North Cornwall Shooting Ground 11/2/23
A competition entry of only 13 shooters, and 4 of them shooting 100 straight – with the top 3 just 1 point away from each other.
The conditions at NCSG were simply perfect – a grey overcast sky, just the right amount of light, and no wind. The targets just sat there, begging to be shot. And the board had so much red on it that Simon might need a new red pen in the near future!
It didn’t take long to find out who had brought their A game.
The first 25 straight (a 25/74) came in from Barny Jackson, who has recently switched from a standard wood stock to a fully adjustable TSK on his Beretta. Barny is eyeing up an England DTL team spot this year, and looks like he’s settling down with the new setup just in time. It’s certainly suiting him!
Richard Ryan, standing on the peg next to Barny, said, “Anything you can do, I can do better!”, and promptly put the finishing touches on a perfect 25/75.
Shortly after that, on the same squad, I put my own stamp on proceedings with a 25/74.
Squad 3 followed us and Paul Thomas, who can produce a monster score when you least expect it, matched myself and Barny with another 25/74.
Then, not un-surprising after his performance last week, Jason Dyer filled in a 25/75 to keep Richard company at the front of the field.
At half-way, 2 points separated 1st and 5th. Paul was on 50/149; myself, Barny, and Jason were on 50/148, and Keith Woolcock had leapfrogged Richard (who dropped points in round 2 and fell out of the running) into 5th with 49/147.
After round 3, there was still nothing in it. Paul was still out in front on 75/224 and looking as solid as a rock.
Barny and I were chasing hard and locked together in our own battle, both on 75/223.
Jason, who is completely transformed from the shooter he was 6 months ago, was on 75 straight for the second competition in row, and now in an ideal position to banish the gremlin that cost him his first 100 straight at Bradford last week.
Keith, who has undeniably found his groove after a long period of ups and downs in his shooting, was keeping him company on 74/222.
A small mistake cost me a second barrel in round 4, but the remaining targets were dealt with mercilessly, putting all the pressure on Barny to shoot a perfect round to stay ahead. He was equal to the task and finished on his highest score to date, a 100/298.
I was quite content with my 100/297 after the amount of 98s and 99s I’ve had over the last 6 months, and my attention immediately shifted to Paul and Jason - could they keep it together for the last few targets?
They did – Paul making it look effortless and cruising home to a High Gun score of 100/299, and Jason going one target better than last week to record his first 100 straight – a 100/294!
He’ll have to buy a new woolly hat – the one he was wearing is rather draughty now!
So close Paul!
Well shot Jason!
Keith was a little disappointed that he dropped 2 barrels and couldn’t match my score, but that didn’t stop him smoking his way to a very respectable 99/295.
At the far end of the ground, the ABT had it’s own story.
Ian Moore, the man of the moment, and about to embark on a jam-packed fast trap season, shot a High Gun score of 96 that included, in his words, “a poor third round” - of 23.
Richard Chapple was closest to him on 94, a good warm-up for his England ABT Team campaign, especially after he missed the first 3 targets out while re-adjusting to the discipline!
Colin Chidley rounded out the top 3 with a 93.
Well shot everyone, I thoroughly enjoyed today, and thank you to Simon, Andy and Albert for putting on some fine targets for us to obliterate!