FT Adventure

Season Finale

2009-08-22T19:46:00.011+01:00

The final GP of the season took place at Sywell near Northampton. This is the traditional end venue and it offers excellent facilities including a lot of space to accommodate the prize ceremony and the end of season raffle.
Sywell is famed for its wind and today would offer a severe test. The course consists of a three sections. The first is open grassland and although the wind was strong it was, to a degree, consistent. Next was a garden area, here the wind was switching and swirling and flags, indicating wind direction, showed it was going left and right at the same time! The third section was "the bank of death", here targets were placed at varying heights and the wind was blowing a hooley. The strong wind gusted up the slope of the bank and lifted pellets well above the killzone.
Of the five competitions the winner of B grade and SFT had already been determined. The C and A grade winners were still uncertain and the big one could still be won by a number of shooters.
The last 2 seasons had seen the Sywell GP won with scores of 43 and 42. Today's conditions suggested that a score close to 40 would probably win the day.
Here's Andy Gillott negotiating the bank; he posted an impressive 36 to further his challenge for the overall title.Roger shows off his kneeling technique.
Big Neil bags a pair on his way to 36 to tie for third on the day and 6th overall.
The morning session was topped by Andy Calpin who scored an impressive 38 to lead by 2. It looked like this score would not be troubled by the afternoon shooters as the wind seemed to increasing in ferocity. Dorian Falconer came close with a 37 but the day was to belong to Mr Calpin.
So to the award of trophies and the end of season mega raffle with lots of prizes on offer; many thanks to Napier for the sponsorship of the GP series.
Kate Green won a shoot off to claim her first piece of FT glassware; third in C grade. In her excitement Kate unfortunately dropped her newly won brandy glass. As soon as Mr Calpin received his then he offered it to Kate, what a gent!
Paul Schofield won A grade with an excellent 35 which was 1 more than Dave!
After the day's trophies were awarded it was on to the overall placements for the season.
Congratulation to Brian Samson who dominated the SFT class.
Piston class was a two way contest between Nick Murphy and Marc Fisher, both had won four of the previous eight rounds. Nick triumphed today and added the Piston title to the British Championship he won in April.
Ian Harford had started the season with 3 rounds of SFT before constructing six strong rounds to comfortably win C grade. Second place went to Roy Boliver, well done Arby!
Simon Higgins came top in B grade after an impressive first GP season. Tenth place belonged to Baltipal!
Midway through the presentation we were treated to some overhead aerobatics which temporarily took everyone's attention.
Ian Stoddart had a brilliant season and won A grade at a canter, Ian c'mon!
Karl Clarke finished 6th in A grade in his first GP season for many a year. And to the top man. British FT Champion Andrew Gillott.
It's been a great season and I daren't add up the miles that we have travelled. The grounds, the courses and the weather have all been variable but one thing has remained constant - we all had a great time.
So goodbye for a while, it's time for a blogging recess. Follow the adventures of the MFTA WL starting in October.

High summer in Wales

2009-08-09T08:31:00.013+01:00

The last two summer seasons have started with the Welsh GP, yet here we were in August, in sunshine, on our way to Nelson FTC for GP8. It was a short hop from the midlands and by around 11am we had arrived and were keen to view the course.
Quite simply it was spectacular! Situated in a valley the Nelson ground consisted of varied terrain of which its most impressive feature was the number of streams that meandered through. There was woodland but never dense, open field with well spaced tress, water courses and opportunity to shoot up hill and down into the valley. The area available to the club is vast and offers great potential. What a venue for the Worlds?
Below is one of the many bridges that spanned the streams and in the distance is an extensive area for the zero range.
On my walk I was attracted to lane 9. The shooting position was atop a natural bridge and from here there was a view down a culvert into the main stream where two targets could be found. For me this was the best lane of the GP season so far.Turn through 180 degrees and meet lane 18. The targets here were elevated and slightly sheltered from the field to the left; inevitably reading any wind strength would be tricky.
Target 14 was also magic. It was placed in the middle of a small stream just above where the stream joined its larger cousin. When eyed through a scope the scene was stunning and could easily draw attention away from the matter at hand. My view again but the best target placement of 2009 albeit I missed. It's down there somewhere!!
Whilst walking around it seemed conditions were ideal but the regular dink of upright targets and the associated gasps told another story. There was wind and although never strong its direction was never constant. The far end of the course was exposed and cleverly turned through 180 degrees to continually test the competitors.
Is Dave Schofield trying a new standing technique or is throwing the rifle his best option?
After the morning round two shooters stood three clear of the field on 47, MFTA champion Neil Daniels and David Williams of Quarry.
This well dressed man, Ian Harford, carded a strong 36 which would later win him C grade and place him in a good position to challenge for top honours come Sywell.
Only 4 behind the top guns was A grade leader Ian Stoddart who would have to suffer the afternoon round to see if he was to be denied his first trophy of the season.

