Delhi Games: 0:0:0:0

London Olympics: 0:0:0:0

Glasgow Games: 6 years

To check on County scores or look at members averages by CPSA number click here. I am grateful to David Christensen for this facility.

Stop Press:
The Cheshire OT Championship will be held at EYGC on November 2nd.

The Cheshire AGM & Presentation Evening will be at the ‘Three Greyhounds’ Byley on Monday 19th January 2009, free entry and refreshments, this is a chance for us to thank you for your participation in Cheshire clay shooting and for you to buy your hardworking competition secretary a pint of cider.

‘The early bird catches the worm’; a saying which is often quoted but, in clay shooting terms, has yet to see any statistical foundation in truth. Take John Barnett for instance (yes please!) he arrives just as the shutters are about to be put on the trap house , shoots and then walks away with the trophy. John’s 88 (score not age) put him in equal overall second along with Ken Grime (Mer), Roy Birchall was Veteran Champion and J Hitchmough Lady. Our thanks to the A6 ctc for hosting our championships, organising the benign weather and producing a comprehensive result service.

Handicap by Distance & Two Person Flush, 5th July at Mickley Hall, Nantwich, Jack Gradwell reports: The above event was held by kind permission of the Barnett family in the grounds of Mickley Hall. Thanks to John and Scott for setting up the complex Handicap by Distance layouts, with their numerous distance markers and the varied Two Person Flush layout. The weather was not bad at Mickley Hall, with the occasional gusts of wind and spots of rain that, at times, made targets difficult. The photo shows a proportion of the Cheshire folk who turned up for the event. The rest are probably tucking into the free hog roast put on by John. The Handicap by Distance was won by Dave Hurdsfield on 132 with Jack Gradwell second on 129, and third was Phil Hurdsfield. Top Lady was Samantha Sharpe. The Two Person flush was won in the grand fashion by Sam Sharpe and our Vice Chairman, Mr John Yarwood. Again, many thanks to John Barnett. A great day was had by all, and here’s to next year!

Cheshire Skeet Championships
Kevin Howarth writes: "The Cheshire Skeet Championships was yet again a contest between Cheshire's two determined adversaries namely, Roy Ellis and Joe Jackson who both shot extremely well on a sunny and blustery day at Doveridge. The weather was probably the sunniest yet seen in July although the unpredictable gusts of wind kept everyone on their toes.
Following a display of top class shooting it took a sudden-death shoot-off to decide between these two talented youngsters and the Championship title went again to Roy Ellis - well done Roy! and keep up the pressure Joe it's only a matter of time..."
Results:
Seniors
K Howarth............90
P Clarke...............88
J Dentith...............78
Ladies
J Gornall...............78
Juniors
R Ellis..................98x99....Winner - sudden death
J Jackson.............98x99....Runner up - sudden death
J Ellis...................92

Cheshire DTL Championship
More than twenty Cheshire shooters assembled at A6 sg for the Cheshire DTL Championships. The day was fine but with a tricky breeze that kept everyone on their toes. You will know, dear reader, that things rarely go as planned, and so it was with a Quixotic air that John Barnett allowed 4 points from his first twenty five targets to go down the pan. This gave the rest of our bunch some encouragement, non so more than Ed Furber who was in like a mongoose after the coveted title. John however managed to retrieve the position with seventy five first barrels and ran out worthy winner of the 08 DTL title. Our thanks to A6 sg for their customary hospitality and efficiency. Sam Sharpe is the Lady champion and Roy Birchall reigned supreme in the Vets.

Cheshire Double Trap Championship
A small, but dedicated cohort arrived at Llandegla on the most beautiful summer’s day possible, strong sunlight and light airs were the backdrop to excellent targets set, with great personal hardship, by Dave Hughes. Sam Wathen was in good form after recent successes and was high gun with a commendable 134 followed by Brett Davies who is rarely off the podium, with 129 and third place (bronze in the Olympics!) and veteran’s title to that aging juvenile, Roy Birchall. Thanks to Steph and Dave for an excellent day and to the catering team for the most superb egg & bacon butty.

Jack Gradwell reports on the Cheshire ABT Championship at Llandegla:
Good but cold weather was the form for around a dozen Cheshire folk who turned up at Llandegla for the Cheshire County Championships.
The 100 targets were shot off two layouts. E layout was OK with decent targets, but G layout produced erratic targets, the low-angled birds hitting the deck at 35m instead of the regulation 60m (as measured by our Chairman, Mr John Barnett). Acoustics on this layout also caused problems for people who didn’t bellow loudly enough.
Some folk coped well, and some did not: the day was not suited to a high gun hold, or to folk of an excitable temperament, dummy spitters etc.
Overall Cheshire Champion was the ubiquitous Brett Davies who, with a fabulous 95, was both Cheshire Champion and Junior Champion. Brett shoots with the confidence of youth, not understanding how he could ever miss, whereas your Veteran scribe doesn’t know why or how he hits them! Brett’s score was followed closely at 94 by Jack Gradwell, who was also Veteran winner; next came Chris Bushell on a 93. Thereafter came a plethora of folk in the high 80s, for example our Chairman, Mr John Barnett with 89 who, had he been a lady, would have come second to Julie North, who shot a more than creditable 90 to win the Ladies’ with a score that would have done more than justice to a senior squad score.
Thank you to Llandegla for hosting the event. The club house is fabulous, and the ground looks better every week as summer arrives.

