Simon and I attended the ‘Midlands Bisley’ Open shoot during the weekend of 13/14th July. It was Simon’s second visit and my first; nearby Northampton being my home town. In-the-past other County shooters have attended.
The range is notorious for its wind conditions, but we appear to have been particularly lucky on both days. Nonetheless it wasn’t unusual to see a mast-mounted flag being stationary whilst the wind socks near-the-ground blew in all directions.
On the Saturday we were treated to the site of a 4-ship aerobatics team, flying from the nearby Sywell Aerodrome, practising routines above us.
With it being Silverstone weekend, together with the Cricket World Cup Final and the Wimbledon Singles Final’s all taking place, attendance was perhaps muted. Nonetheless many people attended both days, with some using the caravan/tent facilities.
Sywell is the County range for N.L.R.S.A - The Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Rutland Target Shooting Association. Their range is accommodated into Northampton Shooting Ground, which includes Northampton Target Sport Club, which provides for skeet, pistol and air-rifle shooting.
N.L.R.S.A boasts a substantial club house with a canteen, and a number of workshops and permanent conveniences, all a long way from the A43.
The weekend was split across 3 competitions and an aggregate. Competition 1 was 60 shots@50m, Competition 2, 60@100yds (Scottish Match) both shot on the Saturday. Competition 3 was a Double Dewar (40@50m, 40@100yds) shot on the Sunday, with Competition 4 being the aggregate of competitions 1, 2 and 3.
Simon and I travelled the furthest, followed by Paul D from South London.
We acquitted ourselves pretty well. Simon bagged a 2nd in competition 2 and another 2nd in the aggregate in Class X, and I secured a 2nd in competition 2, another 2nd in competition 3 and 2nd in the aggregate in Class B.
I am aiming to attend Sywell again this year, at the Halloween Shoot on 27th October.
Brendan Newport - Cheshire & North Wales