The afternoon session started with a briefing from Dorian Falconer who told us of how much rain they'd had recently; but not today. I had the pleasure of shooting with James Osborne and Mick Kelly and I enjoyed the company of Mick's very well behaved dog. The course was a pleasure to shoot and contained a plethora of different tests. The wind which had brought welcome relief when walking the course now became the enemy. The blue skies and hot sun belied the strength of the wind which might gust enough to lose a plate or subside and be followed by disbelief "it stayed straight on me but the grass was bent over ...".
None of the afternoon shooters could challenge the leaders of each grade from the morning except for Brian Samson who took SFT with 35 and Nick Murphy's 33 took the piston class.
So congratulations to Ian Harford, Peter Moore, Ian Stoddart and David Williams. David's success was the first for a Welsh shooter at their home GP since 1992 and was very well applauded by all.
Final congratulation to Ian Stoddart whose consistent performance this season has led him to the top of A grade but without a trophy. He now has that coveted piece of glassware and if he wins the A grade title at Sywell then he might smile!!

Adventure in Euskedi

2009-07-14T20:46:00.018+01:00

After months of excitement our journey to compete in the Euskedi Open 2009 began late on Thursday night. Our flight from Stansted was scheduled for 7.30am and because we were transporting our rifles abroad for the first time we wanted to arrive with plenty of time to spare in case any problems arose. However, all that was required was proof that they were really air rifles and the cylinders were free of air. So just before 6am we found ourselves in a bustling departure lounge where hen and stag parties were starting their celebrations early. When in Rome!