Just seen the report published by the House of Commons Culture media & Sport Committee

'Significant efforts have been made by LOCOG and the ODA to involve sports governing
bodies and other interested parties in discussions on the design of main venues in the
Olympic Park. With the exception of the governing body for shooting, they appear to have
won support for their proposals. We regard it as highly regrettable that the site chosen for
shooting events—the Royal Artillery Barracks at Woolwich—is not one which commands
the support of any of the constituent bodies of British Shooting. More should have been
done to explore alternative sites before the decision to select the Royal Artillery Barracks
was taken.'

For the full report click here see paras 93-96.

West Midlands Inter-Counties All Round Championship Doveridge 27th April 2008 Jack Gradwell reports: Cheshire shooters rejoice! Under the skilful guidance of team manager and Captain Generalissimo, Tony Dean, and all round good guy! ( Pun ) who steered his team to a well-deserved victory by a 10 target margin, scoring a momentous 471 ex 500 points, or an average of 94.2 per team member over 4 rounds comprising 25 sporting, 25 down the line (single barrel), 25 ABT and 25 skeet. The heroic team consisted of: Duncan Fox - seen rt- (who was also High Gun of the match and West Midlands Champion) Brett Davies (who was also West Midlands Junior Champion) Nick Beavis Tony Dean Jack Gradwell (who was also West Midlands Veteran Silver Medal) Scott Barnett Roy Ellis The weather changed during the day from cold rain to hot and humid to thunderstorms and hailstones, typical April weather: almost worthy of a Bank Holiday.. All Round shoots are a long day, and it was 17.30 before the prize-giving was complete and the team struggled home, weighed down with medals various, which given the price of diesel etc etc....................

Cheshire All-Round Championship & SportTrap Several protagonists appeared to claim the crown of Cheshire All-Round Champion at Llandegla on April 13th and the title was in doubt until the last minute. A hotly disputed call prevented Scott Barnett (92) claiming a shot at the trophy which was won in fine style by Brett Davies (93). Keeping up the family tradition was John Barnett (92) and also a shooter from the far North (Lymm) Jack Gradwell (92) – score not age. Brett proceeded to treat the assembled crowd to a fine display of shooting by winning the SportTrap with a magnificent 49 ex 50.

Manchester sg The England Sporting selection shoot, alias Worsley Grange, (has the name been changed to protect the innocent?) was a two day affair and I am pleased to report that one of our top sporting shooters, Tony Dean, came a very creditable third with a score of 93.

Britannia Grand Prix The Double Trap event was won by Sam Wathen on 134+42 at Southern Counties on the weekend of April 20

FITASC SPORTING SELECTION SHOOT - HODNET SG CHANGE OF DATE - NOW 11TH & 12TH OCTOBER.
The French Federation (FFBT) have set the date of their FITASC Sporting French Grand Prix and have clashed it with the Hodnet selection shoot on 23/24 August. Many GB shooters will want to attend the French event as it counts towards the World Cup final which runs concurrently with the World Championships in September.
BICTSF's FITASC Sporting sub committee, in conjunction with Hodnet SG, have decided to change the date of the selection shoot to 11th & 12th October to please shooters in this country who would otherwise have to choose which event they wish to enter.

West Midlands Inter-Counties Universal Trap, 9th March 2008 Rugby. Jack Gradwell reports
John Nightingale, as usual, put on a crisply-run event for 13 squads, the event starting at 10.00 and everyone going home after the prize-giving at 16.30.
The Cheshire Team (consisting of and in pecking order of scores):
Brett Davies, Paul Gowrie, Nick Gowrie, Tony Dean, Pete Thomas and Jack Gradwell (Captain), came a more than useful third with 449 points to Warwickshire’s 453 and Staffs 460. These are very close margins, considering the race is over 500 targets and that this is the home ground for the good lads from Warwicks & Staffs. I’m sure that if we had more practice at Rugby, then your excellent Cheshire team could edge up its scoring rate. Notably, on the third round of the event, your HEROES shot 150 targets and dropped only 10 points between the 6 guns, a remarkable score, and an average of 23.33 !!
Within the squad we have two fine juniors, Nick Gowrie and Brett Davies, who both produced exceptional shooting on the day. Brett was not only High Gun of the squad and new Cheshire Champion, but High Gun Juniors by a good margin and joint High Gun of the match, tying with two notable shots, David Kirk and Kevin Borley, all on 97 ex.100. Brett took 3rd place in the shoot-off.
All in all, it was a good day for us Cheshire folk.
Special thanks to Liz Davies, as official team photographer, and for chauffeuring Brett to the event.

UT Team

Brett Davies: Cheshire Champion

Click on to the 'Committee' link to see the 2008 Cheshire team selection criteria and procedures.