simon has spoken to some of the leading providers to find out more, and he’s got some…

Natalie Bales is the 2020 British Open English Skeet champion, beating both Archy Stannard and Sam Green in a shoot-off for the title at the Bisley National Clay Shooting Centre on 23 August. All three had scored 100-straight over the three days of the competition, despite difficult and very windy conditions. Archy, from Norfolk, was the first to score a perfect 100, shooting on the Saturday. The next day Sam joined him at the top of the leaderboard, followed by Natalie. The three gathered for the shoot-off only for Archy to miss his first target out. The other two cleared their full round, leaving Archy in third place, and the winner of the Juniors category. Sam and Natalie went to a sudden death battle on the middle peg for the…

Do you need an excuse to get that old heirloom Purdey out of the cabinet and give it an airing? The Purdey Cup at Royal Berkshire Shooting School could be just the ticket. It’s a fun 100-bird clay competition shot over four 25-target courses which simulate different live quarry – grouse, partridge, pheasant and rock pigeon. The competition is open to all with just one condition: you have to shoot it with a Purdey shotgun. Editor James Marchington shot the course prior to the opening on 1 September. He says “I can confirm it’s great fun, with some really challenging targets. The rock pigeons in particular kept you on your toes – they’re fast! I don’t own a Purdey but I was allowed a go with a lovely hammer side-by-side…

CPSA classifications The CPSA is postponing its classifications which would have been released on 1 September. “We believe this is still too soon after the lockdown to be meaningful,” they say. Instead issue 60 will be based on scores from 1 November 2019 to 31 October 2020, and published on 1 December 2020. That will include the four-month lockdown period but will include eight months of data. In the meantime they will not reset members to unclassified due to them being unable to shoot during this difficult time. After 1 December classifications will revert to the normal quarterly system. Coley’s sponsor Sam Usher Ian Coley Sporting is sponsoring England cap and AAA Class shooter Sam Usher for the 2020/21 season. Sam took up clay shooting in 2015 after seven years…

The Farlows country sports shop in London has reopened after a five-month closure due to the pandemic. It’s thought to be the longest time the store’s doors have closed since it opened in 1840. Farlows have been operating online, and believe the time is right to return to the high street and bring its range back to the public. They have had a deep clean and installed precautions to keep customers and staff safe. The store will initially be operating revised opening hours of 10am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and customers will be asked to sanitise their hands at the store entrance, wear a face covering (unless exempt) inside, and use the disposable gloves provided if handling products. Customer numbers will be monitored and access may be limited at…

The first ever Keepers Cup was a sellout at the new EJ Churchill Shooting Ground at the Swinton Estate in Yorkshire. Representatives from more than 30 estates from all over the country took part in a fun competition to find out who really is the very best shot amongst them all. Teams were put into maximum groups of five, and went around the shooting ground testing themselves on a challenging 100 bird sporting course shot over 14 stands. There was some excellent shooting on display, but in the end Richard Thompson, the head keeper from Consall Valley in Staffordshire, made the score of 95 ex-100 and was crowned the winner, receiving the Swinton Cup from EJ Churchill’s Sir Edward Dashwood.…