Competitions Archives | Rugeley Rifle Club

Club representation at Bisley

19 August 202425 August 2024 by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley members represented at the NSRA’s National Smallbore Meeting this year, winning County and Home Country selections.

Six members shot the Weekend Aggregate, spanning Classes X to D.

Richard Hemingway – X, 20th
Alex Buttery – C, 21st
Ian Abbotts – C, 33rd
Liz Garner – C, 35th
Brian Parker – C, 43rd
Deb Truman – D, 20th

Martyn Buttery finished 42nd in the X-Class Grand Aggregate and represented Hampshire. Martyn won Silver with the County Sextette, and Bronze in the County 50Metre match.

Richard Hemingway was selected for Wales, placing third in the Home Countries International.

Richard and Liz both qualified for the Eley Postal Final, with Richard placing 17th in A, and Liz taking 3rd in E.

Paul Watkiss placed 9th in A-Class in the Benchrest Weekend Aggregate. John Passey placed 11th.

Rugeley dominate County Championships

9 August 20249 August 2024 by RichHin Club News, Competitions

Rugeley Rifle Club repeated its 2023 success at the Staffordshire Smallbore Rifle Association’s Championships, held at Baldwin’s Gate near Keele.

Richard Hemingway again led the charge, retaining his title as Staffordshire Long Range Champion, winning A-Class in the process. He also won the County 50Metre Championship.

Dave Glover won B-Class, was highest scoring Veteran and also earned the NSRA County Silver Medal – awarded to the highest scorer who hasn’t won it before.

Graham Delaney won C-Class and the R.W. De Nicolas Memorial Trophy for the top C, D or Junior shooter. Graham won D-Class last year. Vic Tyne was runner-up in C-Class and Helen Robinson placed sixth.

Paul Watkiss won D-Class.

Two men stand on a veranda, the one on the right receives a trophy from the suited gentleman on the left. They are smiling and shaking hands. — Paul Watkiss receives his trophy from Staffordshire County Association President Mike Willcox.

GB Selection for Olivia

7 August 20248 August 2024 by RichHin Competitions

Whilst all eyes were on GB’s shooters at the Paris Olympics, Rugeley Rifle Club member Olivia Beech has been representing Great Britain at the Nordic Championships in Denmark.

Shooting in the Mixed Team and Women’s 50Metre Three Position rifle events, Olivia placed 18th individually, and 16th in the Mixed Pairs with teammate Louis Norman.

The Nordic Championships were first run in 1922 with the aim of providing Nordic target shooters with the best preparation for competing at the World Championships and Olympic Games. Great Britain applied to join the Nordic Shooting Region in 1971, receiving approval in 1973. With the launch of the UIT (ISSF) World Cup series as a means to distribute Olympic Quota Places, the significance of the Nordic Championships declined through the 1980s as the World Cups took precedence for top shooter’s competition calendars and financial resources. In 1992 it was agreed to refocus the event as a biennial Junior Championship to prepare development athletes for the senior World Cup series with seniors only included sporadically.

A young woman aims a precision target rifle from the kneeling position — Olivia trains in kneeling position. Credit: Shannon Davies

GB Selection for Hemingway

8 July 202411 July 2024 by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley Rifle Club member Richard Hemingway was selected to shoot for Great Britain on Saturday after an outstanding performance in the Dewar Match Trials held at Appleton Rifle Club.

Scoring 789/800, he finished top of his squad to qualify for the team. The top five from each of four squads made up the team of twenty. This was Richard’s second GB cap after also making the team in 2018. Richard qualified for the Trials in 2023 but narrowly missed selection, finishing seventh in his squad.

The Dewar Match is an International Postal against the United States, with South Africa and Australia also entering in some years. Following the Trials, the team shot their cards – the scores of which are embargoed until the other teams have shot their end of the match.

In the match itself, Richard placed mid-table with the tenth highest score. Significantly, in finishing in the top 15 he qualifies for the Roberts Match Trials in October. The Roberts Match is a shoulder-to-shoulder match held every 8 years when the United States comes to Bisley to compete at the August National Meeting. The Roberts Squad wll be selected from the October trials.

Friend of the club Liam Webster also qualified for the trials, but missed selection from his squad after a difficult shoot at 100yards.

England selection and Silver medal for Olivia at British 50Metre Championships

30 June 20248 August 2024 by RichHin Competitions

Olivia Beech was selected to represent England in the Home Countries match on Saturday at the British 50Metre Rifle Championships. Shooting on the difficult Malcolm Cooper Range at the NSRA Lord Roberts Centre in Surrey, Olivia scored 555/600, placing her fourth overall and between team mates Wes Cann on 565 and Lloyd Collins-Page on 532. In a tight-fought match England placed second with 1652/1800, just three points behind Wales on 1655.

Having comfortably qualified for the final, she held her nerve to win Silver, making her top female competitor.

Olivia’s performance comes after her GB selection to the Junior team attending the Nordic Championships in August. Hosted in Denmark this year, Olivia will be competing in the Junior Women’s Three-Position Rifle and the Mixed Team event alongside Louis Norman.