The flight left on time and after the blink of an eye and odd nod of the head we touched down in Bilbao.Security at Bilbao also required to check that we were carrying only air which presented a slight problem as one of my gun case padlocks refused to open and I had visions of my air rifle spending the weekend at the airport. Enter Jesus whose arrival smoothed our transit and we were in Spain! Regular readers will know that Jesus visited the UK to compete in the NEFTA Classic in May where he made many friends. Today he introduced his friend Inaki who had kindly volunteered to transport our kit to the Extebarri Hotel which was to be our home for the next three nights.
Off we set for our first view of the Basque Country and our first experience of a new culture. Jesus wanted to show us his city from above but that was after a welcome drink ...
... and some pintxos!
We then walked around a plateau that offered superb views of the city of Bilbao and the green mountains which enclose it. Bilbao is an important port and industrial centre, its construction within a valley means it cannot expand outwards so up it goes!
From the heights we could see the port and the legendary "the Football Cathederal" home to Athletic Bilbao.
Next our journey lead us to a traditional Basque restaurant; a caserio. This is where the Basque farming family would live with their animals. The caserios are unique and offer visitors an exceptional eating and drinking experience. The favoured drink is cider and its method of delivery is well suited to a field target shooter. With our appetites very satisfied the journey continued to Zumarraga and the Exteberri Hotel.Bags dropped off we set out to view the shooting ground and meet up with the organiser of the event Jose; who is known as Sanjon on the internet. A walk of the ground revealed that all facets of FT would be tested. There was opportunity for depressed shots, inclined shots, varied distance, within woodland and in open field; what would tomorrow hold?
Slightly jaded now we returned to our hotel for a siesta and then our adventure continued at the welcome meal in Zumarraga. Here we experienced the great hospitality and community of our hosts. We sat at tables that contained 40 or more people and shared communal dish after dish. The beer, wine and cider flowed very easily and we had a great time.
Very satisfied and ready for bed? No! Manuel, who we had met in Northern Ireland last year, insisted we trip into the town for a night cap.
Day 2 began with breakfast and then it was off to the shooting ground to zero and check out the course. Upon arrival our attention was drawn to banners representing the shooting regions of Spain and our presence was honoured with a Millride banner. Plinking confirmed that our rifles had not suffered in the flight and so to explore the course. Jose had designed two courses each of 44 targets; a black course and a yellow course. On day 1 the piston competitors would shoot black and PCP yellow. The ground consisted of three plateaus which were joined by a steep path. The course started on the lower plateau where we would be tested first shooting downhill and then up. The course then climbed to the second plateau where there was an assortment of distances and kill zones varied from 10-40mm in an open area. The transit to plateau 3 was through woodland and here shooters would have to adapt to the shaded conditions which tested range finding. Finally plateau 3 contained some long targets and some in trees, it was this area that would be most exposed to the high sun. However, before the shooting commenced it was back to Zumarraga for lunch!
Round 1 was due to commence at 5pm thus it allowed shooters travelling time and avoided the hot afternoon. Before the action got underway we were treated to an incredible sight of two men playing this instrument; in the past it was used to communicate between caserios. It was certainly a workout!
So to our lanes. The commonest pre-charged rifle on show was the Steyr LG110; there was a handful of Walthers and the odd EV2. One guy was using the Mach 1 from the USA and there were also a number of sporters. In Spain the power limit of air rifles is 24 joules compared to the 16 joule restriction in the UK. It was interesting to watch these guns at work; they certainly whacked the plate when the kill zone was missed. There was a slight breeze and I was surprised to see that even with 24 joules that wind compensation proved tricky. The spring gun is very popular in Spain particularly the Cometa. So as the evening drew in there were two vibrant competitions unfolding. At the end Pepone top scored in PCP with 42, Colapso was second with 40 and Snowball third on 39. The piston class was lead by Victor on 35 and Mamel topped the 16 joule class with 38. In Spain the shooters are called by their pen names so Greg was Baltipal, for Roy read Arby and I was CB Chairman.
With the first round complete we headed back to the hotel and decided to relax on the terrace and take a few beers and enjoy some ham, bread and chorizo sausage.
Greg took the opportunity to show his dexterity when it came to bottled beer!Sunday morning arrived and shooting would begin at 9am; this time it was the black course for us. The shooters had been paired based on yesterday's scores. I shot with Josefe from Madrid who used a LG110 with a silencer attached. After two rounds we managed to tie on 69 from 88 and I hope he saw that 16 joules wasn't too bad! Roy and Jesus also couldn't be separated on 61 and Greg shot round with Inaki scoring 63. Pepone added a 41 to win the event on 83 and a tremendous round of 43 saw Snowball move into second place. Mamel finished on 78 to win with 16 joules and Suidos pipped Victor to win the piston class.
The prize giving ceremony started with a surprise for me as I found I was helping the Mayor of Zumarraga present the trophies. The winner of each class received a Txpalla which is the traditional headwear of the Basque men and is regularly given to the winner of sporting events.
Congratulations to Pepone
and to all the winners. Let's hope we see you at the Europeans in September.

At the end of the event Jesus, Jose and his wife presented us with their Millride banner upon which Jesus wrote an invite for Millriders to return next year.With the shooting over there was time to shower and change before joining everyone for a special lunch. There was a fantastic affair. The food and drink was superb, there was live music and spontaneous dancing, the atmosphere electric and we three were treated as VIP's. Salud!
After the parting lunch Jesus and Inaki took us on an off road trail in Jesus' jeep. He managed to drive it up paths barely wide enough to walk along; it was cracking fun! However, there were no roads to our destination which was a cross perched on a mountain high above Zumarraga. To get there required leg power but the rewards were well worth it.
We descended to Zumarraga and after an essential cool beer we took to the streets to watch something quintessential Basque. The idea is for two cows to pull, and two men to steer, a 3 tonne concrete block along a fixed route then turn through 180 degrees and do it again.
This guy steers from the front
and this guy prods from behind.
Our holiday ended with a trip to the beach resort of Zumaia where we dipped our toes in the Atlantic. Then we enjoyed some more pintxos in the beautiful city of San Sebastian; yes that is an octopus's leg!
All too soon it was time to return home. Jesus and Jose transported us to the airport and ensured we had a smooth transit into the departure lounge.
We had a fantastic time that my words cannot possibly describe. We would like to thank all those people who treated us so kindly and generously. In particular Jose for his superb course and competition organisation and Jesus for his amazing hospitality.
I hope we are the first of many future UK competitors in the Euskedi Open. Muchos gracias amigos, hasta el proximo ano!

