Dunk.............Dunk.............Oh well there's always next week - Tales from the circuit. | ||||||
The Usual Suspects | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
Showdown / Inter-Regionals / BFTA Championships Showdown My first showdown and luckily for me I'd drawn a no hoper, yeah right, Dorian Falconer - Ripley Team shooter! Boy I was nervous, hence the reasion he kicked my backside and put me out. Inter-Regionals / BFTA Championships. I'd qualified for the team throught the back door - someone had backed out at the last minute and as I was going to the Showdown the day before I was asked if I could shoot for team, well they were desperate. Due to the fact I'd had a problem with my gun the previous day I was to shoot last, Dave Baines basicly re-built my gun during the morning and then it was time to head for the range to get it all set back up again, well at least the team would have a good chance to win and hopefully it wouldn't rest on me to put a good score in! Weather wise it was bright but quite windy but at least it had been fairly consistent throughout the day which makes a change. I was following my team mate Russ Spencer round the course and it soon became apparent it was going to be a tough old course. Luckily for me I had no pressure on me as I thought the G.P.6. Wales. Dave Baines had already won the A grade title for the series at the last shoot, I was pretty well clear in B grade as only Wayne Hudsen could catch me it was however going to be a close run thing in C grade between Ian Challis and kevin Sayers. The team Champs would also be decided in Wales. In the week previous Dave Baines had just told me to make sure i shot early and get on the course in front of Wayne cos if the shoot was like previous years then the wind would get stronger as the day went on, pity the weather hadn't listened. The weather started off windy, got windier as it neared lunch time and more or less disappeared during the afternoon luckily Wayne was about twenty shooters behind me and just as I was coming off the course, finishing with a 29, Wayne had completed the first ten targets. Tim Williams took the title with an amazing 36ex40, I was fortunate to put the top score in for B grade so took the title with John McClean second and Ian Challis took C grade. G.P.5. Midlands - Harrier's. Bleedin Hell it's windy, cries Amanda as we got out the car at Harrier's and yes I had to agree it was. G.P.4. Scotland Differnt ground to last year, much better - well Amanda enjoyed the restaurant facilities on site anyway. The shoot is based at a shotgun site and was set out amongst the christams trees that proved adept at stopping the wind from moving your pellets, well only when you wanted them to move! Weather was fine and bright, just, as mentioned earlier a weird wind blowing through the trees. Chris Smith took the shoot with a 37 I 'd had a 36 - don't know where that came from, biggest shock was I qualified for the showdown- Dave Baines didn't miss three for a change as he ended up 5 down. G.P.3. Emley Moor Local event for me, thank god, I was just thankful it had moved grounds to the woodland rather than it's usual place - at the side of the Emley Moor TV transmitter! The new ground's not a bad ground as long as yoyu like shooting uphill, well to be fair they do have one or two targets more or less on the level, but not many. Anyway I shot early afternoon and there'd been some cracking scores put in, Tim Finley and Mark Bayliss tied with 38 and Dave Baines on a 37. Weather conditions were favourable, just a weird wind passin g through the wood that kept you on your toes. I was well chuffed to finish on a 32. Overall Mark Bayliss won the shootoff against Tim with Dave Third. Wayne Hudson took B grade with a 32. G.P.2. Basingstoke Basingstoke, what a weird place do a bit of low level flying down a dual carriageway and you see all these nutters carrying guns in a field????!!!!! Again weather conditions similar to the ETL shoot, bloody hot! The course was rather tricky with a wind flowing through the wood that'd catch you out, it certainly did with me. I found I could get the long shot on the lane, giving no wind, get to the close shot and the pellet would shoot across the kill zone. Loved the hedgehog or whatever it was highup in the tree at the end of the shoot. Some exceptional scores two shooters tied on 38 and no less than six tied for third place on 37 and ten on 36. Looks like were going to have to watch the C graders this year Ian Challis on a superb 31. Man of the shoot goes to Ian Challis for a stunning performance. G.P.1. ETL 2001 a new year and new expectations. Yeah right after the fun and games of not knowing if we were or weren't going to have any Grand Prix's, many people having there clubs closed for the previous 3-4 months it was always going to be a difficult event. The day was hot to say the least and many a competitor wilted under the sun, however Mark Bayliss gave an awesome display to take the event with 38 closely followed by a group of four shooters tied on 37. Wayne Hudson was clear winner of B grade and Phil Denny the winner of C. Me, well the least said the better, after dropping eight of the first twelve shots I was always playing catchup. Roll on the next event!!!! Man of the shoot goes to Wayne Hudson for a stunning performance.
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