Olivia Beech takes Silver at British 50Metre Championship Three-Position event

Richard defends Welsh title in Tondu

25 June 202430 June 2024 by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley shooter Richard Hemingway defended his 2023 title at the Welsh 50M Championship this weekend. Shooting at Tondu Target Shooting Club near Bridgend, Rich again saw off strong competition from GB & Commonwealth shooters.

Qualifying at the top of the table on Saturday in good conditions with a robust 618.9, Sunday saw a drizzly, flat outlook and steady start for Richard, but outdone by the stronge start of Sian Corish. A blustery middle section saw Richard close the gap, and he held his nerve in the last 15 shots to overtake Sian and retain his Welsh Championship title with a score of 617.5. Sian Corish was runner up on 615.0, and Liam Webster – formerly of Rugeley and friend of the club – narrowly placed third with 614.1.

Full Results

Richard finishes second in Torfaen Open

7 April 20247 April 2024 by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley shooter Richard Hemingway won his squad, and finished second in X-Class this weekend at the Torfaen Open Championship.

Contested at Long Ashton District Rifle Club near Bristol, the match is a 60-shot course of fire on Megalink electronic targets. Shooting on the second squad of the day, Richard’s score of 616.2 bested top shooters including Simon Green. Overall, he was left behind Alan Bain, who had managed an excellent 621.0 on the first detail.

A group of floor shooters lie prone on the floor of an indoor firing point, aiming out through square holes in the wall at targets on the outdoor range. They wear canvas and leather jackets for support, some in bright colours. Monitors show the score from the electronic target system.

A monitor shows a blank target from an electronic scoring system. Through a hole in the wall, the bank of targets are visible fifty metres away on the outdoor range. Two range officers are just visible inspecting the targets before the next detail starts.

Medals from British Open Airgun Championships

26 February 202427 February 2024 by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley shooters claimed a pair of medals at the NSRA British Open Airgun Championships this weekend. For the Open Championship, athletes shoot an Olympic course – a 60-shot qualification match, with the top-8 progressing to a final. Competitors also shoot a seocnd qualification course which is aggregated with their first score for the Class Aggregate,

Shooting in the Women’s Air Rifle, Megan Bamsey placed fourth in qualification, improving in the final to take the bronze medal – her first senior medal. In her second match for the Aggregate, Megan set a new PB of 616.4.

In the Men’s Air Pistol, Paul Watkiss narrowly missed a spot in the final, finishing 9th. He collected a consolation prize with an excellent second shoot to take silver in the A-Class aggregate.

In the Junior Women’s Air Rifle, Olivia Beech qualified for her final in third place, and also improved to win the silver medal. Izzy Ward finished 13th in the same event.

Pippa Watterson finished 10th in the Junior Women’s Air Pistol, and Abbigael Beech placed 20th in the Sporter Air Rifle.

A row of computer monitors on a bench at the firing point of a 10metre airgun range — Megan Bamsey (right) wins bronze – Women’s Air Rifle

Three smiling women stand on a podium. The athlete in the centre holds a trophy. — Megan Bamsey (right) wins bronze – Women’s Air Rifle

Gold for Abbigael at Schools Air Championship

9 February 202411 February 2024 by RichHin Competitions1 Comment

Rugeley member Abbigael Beech took Gold at the British Shooting Schools Rifle & Pistol Championships this week, winning the Junior 6yd Air Rifle event. The 6yd event is shot with “Sporter” air rifles which are lighter than full precision air rifles, and does not allow special shooting jackets or trousers.

The Championships took place over the 6th and 7th of February at Cannock Leisure Centre, and were supported by volunteers from Rugeley Rifle Club.

A sports hall built of red brick is configured for target shooting. Electronic targets for air rifles and air pistols are visible in the background. In the foreground, a blue banner identifies the event as the British Shooting Schools Rifle and Pistol Championships.

Young people shoot air pistols during a practice session at the British Shooting Schools Rifle & Pistol Championships. The range is located in a brick sports hall set up for the event. Electronic targets are visible in the background with monitors on tables at the firing point.

Final for Paul at British Shooting Air Series

7 February 20247 February 2024 by RichHin Competitions

Paul Watkiss had a stand-up weekend, finishing fourth in the open Air Pistol event at the third installment of British Shooting’s Air Series at Aldersley, near Wolverhampton.

Shooting on Saturday, Paul managed 561, topping Relay 2. On Sunday morning he improved on that with a 562 in Relay 4. Both these scores were good enough to qualify Paul for the 8-athlete final. Starting with a wobble he placed 6th after the first string. Regrouping however, he climbed to fifth after the second string and fourth after his 12th shot. Further steady shooting saw him climb in to bronze medal position, but a robust response from Charlotte Hicks over her last four shots saw her climb past Paul and Ayush Chauhan into silver medal position, pushing Ayush in Bronze and Paul just out the medals.

In the Air Rifle, Bill Clark, Izzy Ward and Nathan Clark all put in strong performances. Bill managed third and 5th in his two relays, Izzy placed 5th and 3rd, whilst Nathan placed 6th in his relay. Their best results put Bill 13th overall, Izzy 15th and Nathan 19th. Congratulations to all.