Millride on Tour

2009-06-29T18:42:00.013+01:00

The long journey north did not put off the stalwarts from Millride FTC, no less than ten of their number made the trip and six took the opportunity to camp on the grounds of Dunfermline FTC. We left Birmingham at 10am ably driven by Greg and navigation was by Tom.
After about 90 minutes we took a pit stop and met up with the other party of campers.
The M6 was running clear and it wasn't long before we crossed the border and were enjoying traditional Scottish cuisine in the KFC at Gretna Green.
Another 2 hours and we arrived at our home for the evening. Many thanks to David Foster and the members of Dunfermline FTC for allowing us to stay and their subsequent hospitality. After only a few minutes the Quecha village was assembled and our thoughts turned to finding a pub.
Our hosts indicated that a track lead from the site to the Dander Inn so no cars were needed and off we set. The walk was delightful and full of the sights of spring the highlight of which was a number of beautiful yellowhammers.We were welcomed at the Dander Inn and quickly we began to make friends with the locals. Our plan was two pints and bed but this was soon forgotten as the chat and beers began to flow.
And then we were eight as Phil and Jo arrived, they had chosen the luxury of a hotel with a nice restaurant but tomorrow they too would enjoy a trip along the track!
A few more beers and we were having a scream. The Dander Inn is dedicated to Dunfermline Football club and we joined in the odd verse of "We hate Falkirk and we hate Falkirk ... we are the Falkirk haters". I'm sure the residents of Falkirk are very nice but tonight we were for the Pars!

Food became the focus and when we asked our new found friends where we might find some they responded by firing up the BBQ and offered us all burgers, chicken and chips. Up the Pars!
It seemed we'd been in the pub for an age but it was still very light when we left to take the track home. Back at camp a few more beers were in order and some crisps, biscuits, chocolate etc.
I had a good night's sleeps but some complained of noises emanating from Greg's tent; Roy had taken precautions but he said in vein.
The tents were soon folded into neat circles and it was time for breakfast. As last year many thanks to Anne and Alistair for providing us with some scrumptious grub.
Shooters now began to arrive and our thoughts turned from our stomachs to the purpose of the visit. After a few words from Dave Penman we set off for the course. It was set within dense woodland that offered some shelter from the wind and the occasional shower. Dave had changed the direction of the course from the last two years and, perhaps fearful of another clearance, he had set them long. I recorded the average length to be 42.6 yards compared to the previous highest of 40 yards; this coupled with six standers from ten disciplines meant it would be a challenging course. As usual despite the difficulty some quality shooting produced some high scoring. Last year AA had been a tie between Andy Calpin and Mark Bassett on 46, this year Andy Calpin stood alone on 46. However, this wasn't the top score of the day, that honour went to Andrew Luckley who won A grade with 47!

So soon after arriving it was time to head home. Cars packed we were once again on the road to our favourite food outlet at Gretna Green. More chicken eaten, some coffee for the drivers and off we set for England.
We arrived home around 10pm all tired having packed a lot into 36 hours. Well done to our drivers Greg, Roy and Phil. Passengers Paul, John, Ian, Jo and Shaun. And to Karl and Debbie who made it a holiday. Millriders on Tour!

Newbury revisited

2009-06-09T22:09:00.010+01:00

This was our second visit of the season to Newbury and today the course explored other areas of the woodland. It was an excellent test; congratulations to Andrew Slade and the Newbury team for their hard work and course design.
There was very little wind, the occasional gust might inadvertently cost a target but in the main it was shoot within the kill, hence high scores were expected. The morning session was topped by ex world champion Dan Eley who dropped just two targets. With such benign conditions performance on the discipline lanes will likely decide the winner and today there were ten to test and six of them were standing. The morning scores were littered with high 40’s including three shooters in A grade on 44. So the gauntlet was laid down for the afternoon squad could anyone better 48?
Here are two well dressed morning shooters: Kilty's coat hints of the Winter League
and it looks likes Lee Marshal has found a sponsor!

