Category: Competitions

Rugeley takes narrow win over Alton Rifle Club

by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley Rifle Club earned a close win against Hampshire-based Alton Rifle Club in a friendly today. Shooting on their home ranges, Prone and Benchrest teams shot Shoulder-to-Shoulder over two cards each, with the best five scores to count from teams of up to seven.

The prone teams fought a close battle, with Alton slipping ahead by just three points. Alton’s J. Mullins took the highest individual score of 198/200.

In the Benchrest, S. Forster of Alton was the only shooter to go clean, but Rugeley benefited from depth, with a lowest counting score of 197, which saw them take a decisive lead overall.

We look forward to a rematch in 2026!

RugeleyAlton
G. Green100 5x99 2x199 7xS. Forster100 4x100 4x200 8x
99 2x100 4x199 6xR. Forster99 1x96 1x195 2x
W. Morgan98 4x99 5x197 9xT. Charrington96 0x95 1x191 1x
C. Gould99 2x98 3x197 5xC. Perry94 2x94 0x188 2x
A. Bullock98 1x99 2x197 3xJ. Jones89 0x94 2x183 2x
E. Vickers95 0x99 2x194 2x
Benchrest Sub-Total989 30x957 15x
R Hemingway10097197J. Mullins9999198
D Glover9697193D. Hartley9897195
P Baron9696192M. Buttery9599194
C Kimberley9495189M. Naude9498192
C Taylor9295187L. Garner8993182
I Ward9195186A. Simcock8489173
M Williams9291183
Prone Sub-Total958961
Total1947 30x1918 15x

British Championship medals for Rugeley shooters

by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley shooters have had a very successful weekend at the British Open Airgun Championships at Bisley.

Kicking off on Thursday, Abbi Beech took bronze in the Sporter Rifle championship.

On Friday, Pippa Waterson qualified fourth in the Junior Women’s Air Pistol, improving to bronze medal position in the final, whilst Oliver Hill qualified as the youngest finallist in the Junior Men’s Air Rifle, improving from seventh to fifth place.

Olivia Beech took bronze in the Women’s Air Rifle and silver in the University Championship. Megan Bamsey also qualified for the Women’s Final, finishing fifth.

In the Seniors, Paul Watkiss qualified for the Men’s Air Pistol final in 6th position, unluckily finishing just out of the medals in fourth place after a strong final.

Paul Barker won the SH1 Air Rifle, and placed third in the SH1 Prone Rifle.

Three young women stand smiling on a shooting range. They are holding match air rifles and wear the specialised jackets and trousers used in ISSF style target shooting.
Olivia Beech wins Bronze in Women’s Air Rifle
An empty shooting range stands ready. In the foreground, a row of boxes stretch off into the distance, each bearing a computer monitor that shows the outcome of shots. The row of targets is visible in the background.
The range awaits
Three young people stand smiling on a podium clutching medals. The one in the middle is holding a trophy.
Abbi takes Bronze in Jr Women’s Air Pistol
Two men stand in front of a podium, the one on the left is presenting a trophy to the man on the right who wears a top bearing the British Shooting logo.
Paul Barker wins SH1 WSPS Air Rifle
Three young women stand smiling on a podium clutching medals
Pippa Waterson takes Bronze in Jr Women’s Air Pistol

All photos courtesy Eleanor Shorey, nsratheshorey.com

Medals and Schools Championship Regional Heats

by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley shooters have been in action at the regional heats of the British Shooting Schools Championship. On the 20th November, Abbi and Pippa competed at Ellesmere College in the West Midlands Pistol Regionals.

Qualifying fifth, Abbi shot a strong final to picking up bronze in the Junior class, whilst Pippa climbed from third place in qualification to win Silver in the Intermediates.

A few days later, Abbi was in action again at the NSRA’s West Midlands Regional Centre at Aldersley, shooting in the West Midlands Rifle Regionals, where she took a decisive win in the Junior 10M Sporter Rifle class!

Abbi and Pippa will both be finding themselves busy at the National Finals at Chase Leisure Centre in February!

Two girls stand with medals in front of a backdrop reading "British Shooting Schools Championship"
Abbi takes Junior Bronze and Pippa takes Intermediate Silver in the 10M Air Pistol Regionals at Ellesmere College
A girl stands with a gold medal in front of a backdrop reading "British Shooting Schools Championship"
Abbi takes Junior Gold in the 10M Sporter Air Rifle Regionals at Aldersley

Ed takes on champions at Benchrest Nationals

by RichHin Club News, Competitions

Ed Vickers attended the Benchrest UK National Open at Portishead Shooting Club in Somerset this weekend, where he faced off against some of the UK’s top Benchrest shooters, including Trevor Eling – who recently ran a workshop at Rugeley. Shooting at 50metres, the matches were shot to International WRABF rather than NSRA rules, allowing the use of a rear rest under the butt of the rifle, in addition to the front rest.

In the “Light” Air Rifle (<10.5lb) event on Saturday, Ed fought tricky conditions to finish 38th of 40. On Sunday, Ed rallied in the “Heavy” Air Rifle (<15lb) to place 14th/35, edging Trevor into 15th place by three points!

Rugeley represent at Welsh International Airgun Championships

by RichHin Competitions

Rugeley shooters represented this weekend at the Welsh International Airgun Championships in Cardiff.

Shot over three days, athletes contest three matches – the Cardiff Grand Prix and AiroShoot Qualification are contested over Friday and Saturday in Senior and Junior classes, with the Welsh Open Championship contested on Sunday as one class. WIAC is part of the AiroShoot circuit, alongside the InterShoot match in the Netherlands, RIAC in Luxembourg and other matches in Scotland, Denmark and Belgium. As a result, it attracts international shooters in addition to the predominantly British entry.

Paul Watkiss placed 13th and 12th in his Air Pistol matches, finishing 21st in the Open Match with a series of very steady shoots.

Pippa Watterson placed 7th and 17th in her Junior AP matches, and 25th in the Welsh Open.

In the Air Rifle, Megan Bamsey placed 5th and 8th in her Senior matches, and 25th in the Open.

Izzy Ward placed 23rd and 24th in the Junior Women’s Air Rifle, and 22rd in the Open.

Bill Clark placed 16th and 15th in his Men’s Air Rifle events.

Gold and Silver for Izzy and Bill at Aldersley

by RichHin Competitions

Izzy Ward and Bill Clark competed at Aldersley this weekend in the NSRA West Midlands Airgun Open. In the B-Class Air Rifle Championship, Izzy took Gold and Bill Silver. Bill shot two days and also claimed Gold in the B-Class Aggregate.

Club representation at Bisley

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

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.
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.
Vic Tyne receives his trophy from Staffordshire County Association President Mike Willcox.
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.
Richard Hemingway receives a trophy from Staffordshire County Association President Mike Willcox.
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.
Dave Glover receives his trophy from Staffordshire County Association President Mike Willcox.
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.
Graham Delaney receives his trophy from Staffordshire County Association President Mike Willcox.

GB Selection for Olivia

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

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.