As the Inter Livery Clay Pigeon Shooting Competition returned to the sporting calendar, Assistant Julien Pursglove reports how on the 23rd June two eager WCB shooting teams 'stepped up to the plate'.
The most prestigious competition in The Livery calendar, The Inter Livery Clay Pigeon Shooting Competition, managed to take place this year, but with the Covid restrictions in place.
The event historically takes place in May each year at The Holland and Holland Shooting Ground near Ruislip. In 2020 the date was continually put back, and eventually it was staged in September, with the Butchers only permitted to enter one team.
This year the competition was staged in June over two days, and I was allowed to enter two teams - both playing on Day One. Thankfully, there were willing Liveryman who gallantly ‘stepped up to the plate’. This year Liveryman Neil Stoddart, Nigel Sampson, Fergus Howie, Nick Sherwood, Nick, Allen, Richard Taylor and Cliff Prior gave of their time to represent the Company.
Some of the team members managed to meet up the day before to practice together at Markyate Shooting Ground in Hertfordshire.
The competition is the most fiercely contended of the Inter Livery competitions, with the Butchers' Company having taken the honours on two previous occasions, and always featuring high on the scoreboard.
The competition consists of teams of four shooting 80 English Sporting individual targets and an 80 target ‘flush’ with all four team members shooting at the same time with loaders. Some of the targets are very testing (especially the high tower) and not for the faint hearted!
This year the winners were the Gunmakers' Livery Company who took the first three places with a top score of 326 ex 400. With the Butchers' Company teams putting in a great performance, Butchers ‘A’ 5th on 283 ex 400 and Butchers ‘B’ 6th on 278 ex 400 out of 120.teams. The Butchers ‘B’ also came 3rd in the Flush with a fantastic 76 ex 80.
Two years ago I introduced The Captains Cup for the highest scoring Liveryman from The Company, in previous years Richard Taylor and Nick Allen have been the recipients and this year it went again to Nick Allen with a score of 67 ex 80 and who was joint 5th overall in the competition, well done Nick.
I would like to thank The Court for their generous sponsorship of a team again and to those Liveryman who supported The Company again this year.
Assistant Julien Pursglove Team Captain & Secretary
To find out more about the Shooting Society:
Contact : Assistant Julien PursgloveTelephone: 01435 862 098 / 07544 997 859
Email: julienpursglove959@btinternet.com
Website: www.butchershall.com/wcb/events-societies/wcb-societies