By 1pm it was very hot so the shaded woodland brought welcome relief. The odd breeze was for once appreciated though perhaps not by those on the firing line. I started on lane 3 with Hugh Osborne and Brian Samson. To my left Greg was hoping to pick up some tips from another ex world champion James Osborne.

It is a pleasure just to be in the woods at Newbury, sometimes the position of the lane can give the impression that you’re on your own and only the regular sound of targets falling over breaks the spell.

After eight lanes the course rotated 180 degrees, at the turn of four lanes two were standing and one was kneeling; was this to be amen corner?

British Champion Nick Murphy competing in the piston class shows off his standing style

There then soon followed another adjacent pair of discipline lanes and when, after these, James Osborne was still clear a buzz of anticipation could be felt; could he clear the course? FT has this way of spreading information, quickly it was established that a 50 shot GP course had never before been cleared. There were still plenty of targets to conquer and many were testing; a good number were long range that would surely punish a nervous twitch. As he came to his last lane, still clear, I paused from my own turn to watch. He was shooting the lane I had started on so I knew the first was close to full range; it went over. With number 49 down I heard his shooting partner, Chris Briscoe, comment “that’s the hard one“. James replied “no, this is the hard one”. Over it went and the BFTA had its first clearance on a 50 shot GP course; well done Mr Osborne!

And here's the proof!

The clearance perhaps overshadowed some other high scoring. Once again Marc Fisher with 46 scored more with a springer than most AA shooters do with a PCP. A grade was won with a incredible 48 from Simon Pattle, 44 took B grade honours for Peter Moore and congratulations to Jack Harris who won C grade, at his first GP, with 39. Hats off also to Brian Samson who showed great shooting skill to record the highest ever SFT score of 42.

Pete Rowley pondering "surely 47 will win A grade!"

So after a 49 at Iceni James goes 1 better at Newbury; will it be 51 next time!

So we leave Newbury until the Masters on September 5^th and for those lucky 64 the Showdown on the 6^th.

A trip east

2009-06-01T19:58:00.008+01:00

It was an early start for the journey to Iceni; memories of the Millride wind and rain were soon forgotten as we drove east into blue skies and warm sunshine.
The Iceni ground was superb. It consisted of a field and acres of beautiful mature English woodland. The clear skies meant that it was sun bathing weather in the open and the woodland canopy offered shelter and a cooling breeze was very welcome.A walk of the course revealed that conditions were very favourable for high scoring. There was enough wind to cause problems though, particularly the six targets positioned in the field. This St George Cross occasionally opened to show the word Iceni, it spent much of the day moving from left to right and offered help and confusion to the watching competitors.
Everybody was revelling in the glorious weather. Here are a couple of spring boys enjoying the summer climate.
And these two are relaxing between lanes.
Michael G Cotter sticks to business and bags a pair of kneelers.
The morning scores were high lead by Andrew Gillott and Simon Ayres who both dropped only two, also congratulations to Mick Woodhead for an excellent 47 which would win him A grade. After a quick refill, Greg you look guilty, it was time for the afternoon round and off we set.The sounds of falling targets echoed around the wood and in every direction smiling faces finally buried the Millride demons. The course was excellent; it offered plenty of targets that every shooter might expect to get and some to challenge the very best shots. I really enjoyed being in this woodland, a cuckoo could be heard calling and many other birds offered their song. There was some wind but the trees and ferns protected many of the targets that was until I found lane one. It consisted of a 40 yarder low in the grass and a 50 yarder high up on a cage. I missed the low shot with my pellet taking about a kill and a half of wind, I moved to the high target to find it virtually paintless and all I could do was remove a bit more! I wasn't alone in missing as James Osborne also dropped this one on his way to an outstanding 49.
A first class day out and many thanks to the Iceni team for their hard work. It's back to Newbury in two weeks time; let's hope for more of this weather!

Behind the Scenes

2009-05-16T20:39:00.010+01:00

The venue for the second GP of 2009 was my home club Millride. Here is a look at behind the scenes to offer some insight into what it takes to put on an FT GP.
It started some weeks ago with a few work parties to determine where the first 28 targets would go. Paint marked the spots, new brackets were fixed and lines of sight were cut. A meeting established what new equipment was required and it was Dave Pitt who set about purchasing rope, paint, whistles, stakes, gazebo, nails, cable ties etc. Well done Dave!

On the Saturday before the event it began with the shooting line and then the targets were positioned, strings attached and sight lines cleared; the amount of spring growth was incredible but by lunch time 28 targets were in position and ready for action. A short respite whilst the rain came down and we moved to the wood. This is our usual shooting area so needed less preparation, it was here that we could position some high targets so ladder work was required. The numbers that adorned each target and lane were the work of Daz Tomes! With the wood complete it was off home for food a quick beer and an early night.
Dawn signalled the start of the shoot day and very soon after we assembled for business. Check the targets, the line, the numbers, assemble the gazebo, position the chrono, check for loo roll, put out signs, put out the plinkers, clocks on each lane, measure and stake out the silhouettes and there were 150+ cards to hand out; thanks to Sam!
A few competitors chose to walk the course. Here Dave Schofield offers Phil and Greg some pointed advice!
All was now ready and after a few words from our Chairman, Ian Stoddart, the GP was underway.
One thing out of our control was the weather and it was foul. Strong wind was only interrupted by gale force wind and horizontal rain. Check out Phil Tetstall's windicator!
The conditions were by far the worse I have experienced and even the best were finding it tricky; his words were not printable!
Dave tries to read that wind ...and Paula looks to be reading a book!
I watched Tony Fouracres have a real mare in the field but he kept smiling and recovered to score 29.
Inevitably when it seems impossible to most some manage to produce high scores. Neale Marklew from Far Coley posted an impressive 38 and James Woodhead went one better with 39.
I marshalled the morning session and watched many shaken heads as targets remained upright but I remained optimistic that when it was my turn things would go okay!
With freshly painted targets the afternoon session began. I was on lane 1 with Mark "Berty" Bassett and Rich Chasemore. I watched Berty miss the first pair but was still convinced I'd manage; how wrong I was. Those first two misses were the only I saw in the field and after 20 targets only 6 had bit the dust. The wood brought some welcome relief and a few more fell over including this one which would later bring unexpected reward!
The afternoon round was complete but the work was far from over. The targets came in quickly; I saw these and thought about stamping on them.
Many hands had worked hard in preparing for this event but two people deserve a particular mention. John "Jonta" Cox and Darren Tomes for their tireless work and innovative thinking.

Whilst the hustle of work continued there was need for a shoot-off in A grade. Mark Charlton secured his second win of the season with a fine kneeling shot on target 34; hard luck to Michael C Cotter. Well done Mark!
So GP2 was over and a victory for James Woodhead. His 39 was not threatened in the afternoon that is except for one man, Marc Fisher, who scored 37 with a springer!!

Despite the weather it was a great experience that left us all tired yet satisfied. Finally me, Roy and Greg shared a shandy in the Parkbrook contemplating our poor scores but still keenly awaiting Iceni!

Jesús en Inglaterra (Tesla on tour)

2009-05-04T21:21:00.010+01:00

At the World Championships in Northern Ireland last year we met Jose and Manuel from Spain. Here they are pictured with the 2008 champion Ian Taylor.
Soon after the event Jesús Sangroniz introduced himself via the air gun forums using the name Tesla and through the internet friendships were formed. Jesús and Jose live in the Basque region of Spain and are members of field target association of Euskedi. This is my story of his trip to England to compete in the NEFTA Classic 2009.
Whilst most of us were at work on Thursday Jesús commenced his journey. First it was a flight from Bilbao to Stansted and then a hire car to Birmingham Airport where he was met by Roy who transported him and his gear to my house. His arrival was keenly awaited by my sons George, Michael and Peter and he very generously bought them gifts.

Thursday was a quiet night in the Barnt Green Inn where we introduced Jesús to Black Sheep Ale!
Friday it was off to the HFT course at Furnace Mill Fishery in the Wyre Forest area to test Jesús' Walther Dominator had survived the trip and to enjoy the English countryside.

Behind that pool is a delightful wood which contains 30 targets some of which test your geometry!

Afterwards some traditional English lunchtime cuisine ...

Friday evening was spent meeting more new faces but we were early to bed excited and ready for a pre-dawn start.
My alarm was set for 4am but I was showered and dressed by 3.30am! Everyone was equally keen so our party of me, Jesús, Greg and my son George set off in the dark destination Pontefract. We made good time despite the profusion of cones on the M1. A short break at services left us refreshed but not particularly satisfied; oh for a Truckstop!

We arrived at Pontefract in plenty of time for a practise and for Jesús to meet some of the people he had only known via the internet.
Jesús was delighted to see the flag of Spain displayed behind the silhouette course.
The Classic is split into 3 sessions of 3 hours. In one of these sessions you will shoot FT, one session of silhouettes and three hours rest. Throughout the day the NEFTA team members work tirelessly to ensure that the competition runs smoothly.
The wind was very kind on Saturday and it was no surprise that the FT scores were high; seven shooters dropped only one shot. Here is Jesús showing his FT style.
One of the seven who scored 39 on the FT course was Sam Monkman he added a 38 on the silhouettes to finish day 1 leading on an excellent score of 77 ex 80.
With the day's competition over it was time for hotels for some but quite a few of us took advantage of the free camping offered. After a cool beer sitting by the tents we set off to explore the village of Burton Salmon which thankfully had a pub!It was a beautiful spring evening and we all shared a beer or coke in the garden, cheers!
Two of our party were too young to stay out late and most were too old but some made it back to the campsite to enjoy a late brandy
Or a game of footballand some just made the wrong choice. We're in Pontefract Ian!Sunday was windy and a little wet which promised that the Pontefract bowl would capture some victims.
After day 1 Mr Calpin was in a strong position in the FT competition hence he was quite reserved prior to his round on Sunday. No doubt contemplating his route to victory.

Another day's fervent competition followed. The changing wind, the various terrain and excellent course design combined to provide a challenging FT course. Best score of the day was still high at 36 and four shooters tied but it was the aforementioned Mr Calpin who came out on top scoring 75 ex 80.
Sam Monkman reigned supreme on both days of the silhouette competition scoring an impressive 75 which was 3 clear of second place James Woodhead. Sam also excelled on the FT course and his combined total of 149 made him NEFTA Classic Champion 2009.

It was all over too quickly and my second and Jesús' first NEFTA Classic had come to an end. After a few shoot-offs we assembled in the silhouette range for the prize giving.

There are prizes for all grades and pin badges are awarded for those who managed to hit all five of a silhouette bank. There are also many team prizes and plenty of shooting gear in the raffle. The NEFTA members honoured their Spanish guest and awarded him mementos which included every silhouette badge!
Then it was time to go and Jesús' long awaited trip was at an end. A chance to relax on Monday before the journey home.
Jesús we all enjoyed your company very much and hope that you will shoot with us again in September at the Euros and next year you return to take on the Classic.

GP1 Harriers 19th April 2009

2009-04-20T20:20:00.010+01:00

The GP season commenced on the farmland of Harriers FTC near Kidderminster. This is a regular venue of MFTA shoots and well known to many therefore it was a surprise to find a new course layout for today's competition. The first six lanes were set in previously unused young woodland and would provide a fresh challenge.

The weatherman had promised a fine day and after a chilly start that's what we got. Harriers ground is exposed to fields all around and even a breath of wind can cause problems. A walk of the course during the AM round confirmed this as tuts and gasps accompanied the dinks of targets still standing. The light but variable wind was testing and it had to be learned for each part of the course.
Here Steve Mason is after the standers on lane 6; behind him is the field from which the wind does blow.
And Keith Worboyes seeks out the long target on lane 25.

Despite the tricky wind some shooters were compiling high scores. Top guns from the morning session were Andrew Gillott with an incredible 47 and Dave Schofield close behind with 45. In fact scores were too high and it made me nervous!
The signing in desk was manned by Tony and Cedric and Sam could be found slaving over hot stoves.
Another helper we can't do without is our marshals. Today Phil Riches was one of many who donned the fluorescent jacket.
So signed in and practise done I was ready to embark on my quest for 50. The pre-shoot briefing was given by Roger Moy and we learned that the feared black box would be marshal free and under shooter control; good luck!The first 6 lanes were in the aforementioned young plantation. Here was offered targets at varying range and included a pair of reducers and a kneeling and standing lane. Range finding was made harder by heat haze and the profusion of yellow dandelions; some shooter were initially ranging the long target on lane 4 at beyond 60 yards! Thankfully it wasn't but it all cuts into your two minutes.
The course then moved to shoot across a pool and meandered down to a small copse where once again a change of direction introduced new wind conditions. After a few misses the targets usually give a clue but today the dinks were all around the killzone so each lane needed careful thought. An excellent course and a worthy opener to the GP season. Well done Harriers!

As the afternoon drew to an end it seemed the morning scores would stand but then news circulated that John Costello had dropped only 3 and a shoot-off was needed.
This is what they were after the Tim Williams Memorial Trophy. There was only one name on it, Andrew Gillott, and he was keen to keep it like that.

The shoot-off consisted of three targets at about 35, 45 and 55 yards and first they would be taken kneeling. With a background a mewing Buzzards Andrew went first and was very impressive in taking all 3. It was a tough act to follow and John missed the 55 yarder but I'm sure he'll be top of the rostrum soon.
Congratulations then to Andy and also to John and Dave Schofield who finished third.
Grade A was won by Mark Charlton with 43 and Darren Moore took B grade with 39. C grade winner was Dave Oakes scoring 35. Marc Fisher won the piston class with an outstanding 43; I don't recall a higher score with a springer, wow! The SFT class was won by Brian Samson and congratulations to Martha Jones who won the second place shoot-off.

After a great day a group of us found ourselves in a bar where we spent a couple of hours analysing the day's events and enjoying a few pints. It's NEFTA next, can't wait!

BFTA Championship 4th April

2009-03-27T19:01:00.000Z

The summer season begins with the BFTA Championships at Newbury. Last year 124 shooters competed for this coveted title with the winner, Ian Taylor, adding the World Championship later in the year. This would be the first chance for shooters to show how their regions winter leagues had prepared them for the GP season and allow the big guns to jostle for top spot. Who would challenge for honours this year?
Newbury is the home ground of the BFTA; the shooting terrain is deciduous woodland set atop a hill.
Various inlets allow the wind to play its part sufficient to hamper any course being cleared. It is a beautiful setting and today was alive with the sights and sounds of spring. There were many birds on show active in preparation for the nesting season and it was a delight for all to see the majestic Red Kite's aerobatics.
The day started early for those setting out the 40 shot course and competitors began to book in around 8am. Shooting commenced at 9am after a short safety briefing from Roger Moy the BFTA Chairman. Squads of 10 were called at regular intervals and soon each lane of the course was full and stories began to unfold.
It has been 6 months since a national field has been assembled so today offered a chance for distant friends to catch up on any news. Two FT characters it's always a pleasure to meet are Andy Calpin from NEFTA and Mark Bassett from WAFTA.

Well I think it's Mark!

The course began with a kneeling lane; the second target though only 35 yards was an early clue that there was more wind effect than the sunny conditions suggested. By lane 5 a range of distances had tested the competitors and now it was standers. They looked deceptively easy but even the close 20 yarder was causing problems. Lane 6 I'm sure was an optical illusion because the second target looked closer than the first but my scope said they were the same! Such a puzzle is a credit to those who designed the course; in my head was "trust the scope" but it was only a voice and I didn't listen. There then followed a few lanes with one challenging and one gettable target before once more we faced some standers. The course then skirted a small copse which was offering shelter from the wind and the remaining targets were more affected by the breeze from the adjacent field. The last lane was kneeling and target 39 at 40+ yards was sure to offer a challenging end.
Despite the tricky wind some shooters were compiling good scores. First report was that Roger Moy had finished on 38 and some forty shooters later he was joined by Nick Murphy. Neil Daniels and Mark Williams came close on 37 but none of the later shooters could challenge first or third place so shootoffs ensued.
At a now windier lane 1 Nick was successful and further up the course Neil secured 3rd place.
Well done to Neil
And RogerAnd to BFTA Champion 2009 Nick Murphy.So the summer season begins and Newbury has asked questions of us all. I'm on a diet of plenty of practise before GP1 at Harriers in two weeks time.
Many thanks to the Newbury team for a superb course and an excellent event!